Public Comments

I support House Bill 5260 because it allows regulated medical cannabis edibles for certified patients who may not be able to inhale cannabis safely. Providing edibles options through licensed dispensaries with strict THC limits,labeling, and saftey rules would help patients manage pain and other conditions while keeping the program regulated and safe. Thank you

1. Please bring gummies & other edibles to West Virginia for us older people.
2. Please bring back the 30% off discount for Senior Citizens...many of us are on fixed incomes.

1. Jonda Stocklask

"(2) A child shall be exempt from the mandatory vaccination requirements of this section if a parent, a guardian of the child, or an emancipated child presents a notarized form which shall be developed by the state health officer, that includes a written notification that the parent, legal guardian, or child object on religious grounds to one or more of the vaccines listed in subsections (b) and (c) of this section."

Dear Delegate,

I am writing to respectfully ask for your support of SB 956, which would modernize PA practice by removing the outdated physician supervision requirement.

Physician Assistants are highly trained medical professionals who already practice with significant autonomy across the country. Many states have moved toward modernized practice models that allow PAs to practice to the full extent of their education and training while still maintaining strong collaboration with physicians.

Modernizing PA practice in West Virginia will:

• Improve access to care, especially in rural communities

• Reduce administrative barriers that limit patient care

• Help retain and recruit healthcare providers in our state

Patients deserve timely access to care, and allowing PAs to practice more efficiently will help meet the growing healthcare needs of West Virginians.

Thank you for your time and for supporting healthcare providers and patients across our state.

Sincerely,

Michelle Porembka PA-C

Dear Chair Worrell and Members of the House Health and Human Resources Committee,

As West Virginia Socially Necessary Service (SNS) providers who deliver critical in-home family preservation, supervised visitation, parenting education, and reunification support every day, we write in strong opposition to HB 4964. We appreciate the Senate’s recent passage of SB 937 on March 3, but we respectfully urge the House to reject this companion legislation and the Lead Agency model it promotes.

We live the child welfare crisis in the homes of the families we serve. While we support thoughtful reform, the fundamental principle must remain: First, do no harm. Implementing an unproven Lead Agency structure risks destabilizing the very grassroots services that keep children safe and families together.

Key concerns that remain unaddressed include:

• Financial survival of local providers — Smaller SNS agencies forced into subcontracting under a large Lead Agency face unsustainable margins and potential closure.
• Conflicts of interest — Lead Agencies would control referrals and oversight of their own competitors, undermining fairness and access to care.
• Workforce and resource diversion — Adding another administrative layer does nothing to solve our severe frontline staffing shortages and pulls dollars away from direct family interventions.
• Fiscal and judicial risks — The true cost of this bureaucracy is unknown, and court-ordered services must not be delayed or overridden by private entities.

We stand ready to collaborate on real solutions that strengthen frontline workers and community-based services. However, we cannot support legislation that experiments with our state’s most vulnerable children and families.

We respectfully request that HB 4964 be tabled or defeated. We also ask for public hearings that include direct input from SNS providers before any further action on this model.

Thank you for your service to West Virginia’s children and families. I am available to testify or provide additional information at your earliest convenience.

Sincerely,

Brandon Brewster

Dear Senator/Delegate, I am a constituent from Cabell County and I am writing to urge you to oppose HB4964. This bill would shift major responsibilities for West Virginia’s child welfare system to a private entity through a community-based care model. While reform may be needed, moving core functions of foster care and case management away from direct state oversight raises serious concerns about accountability, transparency, and the well-being of children in care. West Virginia’s child welfare system is already under strain from high caseloads and staffing shortages. Large structural changes like those proposed in HB4964 could introduce instability at a time when vulnerable children and families need consistent support and oversight. I respectfully ask that you prioritize strengthening the existing public child welfare workforce and improving resources for families rather than implementing a system that could reduce accountability in the care of children. As your constituent, I strongly encourage you to vote NO on HB4964. Thank you for your time.

Sincerely, Katrina Melson/LSW

As a medical cannabis card holder for West Virginia I publicly support this bill. I would like options because I can not use many of the products available to WV patients due to having asthma and there are very limited products available in my county. Please pass this for patients who need better options other than the flower or vapes, thank you.

• Commercial insurers will remit timely and fair reimbursement directly to EMS providers that meets actual expenses
  • Current reimbursement does not meet expenses and insurers frequently pay to the patient, not directly to the EMS agency
• No balance would be sent to patients- except for plan required deductibles, copays or coinsurance
  • 13 other states have similar legislation
• Fair rates from insurers reduce burden on taxpayers to subsidize the service and can encourage good-faith negotiations

Please for the love of god allow edibles AND for flower to be sold in pre-roll form and smoked. A lot of people don’t have the time to properly consume or money to purchase (to your legal options) ways to use the medical benefits cannabis provides. If you can inhale the positive stuff, law of the universe says you can exhale all of the negative stuff and this world definitely needs to be happier and more positive! 🫠