18-04-2025
These items were vetoed from West Virginia's 2026 budget
CHARLESTON, (WBOY) — West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey signed the state's budget for Fiscal Year 2026 Thursday night, and some things that were approved by congress didn't make the cut.
In a press release Thursday night, Morrisey called the budget 'fiscally conservative' and applauded the West Virginia Legislature for passing a budget that 'closely resembles my original proposal and begins to address long term issues while funding West Virginia priorities.'
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Here are the items that Morrisey chose to reduce or veto from the budget passed by the legislature. The listed dollar amount is how much money will be saved from the changes. Keep in mind that the following cuts are not to the amount previously given, but to the amounts approved by the West Virginia Legislature for Fiscal Year 2026.
Funding for Willowbend Agricultural Innovation Center ($100,000)
Funding for Mountwood Park ($300,000)
Funding for Math Counts within MATH Program ($50,000)
Funding for Green Acres Regional Center, Inc ($300,000)
Funding for West Virginia College of Law ($250,000)
Funding for LPN to BSN ($250,000)
Funding for Directed Transfer – Surplus, 'to address likely fiscal challenges related to Medicaid, PEIA and potential changes to the federal tax code' ($85,000,000)
Funding for Current Expense – Surplus, 'to address likely fiscal challenges related to Medicaid, PEIA and potential changes to the federal tax code' ($250,000)
2% reduction for Local Economic Assistance ($100,000)
10% reduction for Tourism – Industry Development ($300,000)
33% reduction for Martinsburg Berkeley Public Library ($500,000)
3% reduction for Safe Schools ($200,000)
Within Safe Schools, 6% reduction in funding for school mapping ($200,000)
70% reduction for Computer Science Education ($1,400,000)
23% reduction for Mountain State Digital Literacy Program ($300,000)
60% reduction for Ronald McDonald House of Morgantown ($3,000,000)
9% reduction for In-Home Family Education ($100,000)
5% reduction for West Virginia State Police Trooper Class ($161,172)
73% reduction for Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) ($800,000)
40% reduction for Federal Funds/Grant Match ($500,000)
1.6% reduction for Veterans Nursing Home ($187,650)
13.5% reduction for Tuition Contract Program ($208,000)
3.5% reduction for Maintenance related to State Road Funds ($25,000,000)
20% reduction for Direct Transfer – Surplus, 'to address likely fiscal challenges related to Medicaid, PEIA and potential changes to the federal tax code' ($25,000,000)
Morrisey did clarify in his press release that 'the budget fully funds Medicaid, senior services, and the HOPE scholarship.' He also said that 'In the case of a surplus, up to $100 million will be allocated to funding road maintenance and improvement projects across the state.'
You can read Morrisey's full communication regarding the budget to Secretary of State Kris Warner here, which includes reasons for his vetoes.
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