October 2023 interims
‘This is arrogance’ lawmaker says of West Virginia’s school vaccine laws
A legislative meeting got heated Tuesday afternoon as Republican members of the Joint Committee on Children and Families questioned a state health official about the state’s process to determine whether school students are granted medical exemptions to vaccine mandates. West Virginia is one of five states that allows only medical exemptions — not religious or […]
Shortage of forensic pathologists contributes to backlog in autopsy reports, official says
A shortage of forensic pathologists and a high number of cases continue to contribute to long turnaround times for autopsy reports in West Virginia, lawmakers were told Tuesday. Matthew Izzo, chief administrator for the state Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, told members of the Legislative Oversight Commission on Health and Human Resources Accountability the […]
West Virginia jails staffing levels improving, commissioner says
Staff vacancies within West Virginia Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation are down to 990, marking the first time since before the COVID-19 pandemic that number has dipped below 1,000, lawmakers were told Monday. William Marshall, commissioner for the state Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation updated members of the Legislative Oversight Committee on Regional Jail and […]
Eastern Panhandle’s backlog of 400 child abuse, neglect referrals marks state’s troubled system
Standing in the state Senate Chamber, Berkeley County Circuit Judge Steven Redding told lawmakers that his county has a backlog of 400 abuse and neglect referrals to be investigated by child protective services. The state’s foster care crisis was evident in the Eastern Panhandle. The lack of CPS workers and delays in investigating reports of […]
Few Kanawha flood victims had flood insurance, official says
Of the families in eastern Kanawha County that filled out a damage survey following a late August flood, only 9% had flood insurance, a county official told state lawmakers Sunday. The flash floods were brought on by several inches of rain that fell Aug. 28 and during the weekend before, slamming several eastern Kanawha County […]
October interims set to start Sunday; lawmakers to discuss education, health and more
State lawmakers will return to Charleston on Sunday for another round of interim meetings, where they are set to discuss everything from the future of the state’s health care industry to tourism and agriculture. The October interim meetings are scheduled to run from Sunday to Tuesday. These meetings are held regularly throughout the year when […]