Public Comments

• Protect veterans from excessive fees and misleading contracts
• Reinforce the role of accredited, free assistance
• Align state policy with federal accreditation standards
• Reduce financial exploitation of earned benefits
• Improve transparency and accountability
• Demonstrate West Virginia’s commitment to veterans and their families

• Allowing edibles in the state is a much healthier option for those that prefer not to smoke or vape. It would be a great benefit for a lot of cannabis users in the state.

1. Please pass this Bill. An innocent young women lost her life because of someone driving drunk on drugs. And where was the punishment in this case.  I just don't understand.

In a state that has one of the highest issues with lung problems you would think giving a non inhalant option wouldn’t need convincing. The full plant experience in edible forms is the most natural for pain relief when it comes to cannabis. Getting both the THC and terpenes to give you the full effect in your Endocannabinoid system is so beneficial for most patients. I have personally witness people go from walking with a cane to walking unassisted because of the ingestion forms. Let’s not keep being last in everything, help people find natural unaddictive ways to find relief.

As a resident of the Southern Coalfields, I have seen firsthand the impact of not having clean water in the communities. The bill HB 5525 aims to address this issue and provide funding for water infrastructure improvements in the areas. This bill is crucial for ensuring the health and safety of our residents. What we must have is:

• A vast increase in the initial amount being put in the fund they are creating… $10 million doesn't do anything. We still want $250 million.
• Eliminate the provision for fines. You can't fine struggling utilities to essentially force them to pay for their own upgrades.
• Eliminate the need to apply for grants and loans. This is a public health emergency. Emergency funding must be provided now. Thank you

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..

Thank you. Smart move. We need to pass this. We are entering a very dangerous path of digital bondage and this is a start to maintaining some autonomy.

1. Please help justice be served in passing this bill.

This would be an amazing help for the people who have asthma or black lung and provide a healthier choice over vaping.

• Use-of-force incidents (92 agencies reporting): 665 (2015), 738 (2016), 723 (2017), 899 (2018), 966 (2019)  
• Formal complaints of misconduct (91 agencies reporting): 204 (2015), 173 (2016), 198 (2017), 134 (2018), 152 (2019)  
• Only 47% of complaints resulted in a review  
• Total disciplinary actions (2015–2019): 243  
• The report highlights a stark ratio: “16 times as many use-of-force incidents as disciplinary actions.”  
• It also reports that the WV State Police had more misconduct complaints than all other responding agencies combined in 2015 and 2016.  

1. Vote NO on HB 5528 as drafted.  
2. If the bill is considered at all, amend it to include public accountability requirements, such as:

• Mandatory annual reporting by agencies on: number of redaction requests granted/denied, databases impacted, and response times (so “privacy” doesn’t become an untracked secrecy tool).
• A requirement that agencies publish discipline and complaint outcomes in aggregate (no personal addresses needed) so residents can see whether misconduct is being addressed.
• A parallel pathway for ordinary residents facing credible threats (e.g., stalking/domestic violence survivors) to request similar removal of home addresses from public-facing databases—so this isn’t an “officials-only” protection.

I support this bill!!

1. Federal preemption challenges if state enforcement conflicts with federal determinations.
2. Vagueness concerns if definitions of “foreign adversary” or “foreign agent” are not tightly aligned with federal law.
3. Compliance burdens on local businesses, universities, and contractors who already must comply with federal sanctions and disclosure rules.

• Explicitly incorporating federal sanctions lists rather than creating independent state determinations.
• Narrowly tailoring definitions to align directly with federal designations.
• Including clear anti-discrimination safeguards.

• 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.

• No Article V convention has ever occurred in U.S. history.
• There are no judicial precedents defining:
  • How delegates are apportioned
  • Whether a convention can be limited by topic
  • Whether states can legally bind or recall delegates mid-convention
• The U.S. Supreme Court has never ruled on enforcement mechanisms for delegate restrictions.

• Article V itself does not provide a state enforcement mechanism once a convention convenes.
• Constitutional scholars disagree on whether delegates could exceed their instructions.
• If a delegate voted beyond their instructions, enforcement would likely require federal judicial review — an uncertain and potentially delayed process.

• West Virginia (1.7 million people) would have equal voting power to California (39 million).
• Amendments could be proposed by a coalition of 26 states representing a minority of the U.S. population.

• A simple majority of states could introduce sweeping constitutional changes.
• Political momentum and national pressure could influence ratification outcomes.

• Delegate compensation
• Administrative oversight
• Advisory committee functions

• The absence of judicial clarity,
• The inability to guarantee enforceable delegate limits,
• Structural concerns regarding representation,
• And potential fiscal implications,

• Clear constitutional safeguards,
• Transparent fiscal impact analysis,
• And broader public deliberation.

Prohibition doesn’t work. It fuels black markets, reduces product quality, and makes life worse for people who rely on what’s being prohibited.

West Virginia already regulates kratom, and my business spends thousands of dollars a year to comply with licensing. If there are real problems tied to kratom, address them through regulation: investigate what harms are occurring, and fix them with specific rules and enforcement—not a ban.

If this bill is simply about disapproval of something that feels unfamiliar, that’s not a serious basis for policy—especially from anyone claiming to value freedom or personal responsibility.

I want gummy

I strongly support Senate Bill 704, the Veterans’ Empowerment and Trust Safeguard Act. Our veterans deserve honest guidance when navigating the VA system, not high-pressure sales tactics or excessive fees. For generations, accredited Veterans Service Organizations like the VFW, American Legion, and DAV have provided claims assistance free of charge because their mission is service, not profit. When companies step in and charge large sums for the same work, it opens the door to abuse and undermines the trust our veterans place in the system.

• “Cliff smoothing” (gradual phase-outs) and/or transitional Medicaid coverage
• Strengthened state EITC or targeted tax credits for low-income workers
• Housing affordability actions to prevent rent from absorbing wage gains

1. Provide a published fiscal note detailing the total long-term cost, including pension impacts.
2. Demonstrate that the Judges’ Retirement System is fully funded or on a stable actuarial path.
3. Compare proposed judicial salary levels to surrounding states using objective cost-of-living and caseload metrics.
4. Address workforce shortages in lower-paid public sectors before increasing upper-tier compensation.

• 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