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CHARLESTON, W. Va.–Gov. Jim Justice said that he will call a special session of the Legislature to fix errors in a bill intended to create a loan fund with the West Virginia Economic Development Authority.
Justice said that he had vetoed Senate Bill 729 over several technical errors. The governor concluded the errors would have made it nearly impossible to use the money appropriated to the EDA consistent with the intent of the bill.
The governor intends to call a special session to fix these technical errors. The governor said the special session would coincide with legislative interim meetings already set for April 24-26 so that additional costs do not have to be incurred.
“I plan to work with the Legislature to fix these technical errors and will add the bill to the special session call,” Justice stated. “If the Legislature passes the bill during the special session, this important legislation will be fixed to allow for the proper transfer of monies.”
State officials anticipate up to a billion dollars in budget surplus at the end of the fiscal year. The state budget passed by lawmakers and signed by the governor anticipates aiming the biggest portion of that, $600 million, to loans through the Department of Economic Development.
Justice said the loan fund intended to be established by the separate Senate Bill 729 is a key aspect of that initiative.
“The self-sustaining loan fund that this bill will create is absolutely essential for us to be able to keep advancing our economic development efforts,” Justice stated.
“The bill also intended to create a $200 million revolving loan fund for our WVDOT to use as a catalyst to start major road projects through the bipartisan federal infrastructure bill. I am committed to making sure that this revolving loan fund remains in the bill.
A group of Democratic lawmakers have asked the governor to consider a gas tax holiday for West Virginia because of the historically-high prices at the pump.
At the time, Justice rejected the request, saying the legislators should have proposed a bill while they were still in the annual regular session.
“The Democrats absolutely know I don’t have this authority, so I guess what they are really asking me to do is to call a Special Session and ask the Legislature to suspend the gas tax,” the governor said on March 18, 11 days ago. “The Legislature just adjourned their 60-day session a few days ago; why didn’t the Democrats introduce a bill at that time?”
Justice expressed caution that money from the gas tax goes toward paying down road bonds. But, he said, “If the Legislature comes to me and says ‘this is what we want to do,’ I’ll be all in.
“But there are so many ramifications, we do not need people grandstanding knowing there’s an election in just a little while.”
He concluded, “I’d be 100 percent all in if everybody got together and said ‘This is exactly what we want to do.’”
Legislative Democrats have set another press conference for Wednesday about their proposal to provide a gas tax holiday.