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Lawmakers approve immunization bill minus House amendment
By Aaron Payne in News | WV MetroNews
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The state legislature approved an immunization bill on the last night of the legislative session without an amendment that sought to lessen the role of the state Bureau of Public Health.
After nearly an hour of debate earlier Saturday, the House passed an amended version of the bill (SB286) related to exemptions to compulsory immunizations...
Editorial: State should stand firm on 180-day school rule
Herald- Dispatch editorial
West Virginia has long had a law on the books that its public schools should provide 180 days of instruction each school year. But, as it often turned out, that seemed to be more of a suggestion than a mandate. Restrictions on the length of the school year combined with inclement weather during the winter often made providing 180 days of instruction impossible.
In fact,...
Legislature fails to pass adjustment in 180-day school calendar
By Jeff Jenkins, WV MetroNews
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — If West Virginia schoolkids are going to avoid heading to school in mid to late June their counties will have to get a waiver from the state Board of Education. A bill creating a way to use instructional minutes to convert to instructional days died on the last night of the legislative session.
The bill (SB537) passed the House of Delegates...
Session comes to an end; several bills fall short on final night
By Jeff Jenkins, WV MetroNews
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The final day of the 60-day regular legislative session may be best remembered for what didn’t pass than for what did as several much-talked-...
The Charleston Gazette: Charter — Sad example
On this final day of the session, the 2015 Legislature seems likely to add West Virginia to 43 states that authorize charter schools — special schools supported by tax money but operated by private owners under outside contracts, independent from county school systems and teacher unions.
Last week, the state Senate approved the schools in an 18-16 party-line vote. Then the House Education Committee removed language...