Legislature Begins Latter Half of Session

Legislators hit the midpoint of their 60-day session Thursday, and The Associated Press offers an overview of the progress so far.

"The House and Senate have exchanged 47 bills so far this session, with 31 of those passed by delegates," AP reports. " Two have been sent to the governor. One addresses parking at state buildings, the other the regulatory powers of the state banking board."

Among other tidbits:

TAXES: "The state Department of Environmental Protection may ask lawmakers to double a tax on the coal industry," MetroNews reports . "DEP Secretary Stephanie Timmermyer told members of the Senate Finance Committee Thursday the state's Special Mine Reclamation Fund that finances the clean-up of forfeited mining sites needs an infusion of cash."

REAL ID: State DMV officials have told legislators that a newly approved deadline extension means that "drivers born after 1964 will have to have Real ID-compliant licenses by 2014, and drivers born in 1964 or earlier will have to have the new licenses by 2017," The Charleston Gazette reports.

PAPER, NOT PLASTIC: "Plastic shopping bags have become such an eyesore and environmental bane in southern West Virginia that a group of lawmakers is attempting to ban them statewide," the Charleston Daily Mail reports.