Budget & Taxes

signed · West Virginia · House of Delegates Jun 29, 2026

HB 4784: Extending the Qualified Opportunity Zones until July 1, 2032.

HB 4784 extends West Virginia's Qualified Opportunity Zones (QOZ) tax incentive program until July 1, 2032. This bill modifies the tax code to allow new businesses in designated opportunity zones to continue receiving a tax reduction on income derived from their operations. Specifically, it permits corporate taxpayers to subtract from federal taxable income an amount equal to net income earned by a qualified opportunity zone business (QOZB) located in West Virginia, provided the business was newly registered between January 1, 2019, and July 1, 2032. The tax benefit applies for a 10-year period starting from the business's first qualifying year, and existing businesses that registered before July 1, 2032, retain their full entitlement.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill extends tax incentives for businesses in opportunity zones, providing tax relief to encourage economic development through modified tax code provisions.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Budget & Taxes

signed · West Virginia · Senate Jun 25, 2026

SB 826: Supplementary appropriation to Division of Natural Resources, fund 3211

SB 826 is a supplementary appropriation bill that increases funding for the State Parks and Recreation Endowment Fund (fund 3211) within the Division of Natural Resources for fiscal year 2026. It raises current expenses from $13,000 to $25,000 and other assets from $69,000 to $6,500,000. This directly provides additional resources for managing West Virginia's state parks, including operations and facility maintenance during the 2026 fiscal year.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesIncreases funding for state parks operations/maintenance via supplementary appropriation, directly advancing public service funding within budget allocation.95% confidence ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentBill increases funding for State Parks and Recreation Endowment Fund to enhance park operations and maintenance, directly supporting environmental conservation and natural resource management.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Budget & Taxes

signed · West Virginia · Senate Jun 25, 2026

SB 825: Supplementary appropriation to Department of Administration, fund 0226

This bill adds $17.6 million in funding to West Virginia's Public Defender Services (fund 0226) for fiscal year 2026. It allocates $2.6 million for "Public Defender Corporations" and $15 million for "Appointed Counsel Fees" using existing unappropriated surplus funds from the State Fund. The funding directly supports public defenders who represent indigent defendants in criminal cases, ensuring legal services for individuals who cannot afford private attorneys. The bill makes no new policy changes but redirects existing surplus state funds to this specific program.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesFunds public defenders using surplus funds, supporting essential legal services without new taxes or policy changes.95% confidence ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill allocates $17.6M to public defenders for indigent criminal defendants, directly funding legal representation and supporting access to justice, aligning with criminal justice reform indicators.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Budget & Taxes

signed · West Virginia · Senate Jun 25, 2026

SB 875: Supplemental appropriation to Department of Commerce, fund 8703

SB 875 supplements the 2026 budget for the West Virginia Department of Commerce's Division of Forestry (fund 8703) by adding $250,000 for personal services and $500,000 for current expenses. The funds come from unappropriated federal money remaining for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2026. This bill directly affects the Division of Forestry's budget allocation, increasing its available funding for staff costs and operational needs during the 2026 fiscal year.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesIncreases budget for Forestry Division's staff and operations using unappropriated federal funds, directly funding public service needs.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Budget & Taxes

signed · West Virginia · Senate Jun 25, 2026

SB 843: Supplemental Appropriation to Department of Health, fund 5144

SB 843 is a supplemental budget measure that adds $330,000 to the existing appropriation for the Department of Health's Vital Statistics Account (fund 5144) for fiscal year 2026. It specifically increases funding for "Personal Services and Employee Benefits" within this account, using unspent funds identified by the Governor. The bill directly affects the Department of Health's Vital Statistics program, which handles birth, death, and other vital records. This is a procedural budget adjustment to reallocate existing unappropriated funds, not a new policy or program.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAdds $330k to Department of Health's Vital Statistics budget for employee services, directly increasing funding for a public health program using unspent funds.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Budget & Taxes

signed · West Virginia · Senate Jun 25, 2026

SB 749: Relating to county economic opportunity development districts

SB 749 authorizes four West Virginia counties - Ohio, Harrison, Monongalia, and Jefferson - to levy a special sales tax on businesses within designated economic development districts. The bill specifically approves taxes for the Fort Henry District (500 acres in Ohio County), Charles Pointe District (437 acres in Harrison County), University Town Centre District (1,450 acres in Monongalia County), and a Jefferson County district (unspecified acreage). Each district’s tax authority expires in 2053 or 2054, unless terminated earlier under existing law. The bill ensures these taxes won’t reduce state general revenue by requiring individual legislative approval for each district’s tax authorization. This directly affects businesses operating within these defined areas, with tax revenue funding local economic development initiatives.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAuthorizes new county-level sales tax for economic development districts, increasing tax authority to fund local economic initiatives and fiscal management.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Budget & Taxes

signed · West Virginia · Senate Jun 25, 2026

SB 1053: Authorizing Unemployment Automation and Administration Fund to modernize and enhance WorkForce West Virginia

SB 1053 creates a new "Unemployment Automation and Administration Fund" to modernize West Virginia's unemployment system. It requires employers to pay 7% of their quarterly unemployment tax contributions into this fund, with limits: deposits stop if the fund reaches $18 million in a year or if the Unemployment Compensation Trust Fund falls below $300 million. The fund will cover costs for upgrading the unemployment claims system, improving the job search platform, administrative expenses, and workforce development initiatives. This directly affects employers who pay unemployment taxes in West Virginia, redirecting a portion of their payments toward system improvements.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesMandates 7% of unemployment tax to fund system modernization, creating dedicated tax revenue for essential program upgrades.90% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentCreates fund to modernize unemployment system, improving claims processing and job search tools, directly supporting unemployed workers' access to benefits.95% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyBill creates fund specifically for modernizing unemployment system tech, including upgrading claims platform and job search tools, directly advancing technology infrastructure for government services.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Budget & Taxes

signed · West Virginia · Senate Jun 25, 2026

SB 1: Small Business Growth Act

SB 1, the Small Business Growth Act, creates a new tax credit program administered by the West Virginia Department of Commerce to incentivize investment in small businesses. It provides insurance companies with a credit against their state premium tax equal to 15% of qualifying capital investments made by certified "growth funds" into eligible West Virginia businesses. Eligible businesses must have fewer than 250 employees and principal operations in the state, and investments are limited to 20% of a growth fund's capital authority or $7.5 million per business. The credit is claimed annually based on certified investments, with the program requiring annual reporting and prohibiting certain investment types.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesCreates tax credit reducing insurance companies' premium tax liability (15% of qualifying investments) to incentivize small business growth, directly advancing tax policy for economic development.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Budget & Taxes

signed · West Virginia · Senate Jun 25, 2026

SB 643: Discontinuing WV Supreme Court of Appeals Public Campaign Financing Program

SB 643 repeals all sections of West Virginia law (§3-12-1 through §3-12-16) that established the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals Public Campaign Financing Program. The bill directly discontinues a program that provided public funding to candidates running for the state Supreme Court. Key provisions include removing all legal references to this financing mechanism, effectively ending the program's operation. This is a procedural repeal with no new funding or requirements added.

Topics ✗ Budget & TaxesOpposes Budget & TaxesBill discontinues public campaign financing program for Supreme Court, eliminating state funding (defunding a specific government spending item) without replacement, directly reducing government expenditure on this program.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✗ Opposes Budget & Taxes

signed · West Virginia · Senate Jun 24, 2026

SB 788: Supplemental appropriation to Department of Commerce, fund 0572

SB 788 adds $2 million in additional funding from unappropriated surplus funds in the General Revenue Fund to WorkForce West Virginia (fund 0572, fiscal year 2026). This supplemental appropriation directly supports WorkForce West Virginia's current operational expenses, using existing unused state funds identified in the Governor's 2026 budget. The bill does not create new programs or alter eligibility but allocates money already available in the state treasury. It is a procedural funding adjustment, not a policy change.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAllocates $2M from unappropriated surplus funds to fund existing WorkForce West Virginia operations, using unused state treasury money without new taxes or program changes. Aligns with fiscal responsibility and funding public services.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentFunds WorkForce WV operational expenses, supporting employment services using existing surplus funds without policy changes.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Budget & Taxes