Justice calls for special session to fix vetoed bill | News, Sports, Jobs

CHARLESTON — Citing technical flaws in a bill meant to fund future economic development projects, Gov. Jim Justice announced his first veto and a special session for the end of April to fix the bill.

In a press release Tuesday afternoon, Justice said he vetoed Senate Bill 729, relating to funding for infrastructure and economic development projects in West Virginia.

Justice will call a special session to coincide with legislative interim meetings scheduled from Sunday, April 24, through Tuesday, April 26.

“I plan to work with the Legislature to fix these technical errors and will add the bill to the Special Session call,” Justice said. “If the Legislature passes the bill during the Special Session, this important legislation will be fixed to allow for the proper transfer of monies.”

SB 729 would create a $200 million revolving loan fund managed by the state Economic Development Authority and made available by the Board of Treasury Investments. The bill limits loans to no more than $15 million for any one business or project.

The bill also would also require the Board of Treasury Investments to make available $200 million to the state Department of Transportation for a revolving loan program, The Infrastructure Investment Reimbursement Fund would cover cost reimbursement for transportation projects. The fund itself would be reimbursed with federal funds as they become available.

Justice cited numerous technical errors with SB 729 requiring him to veto the bill. He said the technical errors made the two revolving funds impossible to use, such as the inadvertent removal of language providing investment authority to the Economic Development Authority.

“I completely support the concepts embodied by this legislation…Unfortunately, however, the bill contains a fatal technical flaw that renders me unable to sign it into law,” Justice said in his veto letter to the Legislature. “The ability to invest these funds is absolutely key in accomplishing the intent of the legislation. We must not let this money sit idly and forego investment earnings that will allow us to reinvest in even more opportunities for economic growth around this state.”

Scheduling the special session during April legislative interims when lawmakers and staff will already be in Charleston will save the state money. A special session can cost more than $35,000 per day to cover the costs of lawmakers and legislative staff. Justice said it was important to fix and re-pass the bill as quickly as possible.

“West Virginia is on a glide path to prosperity like you can’t imagine right now, and our economic development efforts are at the heart of our state’s rebirth,” Justice said. “Any chance we have to continue building upon these development efforts, we’re going to take. And I know this bill, when it’s cleaned up, will help us do just that.”

Except for a line item veto Justice used on Senate Bill 250, the budget bill, the veto of SB 729 is Justice’s first veto of a bill passed during the 2022 legislative session that ended March 12. As of Tuesday, 183 bills out of 293 bills passed during the 60-day legislative session have been signed into law.