By james art 
Governor Patrick Morrisi, left, home chairman Roger Hanshow, Center and President of the State Senate Randy Smith, on the right, talk to the press on Wednesday afternoon after he met the legislative priorities. (Photo by Stephen Allen Adams)
Charleston -With the regular session of West Virginia in 2025 at less than two weeks, governor Patrick Morrisi and the leaders of the Chamber of Delegates and the State Senate said on Wednesday that they were committed to communicating better communication on potential bills. Morrisi, Chairman of the Chamber Roger Hanshow and State Senate President Randy Smith held a brief press conference on Wednesday afternoon at the State Capitol building after a closed-door meeting, where executive and legislative branches discussed the upcoming 60-day session, February.
“As your new governor, we are busy working with some of the great chamber and Senate leaders to try to draw up a legislative program that will really make Western Virginia proud,” “ said Morrisi. “We have talked a lot in the last year about trying to take steps that will make Western Virginia more competitive. And I think you will see in the coming weeks, as different suggestions will be revealed that there is an effort to move meaningfully to economic profits in many different fields. “
“The points of the governor are absolutely correct. We are all committed to doing our best to continue on the way to putting as many Western Virginians as possible to pay good jobs in the 21st century to give them the capacity to make the best decisions for them and their Families “,” -Hanshow said, R-Clay.
“We know that many of the important work that is needed to happen is done in the last 10 years and we know that what is ahead of us now are big challenges,” “ Hanshow continued. “The big things that require the executive, the legislative branch, the administrative agencies, the county, the local and urban governments, to work together to solve problems in a way we may not have thought of before.”
Morrisi met with both Hanchow and Smith, then the elected president of the Senate, in December during the transition period between Morrisi, who won the November election and his assumption on January 13th. Morrisi said he plans to meet several more times with legislative leaders between the leaders between now and the legislative session, when Morrisi will submit his common budget proposal for fiscal year’s budgets, as well as other bills, part of his forthcoming legislative Program.
“It is refreshing that we now have a governor who unites us so that we can overcome the issues that are important to the Senate and the House and the people of West Virginia … and come up with a plan to move this forward and move the state forward . “ Smith said, r-tucker. “These meetings are great because now I can return to the Senate of the cause and give them the priorities of the governor and how they are arranged with our priorities, which we are on the same page.”
The 60-day session ends on Saturday, April 12. During this time, more than 2000 accounts can be entered, with legislators passing only about 10% of the account entered. Hanshow said the Chamber focuses this year on the quality of the legislation it plans to send to the Senate, and later the governor, not the quantity later.
“As we think about what awaits us in the upcoming 60-day session, sometimes it may be bills that we send to the governor’s desk for signature,” “ Hanshow said. “Sometimes they can change in the administrative policy that we will work with the governor and his implementation team. Sometimes this can be a redistribution of funding priorities. This year, we will be about solving problems, not just focusing on the number of accounts accepted. “
Morrisi said the focus of this legislative session would be the introduction and signing of bills that will make the state attractive to new people who may want to move to the country to work, live and raise a family. Morrisie works with her new cabinet to develop her legislative program.
“I would like to emphasize that if we get the part of the growth of the equation and we can become that brilliant state in the mountains economically, we have a better regulatory structure, with a more aggressive program for pro-work places, with an even more competitive Tax prices, doing things that everyone will know all over the country … I think this will lead to incredible great results for the citizens of our country, “” he said. Morrisey also has the challenge to present a balanced total budget for fiscal year 2026, which fills the estimated deficit of $ 400 million due to preliminary use of one -off funds and future expenses for Medicaid, PEIA and education. Smith said his first year of service in 2017 involved a budget to deal with a $ 500 million estimated deficit.
“This is not a new challenge for us, because a few years ago we had a budget deficit and gathered and corrected this problem.” said Smith. “Our financial chair and all of them work on this, ahead of the process, so to speak, but as we move on, the closer we get to the session, we will make more conversations and be able to give more information. “
Stephen Allen Adams can be found at [email protected]