Budget & Taxes

This bill provides $25,800 in additional funding from unspent state funds to the Department of Veterans' Assistance for building maintenance and repairs under the Veterans’ Facilities Support Fund (Fund 6703). It directly affects veterans' facilities by supplementing existing resources for facility upkeep, using a balance remaining unappropriated for fiscal year 2026. The funding is drawn from the existing $1,800,000 balance in the fund, not new money. The bill was introduced at the Governor’s request to support veterans' infrastructure needs.

This bill expands the definition of "tourism attraction" under West Virginia's Tourism Development Act to include lodging facilities, allowing hotels and similar accommodations to qualify for state tax credits. The change directly affects businesses operating lodging facilities within the state that wish to participate in the Tourism Development Act credit program. By amending the existing code, the legislation removes lodging facilities from the list of excluded project types while maintaining the current criteria for other tourism attractions like cultural sites, recreation facilities, and entertainment centers. This policy adjustment aims to broaden the range of tourism-related projects eligible for financial incentives without altering the underlying credit structure or eligibility requirements for other attraction types.

This bill modifies how West Virginia distributes funds from its Flood Resiliency Trust Fund to improve flood prevention and safety. It requires that at least 50% of all disbursements go to low-income areas and households, while another 50% must be used for nature-based solutions like floodplain restoration and property acquisition. The legislation also sets specific conditions for funding political subdivisions, requiring them to adopt updated road and bridge standards, flood hazard bylaws, local hazard mitigation plans, emergency operations plans, and meet FEMA community rating system requirements within 24 months. Ultimately, the State Resiliency Officer retains discretion over fund allocation but must follow these new prioritization rules and approval processes.