Public Comments

• Parents leave the workforce.
• Small businesses struggle to fill jobs.
• Economic development efforts stall.
• Children lose access to high-quality early learning that improves long-term educational outcomes.

1. Restore and increase dedicated child care funding.
2. Stabilize provider reimbursement rates.
3. Protect infant and toddler slots.
4. Treat child care as essential economic infrastructure in the state budget.

Please support House Bill 4027...Khadija Lewis Khan has the best way to explain WHY this is essential for not just our beautiful mountain state, but the entire country...“Child care is infrastructure. Like roads and bridges, people need child care to get to work. We must invest in child care and systems that support families."  Help build a state where families can thrive and children have a solid foundation of support for healthy lives!

Hard no from me. Ireland is not the Ireland we used to know. It is ran by the woke who are destroying their own culture with islam.

How about getting rid of property  tax? I live in Hinton, on the Raleigh county side in the New River Parkway. We can't get police when called, our road does not get snow removal for up to a week, yet my property tax in 1 year has risen 400.00 on my house that I own. This is basically paying rent on something I own. Our forefathers would be shaking their heads.

Hello,

My name is Tyler Harto, and I am the Owner and Operator of Living My Best Cigar Life – Moundsville, LLC. I also consult for Living My Best Cigar Life in Wheeling. I am writing to respectfully ask you to let HB 5631 die in committee or vote NO on this bill.

HB 5631 would significantly increase costs on premium tobacco products. For small brick-and-mortar businesses like mine, this is not a minor adjustment — it is potentially devastating. If this bill passes and requires a floor tax on existing inventory, it will result in an immediate tax bill of approximately $2,000 based on our current stock. For a small business operating on tight margins, that alone could force us to close our doors.

Beyond the direct financial impact, this legislation would push customers out of our communities and across state lines — particularly to Pennsylvania — to avoid higher taxes. That means West Virginia loses tobacco tax revenue, local sales tax revenue, the 1% municipal tax, and the economic activity that supports revitalization efforts in our small towns.

What makes this even more concerning is that our pipe tobacco community has been steadily growing over the last two years. We are now drawing customers from as far east as Chambersburg, PA, as far west as Cincinnati, OH, as far south as Charleston, WV, and as far north as Ashtabula, OH. That is real economic impact being brought into West Virginia.

Our industry is already extremely challenging in this state. After four years in business, I can tell you that very few manufacturer representatives travel into West Virginia. Most do not go past Pittsburgh or Columbus because West Virginia is not considered a “target market.” In fact, our sales representative drives two and a half hours south just to visit our shop and give our customers the attention they deserve.

When I attended the Premium Cigar Association Trade Show in 2025, there were over 400 cigar vendors present. Many could not identify West Virginia on a map, did not know who their sales representative was for our state, or did not even sell directly into West Virginia — instead requiring us to purchase through third-party distributors.

That is the reality of doing business here. We are already fighting an uphill battle to bring premium products and outside dollars into our communities. HB 5631 would not strengthen small tobacco shops — it would weaken or eliminate them.

Premium cigars are not comparable to vape products or mass-market tobacco. They are handcrafted, premium products typically enjoyed occasionally by adult consumers. Treating them the same under tax policy does not reflect the reality of the market.

Over the past year alone, we have absorbed significant cost increases due to tariffs and rising import costs from countries where premium cigars are produced. Retail pricing is already 6–15% higher than last year.

For example:

• An Aganorsa Leaf Robusto Connecticut that previously sold for $8.99 now retails for $11.50.
• With tariffs, the federal excise tax of $0.40 per cigar, and a potential state tax increase under HB 5631, that same cigar could retail for approximately $15.60.

At some point, consumers simply will not pay the price — and small West Virginia businesses like mine will not survive.

I fully understand that tobacco use is a personal choice. However, legislation that disproportionately harms small, locally owned businesses while driving revenue out of state does not strengthen West Virginia’s economy.

I respectfully urge you to consider the real-world consequences of HB 5631 and respectfully urge you to stand with small West Virginia businesses and oppose HB 5631.

Thank you for your time and service to our state.

Sincerely,

Tyler Harto
Owner & Operator
Living My Best Cigar Life – Moundsville, LLC

I support House Bill 5433 because hearing care is essential healthcare, not optional care.

Hearing aids and hearing services are often too expensive for many families without insurance coverage. Because of cost barriers, many people delay or go without treatment, which can impact learning, communication, job performance, safety, and overall health.

Access to hearing care helps children succeed in school, helps adults stay active in the workforce, and helps older adults stay connected and independent.

Please support House Bill 5433 to improve access to hearing healthcare for West Virginia families.

Hearing is not a luxury!

I fully support this bill to provide PEIA coverage for hearing aids for all ages. Hearing aids are medically necessary devices that help people communicate, learn, work, and stay connected. Without coverage, many families simply cannot afford them. Expanding coverage will improve quality of life, support children’s education, and help adults remain active and independent. This is a positive and needed step for our state.

As a practicing audiologist in West Virginia, I strongly support House Bill 5433. I have seen firsthand how untreated hearing loss negatively affects communication, education, employment, cognitive health, and overall quality of life for both children and adults.

House Bill 5433 would provide meaningful access to hearing healthcare by requiring coverage for hearing aids, audiological evaluations, hearing aid fittings, and ongoing care, including at least one annual audiological evaluation. The allowance of up to $1,400 per ear, while still preserving patient choice, represents pragmatic and indivdualized care.

In my clinical experience, many patients delay or forgo treatment due to cost. Expanding access to hearing healthcare will improve patient outcomes and help West Virginians remain active and engaged with their families, workplaces, and communities.

I respectfully urge legislators to support House Bill 5433.

As a licensed audiologist practicing in West Virginia, I fully support House Bill 5433. Every day, I witness the significant impact untreated hearing loss has on communication, academic success, employment opportunities, cognitive well-being, and overall quality of life for both children and adults.

HB 5433 would expand access to essential hearing healthcare services by requiring coverage for hearing aids, audiologic evaluations, fittings, follow-up care, and at least one annual hearing assessment. The provision allowing coverage of up to $1,400 per ear—while preserving patient choice—offers a balanced, patient-focused solution.

In my clinical practice, cost is one of the primary reasons patients postpone or forgo treatment altogether. Improving access to hearing healthcare will lead to better outcomes and enable West Virginians to remain engaged in their families, workplaces, and communities.

I respectfully urge legislators to support HB 5433.

Greenbrier Audiology, Inc.  supports House Bill 5433 and its effort to expand access to essential hearing healthcare across West Virginia. We have 4 locations that serve patients with hearing loss across the state of West Virginia.

Hearing aids and audiological services are medically necessary for many children and adults, yet cost remains a major barrier to care. HB 5433 would ensure state-regulated insurance plans provide meaningful coverage for hearing aids, testing, fittings, adjustments, and annual hearing evaluations.

The bill’s structure — including coverage for replacement devices every 36 months and up to $1,400 per ear — helps balance patient access with responsible healthcare spending while preserving patient choice.

Improving access to hearing care supports better educational outcomes for children, better workplace participation for adults, and better long-term cognitive and physical health for our aging population.

Greenbrier Audiology, Inc strongly encourages passage of HB 5433 to support healthier communities across West Virginia.

As a practicing audiologist in West Virginia, I strongly support House Bill 5433. I see firsthand how untreated hearing loss affects communication, education, employment, cognitive health, and overall quality of life for both children and adults.

HB 5433 would provide meaningful access to hearing healthcare by requiring coverage for hearing aids, audiological testing, fittings, and ongoing care, along with at least one annual audiological evaluation. The allowance of up to $1,400 per ear — while still allowing patient choice to upgrade — is a practical and patient-centered approach.

In my clinical experience, many patients delay or go without treatment due to cost. Expanding access to hearing care will improve patient outcomes and help West Virginians stay active in their families, workplaces, and communities.

I encourage legislators to support HB 5433.

• Virginia has a Four-for-Life fund, which is used only for EMS purposes and receives $4 per year that is added to vehicle registration fees.
• Maryland imposes a $29 surcharge on vehicle registrations to support EMS and a $7.50 moving violation surcharge.
• Pennsylvania has an Emergency Medical Services Operating Fund, which provides over $12.5 million in support to EMS annually. Funding comes from a $10 fine assessed on all traffic violations, a $25 fee assessed on all accelerated rehabilitation disposition admissions and other fees, fines and penalties. Pennsylvania also offers a Fire Company and Emergency Medical Services Companies Grant Program and a Unconventional Gas Well Drilling (UGWD) Grant program.
• Ohio operates a grant program funded by seat belt fines to assist EMS operations.
• The Kentucky Board of Emergency Medical Services maintains a block grant fund program for the purposes of assisting in the provision of emergency medical services

• Either the EMS Equipment and Training Fund (§16-4C-24) or the EMS Salary Enhancement Fund (§16-4C-25) would be suitable and already established options for dispensing the lottery funds.
• Local government funding is essential for a sustainable EMS system, but there are multiple ways to provide support. An EMS levy should not be the sole method for counties to show local participation to obtain state resources. Counties that use ambulance fees or allocate significant budget contributions to EMS should not be penalized for alternative support methods.
• The WV EMS Coalition supports the concept of a local match requirement to receive state funding. However, the requirement in HB 5168 for counties to match the surplus lottery funds equally would be challenging for some small counties and agencies which may have the greatest need for the state assistance. We recommend the Legislature replicate the statewide EMS supports funding distributed in 2025 by the Office of EMS, which allocated one-time surplus funds equally to all 55 counties to support transporting agencies providing 911 response. Funding was based on response numbers and required a 30% local match from agencies or counties.
• EMTs and Paramedics are often first responders in demanding situations, supporting disaster survivors both emotionally and physically. These vital roles expose EMS personnel to high trauma risk. The WV EMS Coalition supports the provisions of HB 5168 that allocate $1 million for statewide mental health resources via the Office of Emergency Medical Services. Our workgroup has prepared targeted funding recommendations for the committee.

Im responding for my grandsons. He has been hearing impaired since birth. during covid and the "wear a mask" period,  he cried uncontrollably because he couldn't read faces or smiles. It is almost impossible to get insurances to cover the expenses of the Hearing assistance he needs. We've come a long way in Healthcare. However,  for the hearing impaired and legally deaf , we fall well short of their needs..

• In public court filings, Justice agreed to pay more than $5 million in overdue federal income taxes going back to 2009, and IRS liens totaling over $8 million were recorded against him and his wife for unpaid taxes. 
• Forbes reported his personal net worth fell below zero due to liabilities exceeding assets, and historical financial disputes involving businesses he owns include large judgments for unpaid bills. 

• Governor Morrisey has publicly advocated additional income tax cuts and tax relief measures. 
• Independent analysts have noted that proposals to shift away from a progressive income tax toward broader exclusions would primarily benefit higher-income taxpayers and risk destabilizing the tax structure. 

• State revenue projections
• Education, healthcare, and infrastructure funding
• Tax fairness across income levels

• It likely erodes the state tax base,
• It favors wealthier taxpayers at the expense of working families,
• It is advanced by public officials with documented personal and corporate tax controversies, and
• It lacks independent economic justification.

• A dedicated funding source to offset expanded eligibility,
• A specific actuarial impact analysis,
• Or a revenue-neutral mechanism to absorb increased liabilities.

1. The actuarial cost of expansion,
2. The long-term impact on system solvency,
3. Contribution rate adjustments,
4. And generational fiscal sustainability.

• Dedicated revenue source or cap limiting how often commissions are paid
• Protection to ensure that the commission does not reduce net funds available for county services
• Impact analysis showing how this payment would affect county budgets

• Counties could face increased payroll costs.
• Local tax revenues intended for education, public safety, infrastructure, and other county functions could be diverted to fund these commissions.

• Tax collection performance is influenced by economic factors beyond a sheriff’s direct control (e.g., tax delinquency trends, property values, taxpayer hardship, state economic conditions).
• The bill does not require:
  • Reporting on how this incentive impacts collections over time,
  • Accountability for how any additional revenue is used,
  • Safeguards to ensure the incentive does not disincentivize equitable enforcement of tax liabilities.

• A fiscal note estimating the total annual and multi-year cost of these commissions statewide,
• A breakdown of how many counties currently achieve 85 % property tax collections,
• An assessment of how often the commission would be paid under current law and economic trends.

• Creating uneven compensation systems between counties of varying economic conditions,
• Encouraging a narrow focus on one financial indicator rather than a comprehensive view of county governance.

• Creates additional compensation for sheriffs tied to tax collection,
• Potentially diverts local tax revenue away from essential services,
• Lacks fiscal transparency and long-term cost assessment,
• Does not include accountability provisions linking the bonus to measurable public benefit outcomes.

• A new revenue source
• A budget offset
• A funding cap
• A sunset provision

• A total projected annual cost
• A long-term fiscal impact estimate
• A funding sustainability analysis

• Reporting on how the funds are used
• Demonstration of recruitment or retention improvements
• Measurable public safety outcomes
• Oversight or auditing requirements specific to the new allocation

• Creates a permanent general revenue expenditure
• Lacks a dedicated funding source
• Provides no fiscal impact estimate in the bill text
• Includes no accountability or performance safeguards

• 25 years of service
  • Current formula (2.5%): 62.5% of final average salary
  • Proposed formula (3%): 75% of final average salary

• Investment returns underperform
• Contribution rates fall short
• Liabilities are underestimated

• Expand unfunded actuarial liabilities
• Create precedent for future retroactive enhancements
• Increase pension system volatility

• Projected 10-, 20-, and 30-year cost impacts
• Required employer contribution increases
• Impact on county budgets

• Retire under enhanced benefits
• Then return to work in covered or related positions

• Simultaneous pension draw and re-employment in the same system without actuarial neutrality
• Manipulation of final average salary calculations
• Pension spiking through late-career compensation adjustments

• Is similar enhancement being offered to teachers?
• EMS personnel?
• Public health workers?
• Corrections staff?
• Municipal employees?

• Population decline
• Aging demographics
• Workforce participation challenges

• Fully funded enhancements
• Transparent actuarial certification
• Structural safeguards against future unfunded liabilities

• Long-term solvency
• Intergenerational equity
• Structural pension reform
• Re-employment safeguards

• A full actuarial impact statement
• Anti-double-dipping safeguards
• Long-term funding guarantees
• Equity review across all public retirement systems

1. Coverage Adequacy: Any clarification or limitation on coverage must ensure that policy limits remain sufficient to cover modern reconstruction costs. Construction and material costs have risen significantly in recent years. If coverage caps or structural limitations fail to keep pace with actual rebuilding costs, homeowners will bear uncompensated losses.
2. Risk Allocation: The Mine Subsidence Insurance Program exists because historical mining created long-term structural risk. Legislative changes should not shift more of that financial burden onto individual property owners or taxpayers through narrowed coverage or higher effective exposure.
3. Transparency and Actuarial Justification: Before altering statutory language regarding coverage limits, the Legislature should publicly disclose actuarial data demonstrating:
   • Current claim frequency and severity,
   • Solvency projections of the fund,
   • Whether existing limits are inadequate or excessive,
   • The fiscal necessity of the proposed clarification.
5. Public Protection Purpose: Chapter 33-30 was enacted to provide equitable availability of mine subsidence coverage statewide. Any amendment must preserve that protective purpose and avoid unintentionally weakening consumer safeguards.

• Expanded rental assistance programs
• State housing trust fund contributions
• Water and sewer utility affordability measures
• Workforce development
• Public safety net services

I am writing in strong support of House Bill 5433. As a speech-language pathologist, I see firsthand how untreated hearing loss impacts speech development, literacy, academic performance, vocational adequacy, and social-emotional well-being. Access to appropriate hearing aids and audiological care is not optional — it is foundational to communication, learning, and long-term success.

I am also the daughter of a mother who wears hearing aids, and I have personally witnessed how essential they are for maintaining independence, connection, and quality of life. No family should have to choose between financial stability and the ability to hear.

In my volunteer work with the Alzheimer’s Association, I have reviewed research demonstrating the clear connection between untreated hearing loss, social isolation, and increased risk for cognitive decline. Expanding insurance coverage for hearing aids and related services is not only an educational issue — it is a public health issue.

HB 5433 would provide meaningful, equitable access to essential care for children and adults across West Virginia. I strongly urge you to support this important legislation.

I respectfully urge members of the West Virginia Legislature to support House Bill 5433.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

1. Please make coverage available to all
2. that needs it . They matter too
3. and some can’t pay for it.