West Virginia Legislature
Journal of the House of Delegates
Eighty-Third Legislature
Second Regular Session
____________________________________________________________
Charleston, Wednesday, January 10, 2018
[MR. SPEAKER, MR. ARMSTEAD, IN THE CHAIR]
This being the day fixed by Section 18, Article VI of the Constitution of the State of West Virginia for the annual assembly of the Legislature, the Members of the House of Delegates met in their Chamber in the Capitol Building in the City of Charleston, at 12:00 noon and were called to order for the Second Regular Session of the Eighty-Third Legislature by the Speaker, the Honorable Tim Armstead.
Prayer was offered and the House was led in recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance.
The following communication was laid before the House of Delegates and was read by the Clerk:
December 22, 2018
Mr. Speaker Tim Armstead, Mr. Clerk Steve Harrison,
Please accept this email as my resignation from the WV House of Delegates, District 28, effective midnight Dec. 22, 2017.
If there are any questions please contact me immediately by cell at 304. ___.____.
Thanks, and Merry Christmas!
John D. O'Neal IV
Assistant Majority Leader
The communication was received and filed with the Clerk.
Delegate Cowles arose to suggest the absence of a quorum, the Clerk opened the machine for the roll to be taken (Roll No. 1), and 96 Delegates having answered to their names, the Speaker declared the presence of a quorum. The absent being as follows:
Absent: Arvon, Marcum and Walters.
Delegates Arvon, Marcum and Walters were present for part of the session.
On motion of Delegate Cowles, the Speaker was authorized to appoint a committee of three to notify the Senate that the House of Delegates had assembled for the Second Regular Session of the 83rd Legislature, as provided by Section 18, Article VI of the Constitution of the State, with a quorum present, and was ready to proceed to the business of the session.
Whereupon,
The Speaker appointed as members of such committee the following:
Delegates Foster, Hollen and Pethtel.
On motion of Delegate Cowles, the Speaker was authorized to appoint a committee of three to join with a similar committee of the Senate to inform His Excellency, the Governor, that the Legislature had assembled in Regular Session as provided by Section 18, Article VI of the Constitution of the State, with a quorum of each house present, was ready to enter into the business of the session and to convey to him that it would be pleased to receive any communication he may desire to present.
Whereupon,
The Speaker appointed as members of such committee the following:
Delegates Jennings, Sobonya and Campbell.
Resolutions Introduced
At the request of Delegate Cowles, and by unanimous consent, the following House Joint Resolutions from the First Regular Session of the 83rd Legislature were reintroduced and referred to the various standing committees pursuant to House Rule 92a:
House Joint Resolutions 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 19, 21, 24 and 25.
Mr. Speaker, Mr. Armstead, offered the following resolution, which was read by the Clerk as follows:
H. C. R. 1 - “Extending an invitation to His Excellency, the Governor, to deliver an address to the Legislature and raising a Joint Assembly therefor.”
Whereas, His Excellency, the Governor, has advised that he will be pleased to address a Joint Assembly of the Senate and House of Delegates at the convenience of the two houses; therefore, be it
Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That His Excellency, the Governor, be hereby invited to address a Joint Assembly of the Legislature at 7:00 o’clock postmeridian this day; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Delegates appoint three members of each of the respective houses of the Legislature as a committee to wait upon His Excellency, the Governor, and escort him into the Hall of the House of Delegates at the time herein appointed for hearing the address.
At the respective requests of Delegate Cowles, and by unanimous consent, reference of the resolution (H. C. R. 1) to a committee was dispensed with, and it was taken up for immediate consideration and adopted.
Whereupon,
In accordance with the provisions of the resolution, the Speaker appointed as members of the committee to wait upon His Excellency, the Governor, the following:
Delegates R. Romine, Wagner and Lynch.
Ordered, That the Clerk of the House communicate to the Senate the action of the House of Delegates and request concurrence therein.
Mr. Speaker, Mr. Armstead, offered the following resolution, which was read by the Clerk as follows:
H. R. 1 – “Authorizing the appointment of employees for this, the Second Regular Session of the Eighty-third Legislature, 2018.”
Resolved by the House of Delegates:
That the Speaker of the House of Delegates be, and he is hereby, authorized to appoint employees to perform technical, clerical, stenographic, custodial and other services for this session of the Legislature to receive the per diems and salaries as herein provided, as follows:
(1) For per diem employees, the following rates:
Fourteen Legislative Assistants at $65.00 - $105.00
Four Committee Clerks at $75.00 - $140.00
Four Committee Assistant Clerks at $65.00 - $120.00
Three Messengers at $65.00 - $110.00
Eight Attorneys at $200.00 - $380.00
One Doorkeeper at $155.00
Six Assistant Doorkeepers at $85.00
One Sergeant at Arms at $155.00
One Assistant Sergeants at Arms at $85.00
One Head Page at $100.00
One Assistant Page at $80.00
Three Maintenance Assistants at $65.00
Two Clerk Assistants at $150.00 - $155.00
One Office Assistant to the Clerk’s Office at $95.00
One Administrative Assistant to the Clerk’s Office at $158.00
One Policy Analyst to the Majority Office at $100.00
One Policy Analyst to the Committee on Education at $231.00
(2) For salaried full-time employees, the following employees at the following rates, in addition to and exclusive of any experience increment or pay in lieu of an experience increment as may be payable under Section 2, Article 5, Chapter 5 of the Code of West Virginia of 1931, as amended:
One Chief Clerk at eighty-nine thousand dollars and four cents per year;
One Assistant Clerk/Parliamentarian at sixty thousand dollars per year;
One Bill Status Clerk at forty thousand seven hundred and eighteen dollars and sixty-four cents per year;
One Journal Clerk at forty thousand and eleven dollars and ninety-six cents per year;
One Documents Clerk at thirty-seven thousand three hundred and forty-one dollars per year;
One Administrative Assistant to the Clerk’s Office at forty-three thousand and four dollars and four cents per year;
Two Fiscal Officers at thirty-nine thousand dollars per year;
One Purchasing Agent at forty-one thousand seven hundred and forty-one dollars and four cents per year;
One Mail Clerk at thirty thousand eight hundred and thirty dollars and four cents per year;
One Communications Director to the House at sixty-three thousand five hundred dollars per year;
One Deputy Chief of Staff at fifty-five thousand dollars per year;
One Policy Analyst to the Majority Whip Office at forty thousand dollars and eight cents per year;
One Counsel/Chief of Staff to the Speaker at one hundred and fourteen thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine dollars and ninety-six cents per year;
One Assistant to the Speaker at eighty thousand dollars and four cents per year;
One Director of Supplies at forty-two thousand five hundred dollars and four cents per year;
One Maintenance Staff at thirty-six thousand nine hundred and thirteen dollars and eighty cents per year;
One Maintenance Staff at twenty-five thousand one hundred and eight dollars and forty-four cents per year;
One Maintenance Staff at twenty-four thousand and thirty-five dollars and four cents per year;
One Counsel to the Committee on the Judiciary at eighty-seven thousand five hundred dollars and four cents per year;
One Counsel to the Committee on the Judiciary at eighty-five thousand dollars per year;
One Counsel to the Committee on the Judiciary at seventy-five thousand dollars per year;
One Legislative Analyst to the Committee on the Judiciary at forty-eight thousand two hundred and eighty-two dollars per year;
One Administrative Assistant to the Committee on the Judiciary at thirty-five thousand dollars per year;
One Chief Counsel to the Committee on Education at eighty-one thousand dollars per year;
One Legislative Assistant to the Committee on Education at forty-one thousand six hundred and sixty-three dollars and forty cents per year;
One Chief Counsel to the Committee on Finance at one hundred and two thousand and nine hundred dollars per year;
One Policy Analyst to the Committee on Finance at seventy-five thousand two hundred and forty dollars per year;
Two Budget Analysts to the Committee on Finance at forty-six thousand dollars per year;
One Committee Clerk to the Committee on Finance at fifty thousand four hundred and seventy-five dollars and seventy-two cents per year;
One Chief Counsel to the Committee on Government Organization at seventy-six thousand dollars per year;
One Administrative Assistant to the Committee on Government Organization at thirty-six thousand four hundred and ninety-six dollars and eight cents per year;
One Legislative Analyst to the Committee on Government Organization at forty-one thousand and eight hundred dollars and eight cents per year;
One Chief Counsel to the Committee on Health and Human Resources at eighty-one thousand dollars per year;
One Legislative Analyst to the Committee on Health and Human Resources at forty-four thousand four hundred and eighty dollars and twenty-eight cents per year;
One Administrative Assistant to the Committee on Health and Human Resources at thirty-seven thousand and one hundred dollars and four cents per year;
One Analyst to the Minor Committees at thirty-nine thousand dollars per year;
One Chief Counsel to the Energy Committee at seventy-six thousand dollars per year;
One Clerk to the Energy Committee at thirty-nine thousand four hundred and twenty dollars and seventy-two cents per year;
One Policy Analyst to the Minority Leader at forty-six thousand and twelve dollars and eight cents per year;
One Office Manager to the Minority Office at thirty-eight thousand dollars and four cents per year;
The Speaker is authorized to appoint or assign additional or present employees and to determine the rate of compensation therefor as he may deem necessary to expedite the work of the House of Delegates; and, be it
Further Resolved, That, in accordance with Chapter 4, Article 2A of the code, the Clerk of the House is hereby authorized to draw his requisitions upon the Auditor for travel expenses and compensation of members of the House of Delegates; and, be it
Further Resolved, That all appointments made under authority of the foregoing provisions of this resolution shall be certified to the Auditor and Treasurer by the Clerk of the House, and the Clerk of the House of Delegates is hereby authorized to draw his requisitions upon the Auditor in favor of the persons so appointed and the Auditor shall honor and pay such requisitions when presented and charge same to the “per diem of officers and employees” fund or “contingent” fund of the House of Delegates. The Clerk shall draw his requisitions in favor of employees for consecutive days or months from the date of their employment at the per diem or salary herein set out until such time as their services shall cease. The Speaker may remove any employee and appoint another in his or her place, and he shall require each of said employees to perform such duties as shall be assigned him or her, and he is hereby given authority to dispense with the services of any employee or employees for any such time or number of days as their services shall not be needed during the session, and they shall not be paid for such time, nor shall other persons be appointed into their places for any such time as they may be suspended when not needed; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the Speaker is hereby authorized to assign employees to such positions and duties as he may deem proper to secure the most efficient and expeditious work during the Session of the Legislature; and, be it
Further Resolved, That no person appointed under authority of this resolution and receiving pay hereunder shall concurrently receive compensation from any other department or agency of state government and no person who availed himself or herself of early retirement under the provisions of Senate Bill 10, First Extraordinary Session, 1988, may be appointed under the provisions of this resolution. Notwithstanding designation of positions or duties herein prescribed, any employee may be assigned additional duties by the person by whom appointed, and may be assigned to such positions and duties, as may be deemed proper to serve the most efficient and expeditious work; and, be it
Further Resolved, That following the session, the Speaker, with approval of the Committee on Rules, is authorized until superceded by subsequent House Resolution, to remove or appoint any employee of the House, and establish such duties and compensation as is deemed appropriate for each employee; and, be it
Further Resolved, That any and all provisions of House Rule 9 in conflict with this resolution are hereby suspended.
At the respective requests of Delegate Cowles, and by unanimous consent, reference of the resolution (H. R. 1) to a committee was dispensed with, and it was taken up for immediate consideration and adopted.
Mr. Speaker, Mr. Armstead, offered the following resolution, which was read by the Clerk as follows:
H. R. 2 – “Authorizing the Clerk to have printed and to distribute the Acts of the Legislature and Journals of the House of Delegates.”
Resolved by the House of Delegates:
That under authority of section thirteen, article one, chapter four of the Code of West Virginia, the Clerk of the House of Delegates is hereby authorized to have printed not to exceed 150 copies of the Acts of the 2018 regular session of the Legislature, bound in buckram, and to include therein the Acts of any extraordinary session which may not have been printed.
The Clerk of the House of Delegates is also authorized to publish not to exceed 150 copies of the Journal of the House of Delegates for the second regular session of the 83rd Legislature and to include therein the unpublished Journals of any extraordinary sessions. In addition, there shall be printed twelve official copies of any Journal published, properly bound and designated. A copy of the Journal and a copy of said Acts shall be furnished to each member of the Legislature, upon request of each such member. The Clerk shall retain sufficient copies of the buckram bound Acts to supply legislative offices and the remaining copies shall be retained by the Clerk, for sale by his department.
The Clerk of the House shall provide copies of said Acts for distribution as provided by section six, article eight, chapter fifty-one of the code insofar as such distribution is practicable.
Copies of the Acts of the Legislature or Journals of the House of Delegates may be provided in electronic format if requested or if demand exceeds the number of available printed volumes.
For the work required in indexing, printing and distributing said Acts and in the publication of said Journal of the House of Delegates and for completing other work of the session, the Speaker is hereby authorized to appoint such persons as he may deem necessary to perform technical, clerical, stenographic, custodial and other services required by the House of Delegates.
The Speaker shall certify a list of persons entitled to compensation under authority of this resolution to the Clerk of the House of Delegates, and the Clerk shall draw his requisition in favor of such persons at per diems or at monthly salaries, which shall be paid from the Per Diem of Officers and Employees Fund or the Contingent Fund of the House of Delegates.
At the respective requests of Delegate Cowles, and by unanimous consent, reference of the resolution (H. R. 2) to a committee was dispensed with, and it was taken up for immediate consideration and adopted.
Mr. Speaker, Mr. Armstead, offered the following resolution, which was read by the Clerk as follows:
H. R. 3 - “Relating to the Standing Committees of the House and creating a new Standing Committee on Fire Departments and Emergency Medical Services and setting forth its duties, jurisdiction and membership.”
Resolved by the House of Delegates:
That House Rules 76, 77 and 78 be amended to read as follows:
Rule 76
“Standing Committees.
At the commencement of each Legislature, the Speaker shall appoint the standing committees established by this rule. The Speaker shall refer bills introduced, resolutions offered, and messages, petitions, memorials and other matters presented to such committee as he shall deem appropriate to consider and report thereon.
Standing committees are hereby created as follows:
1. Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources
2. Committee on Banking and Insurance
3. Committee on Education
4. Committee on Energy
5. Committee on Finance
6. Committee on Fire Departments and Emergency Medical Services
6. 7. Committee on
Government Organization
7. 8. Committee
on Health and Human Resources
8. 9. Committee
on Industry and Labor
9. 10. Committee
on Interstate Cooperation
10. 11. Committee
on the Judiciary
11. 12. Committee
on Pensions and Retirement
12. 13. Committee
on Political Subdivisions
13. 14. Committee
on Prevention and Treatment of Substance Abuse
14. 15. Committee
on Roads and Transportation
15. 16. Committee
on Rules
16. 17. Committee
on Senior Citizen Issues
17. 18. Committee
on Small Business, Entrepreneurship and Economic Development
18. 19. Committee
on Veterans’ Affairs and Homeland Security”
Rule 77:
“Jurisdiction of Committees
In general and without limitation, standing committees shall have functions and jurisdiction of subjects and other matters as follows:
1. Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources: (a) Agriculture generally, including agricultural production and marketing, animal industry and animal health, adulteration of seeds, commercial feeding stuffs and commercial fertilizer, processed foods, insect pests and pesticides, soil conservation, milk and milk products, meats and meat products, agricultural extension service, entomology and plant quarantine, poultry and poultry products, and human nutrition and home economics; (b) natural resources in general, including game and fish, forest and wildlife areas, parks and recreation, water resources and reclamation.
2. Committee on Banking and Insurance: (a) Banks and banking, and financial institutions generally; (b) control and regulation of all types of insurance, including organization, qualification and licensing of insurers; and (c) securities and exchanges.
3. Committee on Education: (a) Education generally; (b) boards of education, and administration and control of schools; (c) textbooks and school curricula; (d) vocational education and rehabilitation; (e) qualifications, employment and tenure of teachers; (f) libraries; and (g) public schools and institutions of higher education.
4. Committee on Energy: (a) Mining and extraction of coal and other fossil fuels; (b) extraction and distribution of natural gas; (c) energy production employment, safety, local land use and community impacts; and (d) alternative energy development and efficiency measures.
5. Committee on Finance: (a) Tax and revenue measures increasing or decreasing the revenue or fiscal liability of the State; (b) collection of taxes and other revenue; (c) annual Budget Bills and supplementary appropriation bills; (d) proposals reducing public expenditures; (e) proposals relating to the principal and interest of the public debt; and (f) claims against the State.
6. Committee on Fire Departments and Emergency Medical Services: (a) Fire departments; (b) emergency medical technicians; and (c) other emergency responders.
6. 7. Committee
on Government Organization: (a) Legislation and proposals dealing with the
Executive Department of state government with respect to creation, duties and
functions; consolidation and abolition; and transfer, imposition and
elimination of functions and duties of departments, commissions, boards,
offices and agencies; and (b) measures relating to the Legislative Department,
other than apportionment of representation and redistricting for the election
of members of the two houses.
7. 8. Committee on Health
and Human Resources: (a) Public health and public welfare generally; (b) mental
health; (c) public and private hospitals and similar institutions; (d)
prevention and control of communicable and infectious diseases; (e) pure food
and drugs; (f) poison and narcotics; (g) correctional and penal institutions;
and (h) public assistance and relief.
8. 9. Committee
on Industry and Labor: (a) Employment and establishment of industry; (b)
labor standards; (c) labor statistics; (d) mediation and arbitration of labor
disputes; (e) wages and hours of labor; (f) child labor; (g) safety and welfare
of employees; (h) industry and labor generally; and (i) infrastructure.
9. 10. Committee
on Interstate Cooperation: Constitute the House members of the West
Virginia Commission on Interstate Cooperation as provided by Article 1B,
Chapter 29 of the Code.
10. 11. Committee
on the Judiciary: (a) Judicial proceedings, civil and criminal generally;
(b) state and local courts and their officers; (c) crimes and their punishment;
(d) corporations; (e) collection and enforcement of property taxes; (f)
forfeited, delinquent, waste and unappropriated lands; (g) real property and
estates therein; (h) domestic relations and family law; (i) revision and
codification of the statutes of the State; (j) election laws; (k) proposals to
amend the Constitution of the United States or the Constitution of the State; (l)
legislation relating to constitutional conventions; and (m) other matters of a
nature not deemed properly referable to any other standing committee.
11. 12. Committee
on Pensions and Retirement: (a) Continuing study and investigation of
retirement benefit plans of the State and political subdivisions thereof; (b)
making recommendations with particular attention to financing of the various
pension funds and financing of accrued liabilities; (c) considering all aspects
of pension planning and operation; and (d) analyzing each item of proposed
pension and retirement legislation with particular reference as to cost,
actuarial soundness and adherence to sound pension policy.
12. 13. Committee
on Political Subdivisions: (a) Counties, districts and municipalities
generally; (b) division of the State into senatorial districts and
apportionment of delegate representation in the House; and (c) division of the
State into districts for the election of representatives to Congress.
13. 14. Committee
on Prevention and Treatment of Substance Abuse: Issues relating to and
regarding the prevention and treatment of substance abuse.
14. 15. Committee
on Roads and Transportation: (a) Highways, public roads, railways, canals
and waterways, aeronautics, aircraft and airways; (b) motor vehicle
administration and registration; (c) licensing of motor vehicle operators and
chauffeurs; (d) traffic regulation and laws of the road; and (e) regulation of
motor carriers of passengers and property for hire.
15. 16. Committee
on Rules: (a) Rules, joint rules, order of business and parliamentary rules
in general; (b) recesses and final adjournments of the House and the
Legislature; (c) payment of money out of the contingent or other fund of the
House or creating a charge upon the same; (d) employees of and services to the
House, and purchase of furniture, supplies and office equipment; (e) election
and qualification of members of the House and state officers, privileges of
members and officers of the House, and witnesses attending the House or any
committee thereof; (f) punishment of members of the House for disorderly
conduct; and punishment of any person not a member for contempt, disrespectful
behavior in the presence of the House, obstructing its proceedings, and for any
assault, threat or abuse of a member of the House; (g) House printing; (h)
House Library, statuary and pictures, acceptance or purchase of works of art
for the Capitol, purchase of books and manuscripts for the House, erection of
monuments to the memory of individuals (i) sale of food and administration and
assignment of office space in the House wing of the Capitol; and (j)
Resolutions referred to the Committee on Rules pursuant to Rule 110.
16. 17. Committee on Senior
Citizen Issues: Proposal, revision and recodification of statutory provisions
relating to all senior citizen issues.
17. 18. Committee
on Small Business, Entrepreneurship and Economic Development: (a) Small
business; (b) entrepreneurship; (c) e-commerce; (d) e-government; (e) economic
development; (f) job creation; and (g) commerce generally.
18. 19. Committee
on Veterans’ Affairs and Homeland Security: (a) Veterans’ measures; (b)
education of veterans; (c) cemeteries of the State in which veterans of any war
or conflict are or may be buried; (d) measures generally affecting the health
and welfare of veterans; (e) measures relating to detection, protection
against, response to, and recovery from, terrorist attacks, internal or
external; and (f) military affairs.”
Rule 78:
“Composition of Committees
The Committee on Rules shall consist of not less than fifteen nor more than twenty-five members, which number shall include the Speaker, Majority Leader and Minority Leader; the Committee on Interstate Cooperation of seven members; the Committee on Fire Departments and Emergency Medical Services of eleven members and all other standing committees shall consist of not less than fifteen nor more than twenty-five members, except that the number of members of the Committee on Pensions and Retirement shall be appointed in accordance with Joint Rule 29 or in such number as may be determined by the Speaker.”
At the respective requests of Delegate Cowles, and by unanimous consent, reference of the resolution (H. R. 3) to a committee was dispensed with, and it was taken up for immediate consideration and adopted.
Motions
Delegate Wilson moved that the Chair be vacated.
On motion of Delegate Cowles, the motion to vacate the Chair was tabled
At the request of Delegate Cowles, and by unanimous consent, the applicable provisions of House Rule 136, relating to privileges of the floor, were suspended for the Joint Assembly, and approved activities during the Session to permit invited guests the privileges of the floor.
Bills Introduced
At the request of Delegate Cowles, and by unanimous consent, the following House Bills from the First Regular Session of the 83rd Legislature were reintroduced and referred to the various standing committees pursuant to House Rule 92a:
House Bills 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026, 2027, 2028, 2029, 2030, 2031, 2033, 2034, 2039, 2042, 2043, 2044, 2045, 2046, 2047, 2048, 2049, 2050, 2051, 2053, 2055, 2056, 2057, 2058, 2059, 2061, 2063, 2064, 2065, 2066, 2067, 2068, 2072, 2073, 2074, 2075, 2076, 2077, 2078, 2080, 2082, 2084, 2085, 2086, 2087, 2088, 2089, 2090, 2093, 2094, 2095, 2096, 2098, 2099, 2100, 2101, 2102, 2103, 2104, 2105, 2106, 2108, 2110, 2111, 2112, 2114, 2115, 2117, 2121, 2122, 2123, 2124, 2125, 2127, 2128, 2129, 2130, 2131, 2132, 2135, 2137, 2138, 2139, 2140, 2141, 2142, 2144, 2145, 2146, 2148, 2149, 2150, 2154, 2155, 2156, 2157, 2158, 2159, 2160, 2161, 2162, 2163, 2164, 2165, 2166, 2168, 2169, 2170, 2171, 2172, 2173, 2174, 2175, 2176, 2177, 2178, 2179, 2181, 2182, 2184, 2185, 2187, 2189, 2191, 2192, 2193, 2194, 2197, 2198, 2201, 2202, 2204, 2205, 2206, 2208, 2209, 2210, 2211, 2212, 2213, 2214, 2215, 2216, 2217, 2302, 2304, 2305, 2306, 2309, 2310, 2311, 2314, 2316, 2317, 2320, 2321, 2322, 2323, 2324, 2325, 2326, 2327, 2328, 2330, 2331, 2332, 2334, 2335, 2336, 2339, 2340, 2350, 2352, 2353, 2354, 2355, 2356, 2357, 2358, 2361, 2362, 2363, 2365, 2368, 2370, 2371, 2372, 2374, 2375, 2377, 2378, 2379, 2383, 2385, 2386, 2390, 2391, 2395, 2396, 2399, 2400, 2403, 2406, 2407, 2408, 2410, 2411, 2413, 2414, 2416, 2417, 2418, 2423, 2425, 2429, 2432, 2433, 2434, 2435, 2436, 2441, 2443, 2462, 2463, 2464, 2477, 2480, 2481, 2483, 2488, 2489, 2493, 2498, 2508, 2510, 2511, 2512, 2514, 2515, 2517, 2521, 2523, 2524, 2528, 2531, 2534, 2537, 2539, 2543, 2546, 2547, 2553, 2554, 2556, 2557, 2563, 2566, 2567, 2568, 2571, 2572, 2575, 2580, 2581, 2583, 2591, 2592, 2593, 2597, 2599, 2600, 2604, 2607, 2608, 2611, 2612, 2613, 2614, 2615, 2616, 2623, 2625, 2626, 2627, 2632, 2633, 2635, 2638, 2641, 2647, 2648, 2649, 2654, 2655, 2659, 2661, 2662, 2665, 2666, 2669, 2670, 2675, 2692, 2693, 2694, 2695, 2696, 2697, 2698, 2699, 2703, 2708, 2710, 2712, 2713, 2714, 2715, 2716, 2723, 2727, 2742, 2743, 2745, 2751, 2754, 2755, 2756, 2757, 2761, 2768, 2769, 2772, 2777, 2778, 2780, 2786, 2787, 2790, 2795, 2798, 2799, 2802, 2808, 2809, 2810, 2812, 2817, 2818, 2821, 2822, 2823, 2824, 2825, 2826, 2829, 2831, 2836, 2837, 2838, 2841, 2842, 2843, 2845, 2847, 2848, 2849, 2853, 2855, 2858, 2861, 2862, 2863, 2864, 2865, 2866, 2867, 2868, 2869, 2871, 2872, 2873, 2874, 2884, 2885, 2887, 2888, 2889, 2890, 2891, 2892, 2894, 2895, 2896, 2901, 2902, 2903, 2907, 2909, 2914, 2915, 2916, 2918, 2921, 2922, 2923, 2924, 2926, 2927, 2929, 2931, 2932, 2936, 2938, 2940, 2942, 2943, 2944, 2945, 2946, 2947, 2951, 2952, 2955, 2956, 2957, 2958, 2964, 2965, 2968, 2969, 2971, 2974, 2975, 2976, 2977, 2981, 2982, 2983, 2985, 2988 2989, 2990, 2991, 2992, 2993, 2995, 2997, 2999, 3001, 3002, 3003, 3004, 3005, 3006, 3007, 3008, 3010, 3011, 3012, 3013, 3014, 3015, 3016, 3017, 3019, 3020, 3021, 3023, 3024, 3025, 3026, 3027, 3031, 3033, 3034, 3035, 3036, 3039, 3040, 3041, 3042, 3045, 3051, 3052, 3054, 3056, 3061, 3065, 3067, 3072, 3074, 3075, 3081, 3082, 3083, 3084, 3086, 3087, 3089, 3095, 3097, 3099, 3101, 3104 and 3105.
At 12:27 p.m., on motion of Delegate Cowles, the House of Delegates recessed until 6:50 p.m.
* * * * * * *
Evening Session
* * * * * * *
The House of Delegates was called to order by the Honorable Tim Armstead, Speaker.
Messages from the Executive
The following communication was laid before the House of Delegates and was read by the Clerk:
Jim Justice
Governor of West Virginia
January 10, 2018
The Honorable Mac Warner
Secretary of State
State Capitol
Charleston, West Virginia 25305
Dear Secretary Warner:
Pursuant to W. Va. Code § 3-10-5, I have this day appointed Jeffrey M. Pack, Post Office Box 964, Cool Ridge, Raleigh County, West Virginia 25825, as a Delegate representing the Twenty-Eighth District of the House of Delegates, to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of the Honorable John O’Neal.
Sincerely,
Jim Justice,
Governor.
The Clerk announced that Delegate Pack had taken the oath of office as prescribed by Section 16, Article VI of the Constitution of the State of West Virginia on January 10, 2018.
Messages from the Senate
A message from the Senate, by
The Clerk of the Senate, announced the adoption by the Senate, without amendment, of a concurrent resolution of the House of Delegates, as follows:
H. C. R. 1, Extending an invitation to His Excellency, the Governor, to deliver an address to the Legislature and raising a Joint Assembly therefor.
JOINT ASSEMBLY
The Sergeant-at-Arms then announced members of the Board of Public Works, who were escorted to the places reserved for them.
The Sergeant-at-Arms next announced Chief Justice Loughry and Justices of the Supreme Court, who entered the Hall of the House of Delegates and took the seats reserved for them.
The Sergeant-at-Arms announced the Honorable Evan Jenkins, the Congressman from the Third Congressional District, who took the seat reserved for him.
The Sergeant-at-Arms announced the Honorable Mitch Carmichael, President, and the members of the Senate.
The President and members of the Senate then entered the Hall of the House of Delegates and the members were seated in the places reserved for them.
The Speaker invited the President to a seat to his right.
The Speaker then recognized the Sergeant-at-Arms, who announced the special committee to wait upon His Excellency, the Governor, and escort him into the Chamber.
Delegate R. Romine, from such committee, announced that, pursuant to the invitation of the Legislature, His Excellency, the Governor, was present for the purpose of addressing the Joint Assembly.
The Committee then escorted His Excellency, the Governor, to the well of the House. (The Members rising)
The Speaker presented the Honorable Jim Justice, who addressed the Joint Assembly as follows:
Address by the Governor
The Governor. Okay, now. It’s time to sit down. Let me ask one question before we really get into the nitty gritty. Last year when I came in and spoke, it was 700 degrees. How can it be 65 degrees or whatever outside right now, and 85 in my office, and whatever it is in here? But let’s just hope this: That this is the hottest it gets in here for the next 60 days. (APPLAUSE)
Well, first of all -- Okay. First of all, let me thank our Speaker, Tim Armstead, for having us here. Thank our President, Mitch Carmichael. Thank you, Delegates. And our Senators. And thank the great people of this unbelievable State.
You know, today is a special day. A special day that somewhere – somewhere my tackle box and axe is still kind of right with us. We didn’t need to leave it in a bag. But the only reason I bring it is just this -- I said before it wouldn’t leave my vehicle, and it doesn’t -- because we don’t need to quit until every single person is not standing on the side of the bridge saying, Mister, you don’t have any idea how bad I’m hurting.
West Virginians were really hurting. And today, you’re going to have a hard time to keep me from smiling. And smiling an awful lot. You know -- Butch, that’s good.
Well, first of all, I’ll just show you my tackle box and my axe. And it’s with me all the time.
And it does good stuff for me.
Now, let me tell you this about smiling.
The reason you won’t be able to not get me to smile today is a lotta, lotta, lotta good news about our state. No question. But in addition to that, on December 7th, late in the evening, our daughter, Cathy and I’s daughter, Jill, and her beautiful husband, Adam -- Jill gave birth to a pretty good-sized little boy, nine pounds, five ounces -- (APPLAUSE) -- and Jill’s got it kind of halfway figured out. She’s here with us tonight. And Adam is watching the baby. So, Adam, we thank you in every way.
And Justice Charles Long. With a head full of hair that’s dark-colored. And we’re already working on his left hand that he’ll be able to dribble with his left hand. You know, he’s with us now, our first grandchild. And we are so excited. So happy. So blessed.
Now, let me tell you this. I thought a lot about what’s happened in the last 12 months. And to be perfectly honest, you or other people that are listening to me, you can’t fathom what the level of miracle has been. Now, you can’t fathom how dire it was.
And you can’t imagine how promising it looks. I’ll get into all of that.
But I oftentimes said to myself: Well, you know, how can it be? You know, I feel like I came up with some pretty decent ideas. Big ideas. It’s kind of what I do. But at the same time -- I truly mean this -- I’m not capable of the ideas that I presented to you. I truly, truly give credit to the good Lord every single day for any and all.
Now, if you’ll just think, though. Forever we’ve struggled a little bit. And as a matter of fact, we’ve struggled maybe a lot. At times we were always in a contest with Mississippi, who was going to be last and who was going to be in 49th place.
Well, something has happened. Something that I feel is just this. Again, I feel this because I think I’m here for a reason. And you are too.
Now, if you’ll just think. We had great players. We’ve always had great players. You’re great players. All those that are listening to me are great players. We’ve had all kinds of opportunities. And the most beautiful, unbelievable state there could possibly be.
The only thing that I was able to bring you is: I was your coach. I was a coach that maybe -- maybe got the players running in the same direction.
Maybe got the passion going the right way. Did it for the right reason. Didn’t do it to please a party or didn’t do it to gain status or something for myself. Did it because I love you. I really, truly do. I didn’t do it because you were union or nonunion, or rich or poor, or black or white. I didn’t do it because you were Dems or Republicans. I did it because you’re West Virginians.
And I think with all of my soul, if I was able to give you anything, it was just that. The ability to maybe be your coach. To maybe be what a governor is really supposed to be. A governor is supposed to be just that. But so often we drift into a lot of different things that maybe motivate us in wrong ways.
Now, before we go any further, I’ve got to show you this. And this will bring back some memories -- if I can get it out of here. Now, you can clap if you’d like.
Now, at the same time I’ve got four of these that we’re delivering. And we’re delivering to our Speaker, and our President, and Tim Miley, and Roman Prezioso.
Now, they’re a little bit different. If you’ll will open them up -- and I got one for myself because I didn’t think they’d give me one. It’s got a big giant Hershey kiss, it’s got a wonderful WVU or West Virginia type boutonniere. And it’s got an eight-track tape that says “Happy Days.” (APPLAUSE)
Can I give you this? Now, only briefly do I want to belabor the past with you. And I don’t know which is which, but -- Butch, unveil the one. And I’m going to stay back here. And I’m going to scoot myself a little bit closer here.
Okay. Let me tell you. When I got here, this is what we were facing. Like it, or not like it, when I got here, it was in the middle of the ‘16-’17 year -- or really, I guess, the -- yeah, the ‘16-’17 year. We were supposed to have a balanced budget, but it looked like we were going to come up, because severance and everything kept running away from us. It looked like things could even be more dire and we could very well have a $200 million hole in the bucket. The next year, my first full year, 497 million in the hole. And the years there after that going all the way up to 722 million.
Now, I said a minute ago, you know, just imagine the miracle that has happened. The miracle that’s happened is not sitting here. The miracle that happened is you. The miracle that happened is the people at home. The miracle that has happened to each and every one of us is just this: It was really unfair to think that what I wanted to do was just come in and say, oh, we got a hole in the bucket. Let’s just raise taxes. That’s the last thing on earth I wanted to do. But I didn’t know what to do. I didn’t know where to turn.
You see, we all know, we’d already drained Rainy Day. We had. Our bonds were being derated. We didn’t know where to go. We had to have a bridge, didn’t we? We had to have a bridge. We had one guy in this room, and he’s the big guy talking to you, that believed with all of his heart that if we could pass our roads bond, the severance tax would truly continue to grow. If we made modifications to education, that we would actually get a response from the outside world.
It’s happened. It’s happening like you can’t imagine. Absolutely in just a very, very short period I’ll be able to show you something that concludes just how amazing this trip has been.
Now let me ask you this: Can we stop where we’re at? Well, of course not. Can we get – Can we get in our own way and have who knows what happen?
Absolutely we can. But you know what -- and I’ll do this -- I’ll do this for Craig Blair. But --
And Mike Hall. Mike is over here. But last year, I said: If Frankenstein caught you, you deserve to die. Because Frankenstein walked like this, did he not? Now, I would say just this. When we passed our road bond referendum, when we made our changes in education, and when our severance really started to take off, and when companies on the outside world just started to see how truly great we really are, it started to happen.
Dr. Frankenstein stood when he built the monster. And he took the paddles and hit it. And then he took the pulse. And he could hear a pulse. And he said: It is alive.
Well, we’re alive. And we’re moving now. And we’re moving like you can’t imagine.
Now, where do we go? What’s the next thing we do? Well, the first thing we got to do is just this. We have to stop -- we have to stop this terrible drug epidemic. We have to. If we don’t, it will cannibalize us.
You know, just recently we had to dispatch the National Guard to Huntington to try to stop the terrible shootings that were going on in Huntington. You know, we have to build treatment facilities. And we have to have additional social workers, or we have to do additional law enforcement. Do we not? Of course we do.
But now just think -- and think with me. There’s still something we’re missing. There’s still something out there we’re missing. And so the other day I told our people, I said, I want you to do this. I want you to find the smartest people in the land that can find and tell us what we’re missing here. And lo and behold, in rolls a doc from WVU. Now today, just as we talk, WVU, with the Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute, words that are almost too complicated for me to even speak, what they’re doing there is they’re bringing docs in from all over the world that are going to do the most landmark stuff that you can possibly imagine. One of these doctors brought to me a vial about this big. It probably had 30 chips in it. They were the size of a third of a size of maybe a grain of rice. He said: It may very well be that they can cure the opioid addiction. They can take away the craving with one of those chips that will last for a year.
It is unbelievable what’s happening right there in our state at our home university. And so please, please, understand that I’m going to support them in every way that I possibly can in this strife to try to combat this terrible drug epidemic. They’re all in.
Now, I could tell you that -- and this will be a quickie. This is called the Comprehensive Annual Financial Report. Every year for the last three years we’ve been late getting it done. And by late getting it done, what had happened to us, when we were put on a five-year probation by the federal government, and it’s ----- (inaudible/indiscernible) to our higher ends. It hurt us.
Well, I can proudly say: Today it’s done. It’s done. (APPLAUSE)
Now, I’d like to recognize some really, really important people. My family is over here on the right-hand side. My dear wife -- and I can’t see her, but she looks pretty tonight. And Cathy is really special in many, many ways. You know, just a couple days ago I was on the way home, and she called me. And we have an underwater treadmill. And it’s a pool type room. She called me to tell me, she said, “Jim, where are you?”
And I said, “I’m in Dawson. I’m about 25 minutes away.”
She said, “Jim, the dogs have locked me in the pool room.”
So there is nobody more loving and more caring. But there are events that happen at our house from time to time.
Right beside Cathy is our beautiful daughter Jill that just gave birth to our grandson. And right behind -- beside Jill is Catherine and Jay. Jay is our son and Catherine is his beautiful wife. And she some way, somehow, puts up with him, and I’m very proud that she pulls that off.
Now, somewhere in the gallery here we have an incredibly special person in our Teacher of the Year, Katlin Thorsell? Is that the correct pronunciation?
Where is Katlin? Please. (APPLAUSE) See, Katlin, they clapped a lot more for you than they did me.
Somewhere Dr. Clay Marsh is here with WVU. So if Clay Marsh (phonetic) would stand, we’ve got to give him a big round of applause. (APPLAUSE) Great job.
Dr. Gee and Dr. Gilbert are somewhere, if they haven’t fallen down the steps or something here. (APPLAUSE)
Now, I don’t know how flattering it is to say you’re a university president and you keep falling down. I mean, you know, that’s – But I’d like you to give a great big round of applause for our Chief of Staff and all of our Secretaries here, because they’ve done incredible, incredible jobs.
If y’all would please stand. (APPLAUSE)
Now, if we could jump over to one of my pet peeves, and that’s education. I think it truly needs to be the centerpiece of everything we do. I’ve thought that all along. I think we need to pay our teachers more. I’ve said that in the past. (APPLAUSE)
Somehow we’re blessed beyond belief with the State Board of Education that is truly, truly doing an amazing job. So please give them a round of applause. If y’all would stand wherever you are. (APPLAUSE)
Two Cathy’s, my wife Cathy and Cathy D’Antoni, are doing an incredible job with communities and schools to be able to help kids to maybe be able to get to their end goals.
Now, today -- today -- and I just found out two things educationally just a few minutes ago.
Today, I think our State Board unanimously passed – and I called 25/10, which basically allows counties flexibility in regard to things like band and show choir and drama, and things that in this state so many kids wanted to participate. They wanted to participate. And you know how it was when you grew up, and the bands were gigantic, and kids had an incredible time and an incredible learning experience there.
We can’t all be LeBron James. They had a great, great experience there. And some way they just passed, they said unanimously, 25/10 to grant a district’s further flexibility to maybe give those districts an opportunity to promote bands, promote show choirs, to promote drama, promote the arts. It’s good stuff. (APPLAUSE)
In addition to that, at 5:15 today, believe it or not, but the Secretary of Education, Betsy DeVos, called me to tell me that our plan, West Virginia’s plan, for every student -- it’s called WV’s Every Student Succeeds Plan, was passed today. (APPLAUSE)
Now, let me say this about education. I’ve said it till I’m blue-green. Not everybody is cut out for the traditional pathway of a four-year degree. And we know that, don’t we? But you know what we don’t know is just this. Because I’m in the schools a lot, and I see it. If you’re a student that likes to, you know -- that wants to go into the trades and have an incredible job, and you’re a student that loves the electricity or whatever it may be, in all honesty, a lot of times when you walk the halls people may -- other kids may look down on you a little bit.
It’s not fair. It’s not right. Some way we have got to let those kids know that we got to have them. We got to build this workforce like we can’t imagine. I want us to develop a way to where kids in high school and the trades can get an associate degree while they’re in high school. (APPLAUSE)
I also want us to add, if it’s possible, a 13th year where they can get additional accreditation or additional certifications. I know our president, Mitch Carmichael, is rock solid behind this, and I am too. I want somehow, some way, for us to be able to make our community and technical colleges free. (APPLAUSE)
Thomas Burton is not with us tonight. He’s at Oak Hill -- (inaudible) and I guess moved away and moved back. He’s a retired vet. He says the reason he moved back is because you exempted his pay. You exempted his pay. You gave him the right to come home. And today, you know, what he’s doing? Our ex-governor, Earl Ray Tomlin, had a project that he was immensely proud of at Hobet. And Hobet really was not going very far. It surely wasn’t going as fast as what we would have all liked it to go. But between the likes of General Hoyer and the likes of Thomas Burton, today Hobet is on the move. Hobet is really going to become something fabulous. Absolutely, right now, we are moving towards doing training there that will save lives beyond belief and bring business and opportunity to this state that could be enormous. Plus, the fact that we’re not going away from the development aspects of it. And today we’re going to be able to save $70 million. (APPLAUSE)
I can tell you Earl Ray’s dream will become a reality. And that will be great.
Now, there is another gentleman with us here tonight, Byrd White. And Byrd, wherever you are, stand up, please.
Byrd has agreed within the confines of our great Secretary, brother Dave, in our Tax Department, Byrd has agreed to just this. One thing that we worry about all the time and was said to me over and over along the trail: Will the contractors pay their taxes? Will you collect their taxes?
Absolutely. We need to make positive of that. So, Byrd is going to head up an enforcement division that is going to target and go right after just that. No one has ever liked Byrd. He is perfect for this job. (APPLAUSE)
Now, we celebrate our coal miners going back to work, don’t we? (APPLAUSE)
I love it. (APPLAUSE)
Now, you know, what we need to do? We need not to be satisfied with the numbers that we have back today. We need to be sure that those people are some way looked after from a safety standpoint the very best they possibly can -- or can be. But in addition to that, we have got to get more of our coal miners to work. It is an absolute unbelievable thing to travel down through the coalfields and see communities coming back to life. To see the line at Dairy Queen, you know, being longer. Seeing people walk around on used car lots. They are coming back to life. But we got to have more. We got to have more. And then more on top of that.
It’s nice to think about what our gas companies and their contributions are doing to the State of West Virginia. It’s unbelievable. It’s unbelievable.
And we thank them in every way. In this session here, we could very well have the opportunity to address co-tenancy or maybe even joint development. (APPLAUSE)
Now, I would ask just this, that as we’re able to give back or try to help, our gas companies need to come to the forefront too. And our landowners. And our mineral owners. They all need to be protected. There’s a way. There’s a way to always do all of this if we’ll just get together and work it all out. Just to say: That won’t pass, if we put two things together. Well, who would have thunk? Who would have thunk we would have been here tonight when you saw this right here last year? But we’re here.
Now, just think of this just a second. I don’t very often get to name something. You guys are famous for naming something like CL9623BC. And I don’t have a clue what that ever means. But I’m going to call something JCTAW. And it’s going to stand for Just Cut Taxes And Win. (APPLAUSE)
But what I want to start with is the elimination of the tax on manufacturing machinery and equipment and manufacturing inventory. (APPLAUSE)
If y’all don’t quit this clapping we’re going to be here all blooming night. No, I appreciate you. I really do.
One thing we’ve got to insure is that education and our counties and our cities won’t get hurt. We can do that. We can absolutely do that with this.
Let me address a couple other things real quickly. Our state parks are in ill repair. We found enough money to be able to do significant repairs to our state parks which will bring people here.
The work that’s going on in tourism and commerce is phenomenal. Phenomenal.
Think about this just for a second. Agriculturally we all know that agriculture could be a sleeping giant in West Virginia. And I know a lot about agriculture, guys and girls. A lot. An awful lot. And I can tell you it’s for real that we could have chicken houses or hog confinement buildings on mountaintop removal sites. We could have vegetable or horticultural specialty crops grown and within a rock’s throw of the marketplace.
All of those things are for real possible -- because you know why? We have pristine water. We have manure disposal. We have absolutely a disease-free atmosphere. Disease-free. We have relatively constant and not terrible tempers – except last week. And maybe even right now.
You know. But there’s real possibilities there.
We’ve got to put somebody on it, and I am going to put West Virginia State, Marshall University, and West Virginia University working this and bringing us real ideas as to what we can do. I’ll be able to tell them very quickly: There is no way on this planet that that will work, or I’ll be able to tell them, yes, that’s the real deal.
Now, we can’t possibly not talk about China. You talk about an 800-pound gorilla in the room -- not me -- but China is a possibility beyond all of our possible dreams. It could really happen. And the reason it could probably happen is two things. And these are Trump cards that we have. And they’re true Trump cards. President Trump genuinely wants the trade imbalance with China to change. And President Trump has put his first foot forward to say a big part of that change is going to happen in West Virginia.
And I’ll promise you, President Trump and I are friends. And President Trump doesn’t want me calling him, saying, “Donald, why isn’t it happening?” You know.
Now, do I believe that there’s going to be $83 billion come rolling into West Virginia? It could very well happen. But I can’t comprehend $83 billion. And I’ve traded in a great big arena. But imagine, Proctor & Gamble is 500 million. If 1 billion comes, it’s two Proctor & Gamble plants. Imagine the magnitude of what we’re talking about here. It’s unbelievable.
And the Petra Chemical business, and the natural gas hub. It is unbelievable. And we’re on something. And we’re working it. And you should be very proud of our commerce people, our relationship with President Trump on this issue, and all the goodness that everybody has put in the licks and trying to do. So please give them a round of applause, because it is a big thing. (APPLAUSE)
I proudly say we’re going -- we have enough money to be able to have a State Police cadet class. The first time in probably four years. (APPLAUSE)
And I -- just as I glanced this way, I just -- I thought, well, how – what a dumb bunny am I? We’ve got all of our Justices here.
And we’ve got Evans Jenkins, Congressman Jenkins sitting right here. And some way, somehow, I just passed right by you.
And the great John Perdue, who really brought me the idea in regard to being able to create and be able to get kids an associate degree in high school and into trades. So please give them a great round of applause. (APPLAUSE)
Our education Department and DHHR are working tirelessly on an issue that’s just -- it’s just not comprehendible again for me. Child sexual abuse. Imagine this. Every 18-year-old in West Virginia, one in ten of them, one in ten of them before they reach the age of 18 suffers some level of child sexual abuse. It’s got to stop. It has to stop. And we’re on it. And some way, somehow, we’re going to stop it.
Now, I’ve got to talk to you just a second about tourism and commerce. I put in the budget -- I put in my numbers, rather, a giant number for tourism. $20 million. And you may think, well, can we not do something else with $20 million, more than just put it into tourism? And I would say to you it’s super penny-wise and pound-poor if you think that’s the thing not to do.
The reason it’s the thing not to do is just this. For every dollar that flows into tourism, it is believable the multiplier effect that comes right back to us. We have got to market ourselves. At some point in time you’ve got to get tired of waking up and watching the TV, and watching the TV say “Come to New York,” or “Come to Michigan.” It’s driving me crazy. Some way, somehow, we’ve got to let the world know just how good we really are.
The world is awakening right now. There is real opportunity. Commerce needs money to be able to bring people to us. It’s the way the game works. We can do it today. We have a tremendous Commerce Secretary.
We have Chelsea Ruby, who is doing an unbelievable job in tourism. There is so many areas of diversification that our highways, and on and on, will bring us. We’ve got to get behind this with everything we have. Now, let me say this. Right in my neck of the woods, 27 years -- 27 years we’ve been planning and trying to get the Coalfields Expressway and the King Coal Highways moving. This spring. This spring you’ll see pavement going down. We’re going to build the daggum roads. It’s going to happen. (APPLAUSE)
Now, let me get to a little bit of cherry on the top. Today we know there’s enough money in the budget today -- Imagine what I’m saying to you. Can you imagine it? I mean, we didn’t have enough money to hardly go feed the dogs good. But we now have enough money to give every single person in state government a raise. And I’m really, really proud that we’re going to be able to do that.
We’re going to be able to give our teachers a raise. We’re going to give a 1 percent raise across the board to everyone. This year and next year. And I’m budgeting in an additional one, one and one on the teachers for the following three years and bring them an entire five. We can do it. It’s there right this minute and it can be done.
Now, if some way, somehow -- My little girls’ basketball team is somewhere, and they said they’re going to come here. So wherever they are, they need to get here and get here now -- oh, here we go. (Team enters Chamber) (APPLAUSE)
Y’all just stand right here around me. Some of y’all -- all of y’all just stand right there, okay?
Now, real quickly. This is Abby, and AJ, Haley, and Tucker, and Autumn, and Taylor, and Gabby, and Morgan, and Lauren, and Kendra, and Niah, and Luthia, and Kate and Emma, and Lexie and Alasia. (APPLAUSE)
Let me tell ya -- y’all please sit. Please sit.
You stand.
You know, in basketball, when the season begins you’re allowed to have two scrimmages.
Our first scrimmage we had 40 turnovers and we lost by a gazillion points. And then we went to work -- because they’re really young. A lot of times -- we only have one senior in this group, and a lot of times there’s two freshman and three sophomores on the floor at the same time.
Since that time, they’ve not lost a game. Just the other day -- (APPLAUSE) -- just the other day the AP poll came out and they’re ranked second in the state. (APPLAUSE)
Now, let me tell you this. Haley, who was Second Team Allstate last year -- -- stand right here in the front, Haley -- She had something wrong with her leg the other day. And Gabby -- Gabby, who is our enforcer here -- Haley said, “What is this coach?” And I said, “Oh, I know what that is Haley. That’s resistant pathway ringworm. And it won’t hurt you, but it eventually goes up your leg and goes through your face, and it will go away. And the only way you can get rid of it is you can tie knots around the places in your leg and it will go away.”
And so I turned and winked at Gabby. The next thing I saw was Haley sitting in the floor with her sweatsuit on, tying her legs up. All the girls walked over and said, “What are you doing?”
And then Haley said something a little smart aleck to Gabby, and Gabby said, “Well, at least I wasn’t crazy enough to tie myself up.”
But Haley and this group believe -- and I told you before -- you needed a coach. And you needed to believe in me.
And I really would close by just saying this. I know how talented you are as the players. And I mean it when I tell you that I love you with all my soul. You are an incredible force to deal with. At least give me the opportunity to be your coach. And believe. Now, I want to end by doing this. I want y’all to go flip over that board right there.
Now, get out of the way where everybody can see.
A year ago this is where we stood. Today that’s where we are. It is unbelievable, the six-year plan that you are able to see today that has all black numbers. And today -- today -- my request from you as our people, and you as our legislators, my request for a tax increase would be zero. Zero. (APPLAUSE)
I’ll end by just saying that I can’t thank you enough, especially our people, as we traveled the land, and we passed the road bond referendum that some may have thought wasn’t going to pass. We passed it at 54 out of 55 counties. And some way the good people of Richie County -- I need to go up and talk to them. But we passed it by 73 percent of the vote. Amazing, amazing accomplishment by you -- not just me, by you.
Now, I can’t thank our people enough, and you enough, for believing. And believing in me. I coach. I coach for the players. You’re the players. I don’t coach for myself. The people of West Virginia are the players. I coach for them. And I coach for our school, and our school is our state. That’s what I do. That’s what I’ve done forever.
Now, I would end by just saying this. You honor me all the time by calling me Governor. But it would be fine with me if you often decided to call me Coach.
I thank you. I ask our team -- that our team does one other thing. I tell them all the time, every time we break it down, we break it down: “Best on three, one, two, three: Best.” Because I want them to believe they’re the best.
I want West Virginians to believe you’re the best. I don’t want us to know our place and know our place should be 50th. I want us to know we’re the best.
So I’m going to ask them, if they would, to break it down for us. Break it down as you always do it. As you do it the way you do it every day.
“Best on three: One, two, three -- best!” (APPLAUSE)
If you can hold it just one second. Just one second.
That’s the way we do it all the time. But now, listen closely to how they’re going to do it for us tonight.
Do it one more time:
“West Virginia on three: One, two three -- Best!”
Now we can clap. (APPLAUSE)
May God bless all of you. May God bless this great State. We’re on our way.
Let’s go get it done. Thank you. (APPLAUSE)
* * * * * * *
At the conclusion of the address, His Excellency, the Governor, accompanied by the committee of escort, retired from the Hall of the House of Delegates.
The Sergeant-at-Arms escorted the invited guests from the Chamber.
The members of the Senate retired to their Chamber, and the Speaker declared the Joint Assembly dissolved.
The Speaker then called the House of Delegates to order and laid the following communication from His Excellency, the Governor before the House:
State of West Virginia
OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR
Charleston, WV 25305
January 10, 2018
Executive Message No. 1
2018 Regular Session
The Honorable Tim Armstead, Speaker
West Virginia House of Delegates
Charleston, West Virginia 25305
Dear Mr. Speaker:
I herewith submit, pursuant to the Constitution of the State of West Virginia, a budget and budget bill for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2018.
Sincerely,
Jim Justice,
Governor.
Upon motion of Delegate Cowles, and by unanimous consent, the House returned to the Eighth Order of Business for the purpose of introducing a bill.
Bills Introduced
By Mr. Speaker (Mr. Armstead) and Delegate Miley
[By Request of the Executive]:
H. B. 4019 - “A Bill making appropriations of public money out of the Treasury in accordance with Section 51, Article VI of the Constitution.”
Accompanying the Budget Bill was a document showing estimates of revenue, expenditures, etc., as required by Section 51, Article VI of the Constitution which was also referred to the Committee on Finance.
Miscellaneous Business
Delegate Miley filed a form with the Clerk's Office per House Rule 94b to be removed as a cosponsor of H. B. 2863.
At 8:06 p.m., on motion of Delegate Cowles, the House of Delegates adjourned until 11:00 a.m., Thursday, January 11, 2018.
HOUSE OF DELEGATES
STEPHEN J. HARRISON, Clerk
Building 1, Room M-212
1900 Kanawha Blvd., East
Charleston, WV 25305-0470