Creating WV Black Lung Program

HB 3107 creates West Virginia's State Black Lung Program to provide pain and suffering benefits to coal miners diagnosed with black lung disease (occupational pneumoconiosis). It establishes automatic eligibility for miners with 10+ years of mining exposure in West Virginia over a 15-year period, eliminating the need for total disability proof. Benefits include a $200 monthly base payment plus $15 per additional year of exposure (calculated by work hours), with a tax credit against state income tax. The program is funded by a 0.1x increase on existing severance taxes for coal, natural gas, oil, and electricity generated by solar/wind sources, deposited into the State Black Lung Fund. This bill directly affects current and former West Virginia coal miners with qualifying exposure.