CHARLESTON, WV (LOOTPRESS) — A direct stream of funding that would support the state’s Emergency Medical Services got a unanimous vote of support from the West Virginia House of Delegates this week.
“Well, I want to say to the Finance Committee, thank you; thank God we finally got something done,” Delegate Buck Jennings, R-Preston, said on the House floor ahead of the vote, adding that he had been trying to find permanent state funding for EMS since he first got elected in 2018.
House Bill 5168, which passed Feb. 23, would transfer a total of $12 million through the state Office of Emergency Medical Services at the end of each Fiscal Year from the State Lottery Fund. It would direct $6 million to the EMS Salary Enhancement, Crisis Response, and Mental Health Treatment Fund; $3 million to the County EMS Fund; and $3 million to the All-County EMS fund. Counties would be required to match the funds, which they could do through a levy, severance funds or private donations.
“In all reality, this is a historical day if this body passes this and it makes it all the way to the governor; we’re actually putting the first permanent funding to support the EMS workers of the state of West Virginia,” said Delegate Joe Statler, R-Monongalia. “I think we’re telling our first responders out there that we care. We know that they do a job for us every day, they’re out there working and that we’re willing to reach out to help them, to try and keep them going.”
Members of the House Finance Committee also acted this week to preserve the jewel of the state’s Capitol Complex, the Culture Center. Delegates heard from Tourism Secretary Chelsea Ruby about the extensive deferred maintenance she inherited with the 50-year-old building and took a tour to see the problems firsthand. House Bill 5685 would allow excess lottery funds to be used as revenue bonds for necessary renovations with appropriate legislative oversight.
The House overwhelmingly passed the West Virginia Aerospace and Advanced Manufacturing Growth Act Feb. 27. The measure, House Bill 4006, includes a host of initiatives to support growth in the state’s aerospace industry. The Aerospace Development Program under the state’s Department of Commerce would encourage construction, operation, development, maintenance, manufacturing and expansion of the industry. The West Virginia Job Development Grant Program under the Division of Economic Development would allow aerospace businesses to enter into agreements with the Division to create a special revenue fund, utilizing grants and private funds to create new jobs. Another change would adjust the way capital additions to manufacturing facilities are appraised, at salvage value, for property tax purposes, and finally it would create the MRO Workforce and Aviation Maintenance Education Act, requiring the Council for Community and Technical College Education to develop an aviation and aerospace industry pathway.
“I think this is a very creative way to encourage companies to invest in West Virginia and then stay for a long time because of the way their investment goes in and they employ people, those dollars eventually do flow back into their companies, but it’s over a long, substantial period of time,” said Delegate Clay Riley, R-Harrison, in explaining the bill before the vote. “This is a situation where you have the opportunity to have companies come in and locate for 50 years, to be able to continue to be able to employ the citizens of West Virginia.
“We have a strong history of the aviation and the aerospace industry with Chuck Yeager and Katherine Johnson and Homer Hickam. This just sends a message to the world that we still have those folks, and they’re right here in the state of West Virginia, and this bill allows every county to prosper and every opportunity for every county to be successful.”
The House also passed a budget bill back to the Senate this week for continued deliberation. The 60-day, regular legislative session ends at midnight March 14.
