WVEA’s Legislative Update 1
Week One
Governor Patrick Morrisey delivered his first State of the State Address, briefly mentioning key topics such as the budget, PEIA, and education. He indicated the state currently faces a $400 million shortfall for fiscal year 2026, then up to $500 million for fiscal year 2027 and continuing to grow in the years that follow. He plans to cut taxes to try to bring more people to the state, increasing revenue while reducing costs to close the $400 million state budget gap.
Governor Morrisey proposed $45 million for PEIA which does not include the premium increase of $14.4 million that members will have to pay. He asked the legislature to work with him on finding a solution and help the retirees with a fixed income. No specific details of his plan was mentioned during the State of the State Address.
Details were also lacking when it came to his comments on education, we knew the Hope Scholarship would be mentioned since he defended it in court and has pledged to expand it. In his vision for improving education he included expanding school choice, vo-tech schools, and apprenticeships. He has said on numerous occasions we should pay teachers competitively and open up the school aid formula to address financial needs, however no further details were provided. The budget that was presented to the legislature on Thursday did not include pay raises for education employees. Governor Morrisey also announced that classroom disruptions must be addressed and then he mentioned working with the legislature to get a bill passed to ban cell phones in the classroom. Though he did not provide solutions for addressing more important issues such as student discipline.
Our daily Lobbyline will begin on Monday, February 17. You can find Lobbyline at wvea.org/WVEALobbyline. It provides a recap of the day’s events and is typically posted by 6 p.m. each weekday.
Stay up to speed during the session with WVEA’s text alerts and take action with other members and supporters. Our legislative alerts will notify you of any pressing legislative issues. Sign up now at wvea.org/legislativetexts.