Since the start of the 2019 West Virginia legislative session, each issue of our newsletter has featured bills that addressed issues from the WV Forward blueprint. After a dynamic legislative session, here are a few of the bills headed to the Governor. A special session on education is following the regular session. For more information, visit http://www.wvlegislature.gov/.
HIGHER EDUCATION - ‘Last Dollar In’ model
SB 1, which cites the WV Forward blueprint in the opening lines of the bill, aims to provide more affordable paths to advanced degrees and job certifications for West Virginians who seek to attain a degree that meets West Virginia's high-demand skilled professions and workforce needs. Eligible students can apply for state grants to cover financial aid needs to supplement federal aid and other financial support. The bill also fosters partnerships between public schools and post-secondary schools for students to obtain associate degrees or job certifications.
INVESTING IN WEST VIRGINIA - SBIR/STTR Matching Program
HB 2550 creates a SBIR and STTR matching program will boost entrepreneurial activity in high-tech sectors as well as help companies and universities turn new technologies into viable business opportunities.
ATTRACTING OPPORTUNITY INVESTMENT - Qualified Opportunity Zones
HB 2828 promotes strategic investments in West Virginia by easing income taxes derived from investments related to Opportunity Zones and New Markets Tax Credits. This bill adds state-level, distinct, stackable tax incentives to compete for national investment dollars that spur development.
GROWING LOCAL AG - Fresh Food Act
HB 2396 requires all state-funded institutions, such as schools, colleges, correctional facilities, governmental agencies and state parks, to purchase a minimum of five percent of its fresh produce, meat and poultry products from West Virginia producers.
EXPANDING TOURISM OPPORTUNITIES - Establishing a multi-county trail network
SB 317 permits three or more neighboring counties to form multi-county trail network authorities to develop and operate for outdoor recreation. will work with local landowners and communities to support local recreation while expanding tourism opportunities. The bill seeks to attract a higher number of tourist visitors to West Virginia with the goal of increasing tourism spending, creating jobs and boosting economic and community development.
READYING THE WV WORKFORCE - Creating a program to ready West Virginia's workforce
HB 2004 creates a program that helps provide West Virginians with the skills needed to successfully join today's workforce and career opportunities to help increase the state's workforce participation now and in the future. The bill also seeks more collaboration among K-12 educators to infuse these essential skillsets into the classroom to better prepare students for evolving workforce demands.
LOOKING AT SITE READINESS - West Virginia Business Ready Sites Program
HB 3024 creates the West Virginia Business Ready Sites Program, a pilot, five-year long site certification program allowing the WV Public Service Commission to approve utility infrastructure programs in connection with up to 10 sites over a five-year period (no more than 4 sites/congressional district or up to 5 sites/congressional district in case West Virginia loses a congressional district). Under this program, the Commission is also allowed to recover certain costs (from utility infrastructure projects) via ratemaking.
EXPANDING THE IN-STATE BROADBAND NETWORK
SB 3 establishes the West Virginia Small Wireless Facilities Deployment Act to expand in-state broadband services by allowing the deployment of small reliable wireless facilities, with the goal of reducing costs in rural areas and supporting the telecommunications industry in West Virginia.
BOOSTING INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS THROUGH GRANT FUNDING
SB 153 provides greater flexibility for making grants to infrastructure projects, increasing the amount that the Infrastructure and Jobs Development Council can attribute from 20% to 25% of the total funds available for the funding of projects while capping the annual amount at $500,000.
REVIEWING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TAX CREDITS
SB 421 requires the WV Development Office to report companies seeking the tourism development project credit or the tourism development expansion project credit, or both.
SECURING WV DATA THROUGH A NEW CYBERSECURITY OFFICE
HB 2452 creates a cybersecurity office in West Virginia, requiring an internal audit by executive agencies by the end of 2020 to help secure the data of its residents and secure state government functions.
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