WV Press Release Sharing WASHINGTON, DC— Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) introduced the Federal Prison Oversight Act, bipartisan legislation that would create a new oversight structure to ensure transparency, safety, and accountability in federal correctional facilities. “After serious reports of abuses, staff shortages, and dangerous conditions in federal facilities in West Virginia[Read More…]
Government
WV Legislative Interims: Marshall University working in the field of Cyber security
By Autumn Shelton, WV Press Association HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Marshall University is positioning itself to become a national leader in the field of cyber security, and, according to General Counsel Toney Stroud, leadership is working hard to make that happen. While speaking before members of the legislative Joint Standing Committee[Read More…]
WV Legislative Interims: Drug Court and Home Confinement reviewed
By Matt Young, West Virginia Press Association HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Presentations regarding Drug Court and Home Confinement were among the Business before the West Virginia Legislature’s Oversight Committee on Regional Jail and Correctional Facility Authority during the final day of May Interim Sessions on Tuesday. First to present was the[Read More…]
DHHR updates public on changes in benefits due to end of COVID public health emergency
The West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources (DHHR) on Monday shared updates and changes to Department programs in its Bureau for Medical Services and Bureau for Family Assistance, effective with the end of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE) on May 11, 2023. Bureau for Medical Services –[Read More…]
WV Legislative Interims: Foster care ombudsman, correctional inmate grievances discussed
By Matt Young, West Virginia Press Association HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – The West Virginia Legislature’s Joint Standing Committee on Government Organization, on Monday, heard presentations on both the scope of the state’s Foster Care Ombudsman, as well as the grievance procedure for inmates housed within the state’s correctional facilities. First to[Read More…]
WV Legislative Interims: How does the state regulate artificial intelligence?
By Autumn Shelton, WV Press Association HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Regulating artificial intelligence (AI) is something that West Virginia’s legislators must begin to consider, at least according to some experts. On Monday, members of the interim Joint Standing Committee on the Judiciary heard from three experts on how AI is being[Read More…]
WV Legislative Interims: Fire, EMS discuss suicide prevention, more funding for first responders
First responder suicide rates outnumbering line-of-duty deaths By Matt Young, WV Press Association HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – “I need to drive this home – Suicide rates aren’t just outnumbering line-of-duty deaths – they’re doing so even with suicides being under-reported by as much as 60%.” That’s what Kari Mika-Lude told the[Read More…]
WV Legislative Interims: Broadband access expansion outlined
Focus is to reach those who don’t have broadband, not just improve service to existing customers By Autumn Shelton, WV Press Association HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – State government’s plan to provide every West Virginia household with access to high-speed internet continues to move forward. On Sunday, members of the legislative interim[Read More…]
WV Public Energy Authority still preparing to govern under new law requiring its approval for decommissioning fossil fuel-fired plants
By Mike Tony, HD Media CHARLESTON, W.Va. — At its monthly meeting Wednesday, the West Virginia Public Energy Authority got an update on work under a new law poised to thrust it into a key role in the possible shutdown of a coal-fired plant slated to shutter soon. But it wasn’t[Read More…]
West Virginia’s ‘Shape Our Future’ tourism education initiative to launch statewide
New hospitality-tourism education program part of WV Tourism’s statewide ‘Tourism Works’ effort By Matt Young, WV Press Association CRAIGSVILLE, W.Va. – Gov. Jim Justice, along with several state officials, during a Tuesday press conference at the Nicholas County Career and Technical Center (CTC), announced the launch of the “Shape Our[Read More…]