Saturday, March 22, 2008
WV Senate Majority Leader On Recent Legislative Session.
With the completion of the regular and first extended special session of the West Virginia Legislature on Sunday evening, March 16, a determination was reached that retired teachers and retired state employees with twenty or more years of service will receive a $600 bonus in July, 2008.
We passed this measure during the extended special session in an attempt to financially assist our retirees. I fought hard for this piece of legislation. I made several remarks on the Senate floor concerning the fact that our retired teachers and state employees have been on fixed incomes for many years, and that they greatly deserve either an income tax break or an increase in their benefits. This $600 stimulus package will cost the state approximately $2.2 million dollars, and should be available on or about July 24, 2008.
The general revenue budget set forth in Senate Bill 150 will total $3,902,732,810. Several agencies were given increases in their budget year including corrections/juvenile services along with regional jail employees, who will receive an across the board $2,000 plus a three percent (3%) raise.
Several changes and additions were implemented into the 08' Department of Health and Human Resources (DHHR) Budget.
The Conferees allowed $100,000 for the Secretary of the DHHR to transfer to the Cancer Coalition, to make up for an anticipated shortfall from the Federal Center for Disease Control funding. There was also a $13,000 increase in the Cancer Registry that will allow for the retention of another employee, thanks to matching federal funds. $1 million was added in the Primary Care Support line, that will enable the agency to continue to offer core medical functioning in health centers located primarily in rural areas of the state.
$110,000 was moved from the Health Right Free Clinics into the Pharmaceutical Advocate line to assist with the development of prescriptions for West Virginia, according to the new central-fill pharmacy proposed by Governor Manchin. The governor also requested a $9 million increase in Behavioral Health funding, with the legislatures agreeing to an $8 million increase.
To bolster the important role that "Teaching Hospitals" play in providing health care, this department received the amount of $1.5 million. These funds are matched federally and are used for Neonatal Intensive Care Units, Pediatric Intensive Care Units and Trauma Centers inside the state’s four (4) teaching facilities.
There was also an increase of $470,000 to the In-Home Family Education Program, that provides parenting education and support to families with young children and has proven in the past to be one of the most efficient tools in preventing child abuse and neglect. It also has been given credit for increasing school readiness and enhances better parenting skills.
Other budget highlights are as follows:
(1). A restoration of the Traffic Account to fifteen (15) million.
Created in 1985, $141.7 million had been appropriated to the account, while $81 million had been drawn from the account - largely due to meeting the shortfalls of the Medicaid program. As of December 31, 2007, the balance in the Traffic Account was $60.7 million.
(2). The budget of the Supreme Court received an increase of $990,000, to compensate for the addition of three (3) new Circuit Judges in the counties of Wayne, Mercer and Pendleton.
(3). The Promise Scholarship funding was approved in the amount of $41,626,000, per the Governor’s request.
(4). Public Education Local Share increased by $9 million following the Governor’s proposal.
(5). Salary enhancements included in the budget bill includes a three percent (3%) raise for public employees, at a cost of $22.7 million. The bill includes a $700 floor.
(6). The Mine Health Safety Training Inspectors received a $3,000 across the board raise, plus a three percent (3%) salary increase.
(7). Conservation Officers received a $2,000 increase, plus a change in their increment pay that will show $400 per year of service. The total cost for these changes was $1.1 million.
(8). State employees also received a $10 annual increment increase.
(9). The new school aid funding has been included in the education bill.
The increased cost for this new formula is $34.5 million over a period of five years. This year’s increase was $6.1 million. Teachers received a $1,600 across the board raise. Service Personnel also received a $700 across the board raise, and Principals will receive a one point increase on their increment pay.
(10). The senior citizen budget seen an increase that will include $500,000 for emergency needs as determined by the Commissioner for the Bureau of Senior Services.
The state received a long overdue shot in the arm with the passing of a bill that will eliminate the $50 fee currently being paid by residents who wish to take the General Educational Development exam (GED), and instead will become the responsibility of the Board of Education.
The estimated annual cost of the program is about $260,000, considering an average of approximately 5,200 West Virginians take the GED test each year. There are about 328,000 individuals living within our state who do not have a high school diploma. Although the $50 fee may not sound like a large amount to some people, being without a high school diploma limits the type of employment one can find, and working for minimum wage can make coming up with $50 a tremendous task. The passing of this legislation will allow the process of obtaining a GED to be a lot simpler, and will not put a financial burden on those who could not afford the fee. I encourage everyone without a diploma to take advantage of this offer, and work toward creating a better way of life for yourselves and your family.
Although I would have liked to have seen certain measures pass during the 2008 Legislative Session that failed to do so, I truly feel it concluded as one of the most productive I have seen. We continue to work toward making this fine state a more productive place in which to reside, allowing for a better way of life for each and every West Virginian.
May God continue to keep his hand upon us, guiding us into a bright and prosperous future!
We passed this measure during the extended special session in an attempt to financially assist our retirees. I fought hard for this piece of legislation. I made several remarks on the Senate floor concerning the fact that our retired teachers and state employees have been on fixed incomes for many years, and that they greatly deserve either an income tax break or an increase in their benefits. This $600 stimulus package will cost the state approximately $2.2 million dollars, and should be available on or about July 24, 2008.
The general revenue budget set forth in Senate Bill 150 will total $3,902,732,810. Several agencies were given increases in their budget year including corrections/juvenile services along with regional jail employees, who will receive an across the board $2,000 plus a three percent (3%) raise.
Several changes and additions were implemented into the 08' Department of Health and Human Resources (DHHR) Budget.
The Conferees allowed $100,000 for the Secretary of the DHHR to transfer to the Cancer Coalition, to make up for an anticipated shortfall from the Federal Center for Disease Control funding. There was also a $13,000 increase in the Cancer Registry that will allow for the retention of another employee, thanks to matching federal funds. $1 million was added in the Primary Care Support line, that will enable the agency to continue to offer core medical functioning in health centers located primarily in rural areas of the state.
$110,000 was moved from the Health Right Free Clinics into the Pharmaceutical Advocate line to assist with the development of prescriptions for West Virginia, according to the new central-fill pharmacy proposed by Governor Manchin. The governor also requested a $9 million increase in Behavioral Health funding, with the legislatures agreeing to an $8 million increase.
To bolster the important role that "Teaching Hospitals" play in providing health care, this department received the amount of $1.5 million. These funds are matched federally and are used for Neonatal Intensive Care Units, Pediatric Intensive Care Units and Trauma Centers inside the state’s four (4) teaching facilities.
There was also an increase of $470,000 to the In-Home Family Education Program, that provides parenting education and support to families with young children and has proven in the past to be one of the most efficient tools in preventing child abuse and neglect. It also has been given credit for increasing school readiness and enhances better parenting skills.
Other budget highlights are as follows:
(1). A restoration of the Traffic Account to fifteen (15) million.
Created in 1985, $141.7 million had been appropriated to the account, while $81 million had been drawn from the account - largely due to meeting the shortfalls of the Medicaid program. As of December 31, 2007, the balance in the Traffic Account was $60.7 million.
(2). The budget of the Supreme Court received an increase of $990,000, to compensate for the addition of three (3) new Circuit Judges in the counties of Wayne, Mercer and Pendleton.
(3). The Promise Scholarship funding was approved in the amount of $41,626,000, per the Governor’s request.
(4). Public Education Local Share increased by $9 million following the Governor’s proposal.
(5). Salary enhancements included in the budget bill includes a three percent (3%) raise for public employees, at a cost of $22.7 million. The bill includes a $700 floor.
(6). The Mine Health Safety Training Inspectors received a $3,000 across the board raise, plus a three percent (3%) salary increase.
(7). Conservation Officers received a $2,000 increase, plus a change in their increment pay that will show $400 per year of service. The total cost for these changes was $1.1 million.
(8). State employees also received a $10 annual increment increase.
(9). The new school aid funding has been included in the education bill.
The increased cost for this new formula is $34.5 million over a period of five years. This year’s increase was $6.1 million. Teachers received a $1,600 across the board raise. Service Personnel also received a $700 across the board raise, and Principals will receive a one point increase on their increment pay.
(10). The senior citizen budget seen an increase that will include $500,000 for emergency needs as determined by the Commissioner for the Bureau of Senior Services.
The state received a long overdue shot in the arm with the passing of a bill that will eliminate the $50 fee currently being paid by residents who wish to take the General Educational Development exam (GED), and instead will become the responsibility of the Board of Education.
The estimated annual cost of the program is about $260,000, considering an average of approximately 5,200 West Virginians take the GED test each year. There are about 328,000 individuals living within our state who do not have a high school diploma. Although the $50 fee may not sound like a large amount to some people, being without a high school diploma limits the type of employment one can find, and working for minimum wage can make coming up with $50 a tremendous task. The passing of this legislation will allow the process of obtaining a GED to be a lot simpler, and will not put a financial burden on those who could not afford the fee. I encourage everyone without a diploma to take advantage of this offer, and work toward creating a better way of life for yourselves and your family.
Although I would have liked to have seen certain measures pass during the 2008 Legislative Session that failed to do so, I truly feel it concluded as one of the most productive I have seen. We continue to work toward making this fine state a more productive place in which to reside, allowing for a better way of life for each and every West Virginian.
May God continue to keep his hand upon us, guiding us into a bright and prosperous future!
# posted by Joe Kinzer @ 6:21 AM 
