CHARLESTON, WV (WCHS) — With only one week left in the legislative session, not everyone is satisfied with the progress made thus far.
“There’s a there’s an old saying; ‘When it’s all said and done, a whole lot more gets said than ever gets done,'” Del. Mike Pushkin, a Democrat from Kanawha, said. “And unfortunately, that could be applied to this to this session not a whole lot has gotten done.”
Pushkin is not the only one who feels this way. Sen. Mike Stuart, R-Kanawha, stated that this has been one of the most unsuccessful sessions he has participated in.
“The people expect a sense of urgency, but I don’t feel it. “I don’t feel a sense of urgency,” he explained. “I feel like we’ve got leaders positioning and playing politics and what we need right now is leadership not politics.”
Despite their concerns, they still have time to make changes over the next week. Pushkin advocates for increased focus on preparing the state budget.
“What we’re constitutionally required to do is pass a budget, and my focus now is to make sure that that budget doesn’t hurt the most vulnerable population in West Virginia,” said the governor!
Stuart is hoping that three of the bills he has been vocal about will pass before Saturday night.
“The Cohen-Kradoc Student Athlete Safety Act is extremely important. It has the potential to significantly improve student athlete safety in West Virginia. We want this as mothers and fathers.
The Joel Archer Substance Abuse Intervention Act—my goodness. “The opiate crisis has been the greatest health epidemic of our lifetimes,” Stuart stated. “The West Virginia Child First Act requires no explanation.
Everyone understands that it is our moral responsibility and solemn obligation to confront this challenge. I have said it before and will say it again. It’s the pinnacle of our economic and social structure.”
Gov. Patrick Morrisey recently warned lawmakers that they must pass more bills or risk spending the summer in Charleston for a special session. He stated in a previous interview with Eyewitness News that he is pleased with some of the work completed this session, particularly the Microgrid bill.
“We had our microgrid bill sent through the house. “That was also a big deal,” he said. “Because that’s probably the most significant bill that could increase wealth for our citizens with the kind of investment we’re seeing in these data centers. That we can finally make use of our energy resources and add value close to the source.”
