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MAJOR CHANGES COMING WITH REPUBLICAN CONTROLLED LEGISLATURE - GOP Can Trump Governor's Vetoes |
| (12/08/2014) |
| By Bob Weaver With Republicans controlling the West Virginia Legislature for the first time in decades, look for a number of initiatives to be quickly moved through the legislature. Although, a case can be made that Republican agendas where already closely held by most WV Democrat legislators. A recent example in the General Election was who was more against Obama's "War on Coal," Republican or Democrat candidates. Republicans have already announced they will pass anti-abortion legislation, previously blocked by Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin. Legislation that will make it difficult to get an abortion, including tightening abortion criteria or possibly eliminating the small number of WV facilities that deliver abortions in WV. The legislature will likely expand on gun ownership and rights. During the 2014 session about 30 bills were introduced to expand gun owners rights. Efforts will be made against the now defined "Obama's War on Coal," reducing environmental laws that impact the state's land, air and water. There will likely be a major initiative to reform the state's educational system, with West Virginia being among the poorest academic outcome states in the nation. Current efforts to re-define sentencing for non-violet offenders that are incarcerated in the state's jails and prisons will likely be put on hold, with WV already a leading state with incarcerations in the US, likely leading to the construction of an additional prison. There will be a movement to continue to privatize traditional government functions to the private section, like road and bridge building which require tolls. The Republicans will likely be able to move their legislative proposals rather quickly with the already right-wing Democrats, an ability to overrule the governor's vetoes. West Virginia is one of six states only requiring a simple majority - more "yes" than "no" votes - to override vetoes. In West Virginia, overriding budget vetoes still requires a two-thirds vote.
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