The Legislature, Day 50: Crossover Deadline

All but appropriation bills must escape their house of origin by the end of today to be considered any further. This deadline spurred votes on dozens of bills in the last two days. Dozens more are on tap for today, mostly in the Senate.

While I hope to update on major bills and happenings today, here are some of the other issues afoot:

*TOURISM TAX CREDIT: With Wednesday marking Tourism Day at the Legislature, the House set the mood Tuesday by sending Gov. Joe Manchin's proposed extension of a tourism development tax credit program to the Senate. The Associated Press has the story.

* TOBACCO BOND: The dozens of bills passed by the Senate on Tuesday included Manchin's bid to get up-front cash from bonds backed by future tobacco settlement payments. But senators also upped the ante for the bill before sending it to the House. The Charleston Gazette has the story, as does MetroNews (with audio).

* WATER PROTECTION: The AP highlights the next proposed step in West Virginia's recently launched, hotly debated quest to treat its water as a valuable and finite natural resource.

* BOTTLE BILL: The many casualties of the crossover deadline include a proposal to add a return deposit to beverage containers to reduce littering. Supporters of the bill talk about its fate to the (Beckley) Register-Herald.

* CTC MERGER: Another doomed measure would have merged two Eastern Panhandle-area community colleges. The Journal of Martinsburg has bolstered the ranks of the Statehouse press corps for the session's final stretch, and has the story.

* PRIVILEGE TAX: The Journal also reports on the House's passage of Manchin's proposed vehicle tax break for new residents, a top issue for the border counties. The AP also has the story on the bill, which delegates amended to convert the privilege tax into a sales tax in July 2008.

* DENTAL BOARD: In the course of the last five (regular) sessions I've covered, I've noticed continuing tensions between dentists and dental hygienists. Their latest legislative run-in involves the size and membership of the board that governs them both. The AP has a story on a House-passed bill that would increase the hygienists' voice on that panel.