85th Legislature
By David Kelly,
WV House of Delegates,
District 8
With overwhelming bipartisan support the house focused on and passed business development bills
this week. A bill, HB4259, cosponsored by Speaker Hanshaw and Minority Leader Doug Skaff created the West Virginia Small Business Jump Start Act. The Act is designed to provide incentives for raising private capital at the fund level. This program is very similar to what 18 other states are currently doing.
“There was over $200 billion of investments out there for small businesses in the country last year,” Skaff explained Feb. 17 at the West Virginia Press Association’s Legislative Breakfast event. “None of it was in West Virginia. We want to switch that by offering incentives for those people to consider investing in rural West Virginia.”
Speaker Roger Hanshaw said, “We know many of the investments that come to West Virginia in the single-digit, million-dollar investment scale can change communities. We know all the reasons West Virginia is the best place in the country to live, work and play, but our aspiring entrepreneurs and small businesses are starved for venture capital investment. This bill would not only help to fill that need, but it also would help create an investment culture here in West Virginia that’s desperately needed.”
HB4025 permits temporary severance tax relief designed to spur the economic development of rare earth elements and other minerals passed with bipartisan support.
HB4568, which would continue to develop and expand the tax credit to include, allowing municipal and private industry to work on restoration renovation in phases.
HB4002 creates the Certified Sites and Development Readiness Program.
HB4465 broadens the current apprenticeship training tax credit
Clearly, West Virginia is quickly becoming the business-friendly state that members on both sides of the aisle have envisioned.
By a unanimous vote the House voted to create the West Virginia Military Hall of Fame to honor those who have served with distinction and valor.
“We can never do too much for our veterans. If we have to opportunity to do something to honor those who have served with valor, we should do it,” said 6th District Delegate David L. Kelly.
The select committee on Jails and Prisons met for the last time this session on Friday, February 18th. We heard testimony from members of the West Virginia Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. This testimony was designed to educate members of the committee on the immediate needs of our prisons and jails.