Gov. Jim Justice announced today that the West Virginia Legislature has passed six bills he had presented during a special session that concluded late Tuesday.
“It is gratifying to know that our lawmakers have come together to enact laws that will continue to move West Virginia forward,” said Gov. Justice. “During the last few months as I’ve traveled across the state and listened to our citizens, these pieces of legislation were critical for us to do the will of the people-which is to put West Virginians back to work as quickly as possible, to take care of our Veterans and to provide incentives to those who will preserve and redevelop our historical areas.”
Lawmakers passed legislation presented by the Governor that:
- Strengthens enforcement of the West Virginia Jobs Act by requiring employers to hire at least 75% of its employees from West Virginia and enhances civil penalties.
- Shortens the time period for hiring personnel for the Division of Highways and Tax Division.
- Permits the sharing of information between the Division of Highways and Tax Division to ensure compliance with all state laws.
- Exempts military retirement income from personal income tax.
- Increases tax credits for rehabilitation of certified historic structures.
- Approved technical corrections to State Court of Claims payments.
Gov. Justice will provide more details on the results of the special session during a press conference at 10:30 a.m., Wednesday, October 18, 2017, in the Governor’s Reception Room at the State Capitol.
