Public Comments

This young ladies life was took by a drunk driver who got behind the wheel of her vehicle and didn't even show remorse for it and I think she deserves to rot in prison cause Baylea can't be brought back and her mom dad and other family members will be hurting for the rest of their life.

I am a West Virginia constituent in Beckley, Raleigh County, and I oppose HB 4442.

West Virginia is already struggling to keep experienced people working for the state. We should strengthen retention and trust, not create new fault lines within the workforce.

This bill draws a hard line at $75,000 and treats state employees differently based on that number. It offers certain Tier II employees who retire under $75,000 access to benefits such as the use of accrued sick/annual leave for retirement credit and the Rule of 80.

But it also does something that alarms me: it exempts any employee earning $75,000 or more from classified civil service coverage, effective July 1, 2026.

That is a major change in protections and accountability. Classified coverage is part of what keeps state service stable, fair, and less vulnerable to favoritism and political churn. Cutting people out of that system because they earn over an arbitrary threshold is disrespectful, and it sends a clear message that performance and experience do not earn security; they earn fewer protections.

I am also concerned about clarity. The bill repeatedly hinges on the phrase “retire making less than $75,000,” and the stakes are high if that language is interpreted differently across agencies or job classifications.

When a bill changes benefits and civil service status, the language needs to be unmistakable and consistently applied.

If lawmakers want to improve Tier II retirement fairness, do that directly. Do not pair it with a provision that weakens civil service protections and risks driving more skilled employees away. Please vote no on HB 4442.

1. Harsher punishment may deter further deaths

My name is Deborah Harpold & I fully support HB 4062, the involvement of WV & our counties allowing homeschooled students to participate in sports with students in public schools here in WV. 1) The homeschool students should not be punished by the state for not allowing them to participate & compete with public schools sports. 2) Everyone I talk to about this subject when I am asked why my grandchildren have to go to Ohio, Kentucky & other states, find out they are not allowed to compete & play within their communities, find it completely ludacris. 3) Homeschooled parents are tax payers as well as public or private schools & reserve the right to have their child participate in sports close to home.                                                4) Parents of homeschoolers can contribute in monetary ways at the public school toward admission and concessions.

1. This is way over due

This is the laziest piece of partisan legislation I’ve ever seen. Just buy Trump coin instead of putting your name on something so stupid.

• The median in-network rate, tied to the metropolitan statistical area, excluding any in-network cost-sharing;
• The amount that the plan would typically pay an out-of-network provider for such services, such as the usual, customary and reasonable rate, excluding any in-network cost-sharing; or
• The amount that would be paid under Medicare, excluding any in-network cost-sharing.

My son Aaron Hager was killed by a drunk driver on his way to work. He was a father, a husband and so much more to his family. He was 32 years old just trying to provide for his wife and kids. if you’re out drinking and driving, you are making that decision to get behind the wheel. And if you kill somebody while doing that, it should be murder! That is exactly what this man did to my son. He murdered my son. He walked away with no scrapes or anything. My family mourns every day for my son. This drunk driver destroyed my family. We were told that he would only get between 10 to 15 years why my son lays in the ground I can never see his children grow up. To me that’s not very fair at all. He should be charged with murder! So these laws do need to change and maybe people would stop being so damn stupid and getting behind a wheel while they’re drunk and taking pills too.

1. Pass the bill!!

I work for Berkeley County Schools and support House Bill 4467.

During a pregnancy, I experienced medical complications that required early labor intervention and doctor-ordered bed rest. At that time, I had already used much of my available leave for family medical needs. When I needed leave for my own pregnancy-related medical care, I had no remaining days and was forced to go unpaid.

A coworker attempted to donate sick leave to me, but the request was denied because my pregnancy complication did not fall within the limited conditions allowed under existing policy. Although the leave was medically necessary, it was excluded due to narrow definitions.

This bill would address that gap by clearly allowing pregnant employees and mothers of newborns to access the sick leave bank for maternity-related needs. Pregnancy complications do not always fit into a rigid list, and employees should not be penalized for that.

I urge you to support House Bill 4467 to ensure fair and consistent treatment of school employees during pregnancy and childbirth.

Greetings,

I am writing as a constituent, and most importantly, as a follower of Jesus Christ and an Episcopalian in the state of West Virginia.  Jesus drew near to the hurting and the addicted, and confronted the shame and stigma that so many people face. 

I urge you to oppose House Bill 4413, which would repeal West Virginia’s existing syringe services program statute and make syringe services programs unlawful.  Without syringe services, many high-risk individuals disengage entirely, increasing unsafe injection, needle litter,  and preventable disease transmission—costs that will ultimately be borne by taxpayers and the health care system.

There are few syringe exchange services in our state who already operate under very restrictive guidelines.  According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), syringe services are associated with a 50% reduction of HIV and Hepatitis C incidence.  They also note that those who access syringe services are five times more likely to seek recovery services than those who do not.  

West Virginia continues to face some of the highest rates of overdose, HIV, and hepatitis C in the nation. Syringe services programs are proven to reduce the spread of infectious disease, prevent overdose deaths, and serve as a primary point of contact connecting people to treatment, naloxone, and medical care.

Replacing regulation with prohibition and civil penalties will not eliminate syringe access.  It will push it underground, reduce oversight, and worsen public health outcomes. The 120-day transition period offered in the bill is also unworkable, as providers are barred from offering the very services patients rely on during that transition.

West Virginia should strengthen and improve oversight of syringe services programs—not ban them outright. I urge you to oppose this bill and support policies grounded in evidence, fiscal responsibility, and the health and safety of our communities.

You will be in my prayers through the legislative session.  

Sincerely,

The Very Rev. Tommy Sheppard Rector, Trinity Episcopal Church Moundsville, WV

Justice for Baylea!

• It’s time laws were made to fit the crime

Greetings,

I am writing as a constituent, and most importantly, as a follower of Jesus Christ and an Episcopalian in the state of West Virginia.  Jesus drew near to the hurting and the addicted, and confronted the shame and stigma that so many people face. 

I urge you to oppose House Bill 4413, which would repeal West Virginia’s existing syringe services program statute and make syringe services programs unlawful.  Without syringe services, many high-risk individuals disengage entirely, increasing unsafe injection, needle litter,  and preventable disease transmission—costs that will ultimately be borne by taxpayers and the health care system.

There are few syringe exchange services in our state who already operate under very restrictive guidelines.  According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), syringe services are associated with a 50% reduction of HIV and Hepatitis C incidence.  They also note that those who access syringe services are five times more likely to seek recovery services than those who do not.  

West Virginia continues to face some of the highest rates of overdose, HIV, and hepatitis C in the nation. Syringe services programs are proven to reduce the spread of infectious disease, prevent overdose deaths, and serve as a primary point of contact connecting people to treatment, naloxone, and medical care.

Replacing regulation with prohibition and civil penalties will not eliminate syringe access.  It will push it underground, reduce oversight, and worsen public health outcomes. The 120-day transition period offered in the bill is also unworkable, as providers are barred from offering the very services patients rely on during that transition.

West Virginia should strengthen and improve oversight of syringe services programs—not ban them outright. I urge you to oppose this bill and support policies grounded in evidence, fiscal responsibility, and the health and safety of our communities.

You will be in my prayers through the legislative session.  

Sincerely,

The Rev. Scott F. Williams

Priest-in-Charge, Trinity Episcopal Church, Morgantown