West Virginia lawmakers could put more money into education and clean drinking water. So far, they haven’t. buff.ly/gsoDrxd

From 2023: Here’s what to know about West Virginia’s Rainy Day Fund

Halfway through the legislative session, many of the things West Virginians said they needed haven't been addressed, from child care to clean water. Here are 5 ways lawmakers could help. buff.ly/gsoDrxd

Preparing land for businesses takes environmental reviews and engineering planning, and state grants helped local developers compete for projects. But no more new money has been proposed for the state’s program. buff.ly/ub6ZSxk

Advocates say the $20 million is "not enough." Pastor Brad Davis notes the need is too dire to wait, adding, "People are dying now. People are getting sick and people are dying.”

West Virginia leaders say they want more jobs. But Gov. Morrisey’s proposed budget lacks new funding to prepare land for businesses, as all of the funding for the state’s site readiness program has been allocated. buff.ly/ub6ZSxk

West Virginians told us what their communities needed: clean water, housing, cheaper power bills and affordable child care. Here’s how lawmakers could help. mountainstatespotlight.org/2026/02/18/5...

NEW: Local communities need funding to get land ready for new businesses. The state’s program to help is running out of money. mountainstatespotlight.org/2026/02/19/b...

West Virginians are demanding action on clean water. Residents like Ashley Bunch spend $200 a month on bottled water, while Jake Frye's filters clog every few weeks.

West Virginians need affordable energy, clean drinking water, ways to work, and a healthy education system. Here’s how West Virginia lawmakers could help them. mountainstatespotlight.org/2026/02/18/5...

Lawmakers reduced a $250 million proposal to fund clean drinking water projects in southern West Virginia counties to just a fraction of the original ask. They cite concerns about the state’s bonding ratings, but residents say “people are dying.”

NEW: Five steps lawmakers could take now to tackle West Virginians' pressing issues mountainstatespotlight.org/2026/02/18/5...

NEW: Coalfield residents need hundreds of millions of dollars for clean water. Lawmakers propose a drop in the bucket. mountainstatespotlight.org/2026/02/17/l...

About two in three kids in West Virginia state custody are placed with relatives. But those families, often grandparents, don’t receive full foster payments until they complete a certification process that can take months. Lawmakers seek to change that.

“We have medical cannabis on the books, right? That means we support it,” Worrell said. “We need to make sure we're not trying to always make it fail.”

The legislation’s sponsor, Sen. Joey Garcia, D-Marion, said he wanted the bill to help grow the state’s public workforce, while also helping working families. mountainstatespotlight.org/2026/02/10/f...

Del. Adam Burkhammer, R-Lewis, said placing kids with relatives can reduce trauma after removing them from their parents’ homes. His bill would ensure kinship caregivers receive full foster subsidies within 30 days if safety checks clear.

Del. Evan Worrell, R-Cabell, said he introduced a bill to make sure the marijuana money gets spent. Currently, it is being held up in the Treasurer’s Office, who has expressed concerns about the legalities of the money. mountainstatespotlight.org/2026/02/11/m...

If paid parental leave were implemented, it could have a significant economic impact, resulting in more sales tax and business revenue and lower healthcare costs. mountainstatespotlight.org/2026/02/10/f...

A new bill would give West Virginia kinship caregivers the full $790 monthly foster care subsidy within 30 days of children entering their homes — instead of waiting months for certification. State officials estimate it would cost $3.9 million a year. mountainstatespotlight.org/2026/02/12/s...

The state hasn’t spent the $34 million it has collected in medical marijuana revenue. A bill introduced in the House of Delegates could change that. mountainstatespotlight.org/2026/02/11/m...

NEW: Relatives who take care of foster kids could get financial support from the state more quickly under new proposal mountainstatespotlight.org/2026/02/12/s...

A bill proposing millions in tax breaks for data centers is facing pushback from the public and other lawmakers. Its sponsor, Del. Geno Chiarelli, R-Monongalia, said the amount of business the tax credit would bring in would offset any revenue losses.

Without paid parental leave, some West Virginians are facing impossible choices as they balance caring for their children and paying bills. mountainstatespotlight.org/2026/02/10/f...

NEW: We discovered $34 million in unspent money from the state’s medical marijuana program. A lawmaker is trying to change that. mountainstatespotlight.org/2026/02/11/m...

Last year, the public sector employed over 150,000 West Virginians. Nearly a third of those were state workers, who don’t have access to paid parental leave. mountainstatespotlight.org/2026/02/10/f...

Last year, state lawmakers stripped away local control over where data centers could be built and sucked up 70% of local taxes. Now, they have a proposal to give away millions in tax breaks to data centers, warehouses and factories.

NEW: How paid parental leave could help West Virginia’s public workers buff.ly/3O55no7

State lawmakers are working on a bill that would allow data centers to offset state taxes for up to 10 years if businesses invest at least $2.5 million or create 10 jobs. Revenue department officials said it could cause a significant loss in tax money.

NEW: West Virginia could get nothing in taxes from data centers for a decade under proposed bill mountainstatespotlight.org/2026/02/09/d...

Del. Lori Dittman wants to require state schools to share information about the programs available to help older foster kids. She said the bill was inspired by our recent investigation that found millions of dollars for this support was going untapped. mountainstatespotlight.org/2026/02/05/f...

About 30 states have adopted their own low-income housing tax credits to help fill the gap left by expiring federal rules. West Virginia isn't one of them. mountainstatespotlight.org/2026/02/05/h...

WV officials admit CPS is chronically understaffed. But their proposal would let the state reassign CPS workers based on short-term need, rather than hiring and retaining quality staff. buff.ly/F2Mluxm

Over 60,000 West Virginians rely on federal rental assistance for housing. As tax credits expire, landlords can raise rents to market rates or convert units entirely. mountainstatespotlight.org/2026/02/05/h...

A fully-staffed, well-qualified CPS workforce is needed to keep kids safe and support families. Gov. Morrisey has a staffing bill in play in the Legislature, but researchers say he and lawmakers need to do much more. buff.ly/F2Mluxm

Since 2010, West Virginia has given back nearly $7 million meant to help foster kids transition into adulthood. A state delegate is proposing a partial fix: making sure more kids who can benefit know about all their options. buff.ly/rSFnsIW

A WV delegate is sponsoring a bill to make sure older foster kids know about all of the services they can access, in the wake of a Mountain State Spotlight investigation that found many were unaware. buff.ly/rSFnsIW

Federal affordability rules are set to expire for more than a quarter of West Virginia’s low-income housing units within the next 5 to 10 years, putting thousands of seniors and families at risk. mountainstatespotlight.org/2026/02/05/h...

UPDATE: Four more immigrants picked up in an ICE operation in West Virginia last month were ordered released from jail by federal judges who ruled their detentions were unconstitutional. mountainstatespotlight.org/2026/02/04/t...

Former CPS workers say heavy caseloads and paperwork keep them from seeing kids — and push people out of the job. But neither Gov. Morrisey nor lawmakers are pushing for full staffing. buff.ly/F2Mluxm

Federal affordability rules are set to expire for more than a quarter of West Virginia’s low-income housing units within the next 5 to 10 years, putting thousands of seniors and families at risk. mountainstatespotlight.org/2026/02/05/h...

NEW: State lawmaker proposes help connecting foster kids to more resources following Mountain State Spotlight investigation buff.ly/rSFnsIW

Morrisey concedes the CPS workforce suffers from understaffing, which can mean kids wait longer for visits and investigations. He proposed moving workers around when cases spike, but researchers say the state needs full staffing and to redesign the job. buff.ly/F2Mluxm

NEW: Low-income West Virginians could lose access to 28% of affordable housing unless lawmakers step in mountainstatespotlight.org/2026/02/05/h...

CPS workers are stretched so thin that some miss required visits with kids in foster care and spend hours driving between counties. Gov. Morrisey says he’s addressing understaffing, but his bill would shift workers around, not add and keep staff. buff.ly/F2Mluxm

NEW: Federal judge orders release of third ICE detainee in West Virginia: 'Everyone is entitled to due process'

NEW: CPS is understaffed and overwhelmed. Rather than hire more workers, Morrisey wants to move them around to fill the gaps. mountainstatespotlight.org/2026/02/04/c...

Morrisey’s proposed tax cut would cost $125 million. To pay for it, he’s proposing shifting money out of Medicaid and teachers’ retirement. buff.ly/ZcDua2s

Gov. Patrick Morrisey wants lawmakers to pass his promised 10% income tax cut, but critics say his budget relies on risky surplus funds and shifts money away from teachers’ retirements and social safety nets to make the numbers work. buff.ly/ZcDua2s

The proposal laid out by RAND would have income level and the number of special education students factored into how state money to local districts is determined. mountainstatespotlight.org/2026/02/02/3...