Manchin Improves His Score in OT

The Legislature completed the special session requested by Gov. Joe Manchin within three days, and after passing all 15 items to emerge from his call, The Associated Press and others report.

"The session’s agenda revived 10 bills that had nearly passed during the recent regular session, including six the governor had requested," AP notes.

And with the extended session passage of the budget bill, Manchin was won 18 of the 25 measures he proposed during the regular session. That ups his success rate to 72 percent. The regular session ended April 11 with just 11 of his bills passed, or 44 percent.

Of the special session items that had not appeared before, one allows the sale of up to $150 million in capital improvement bonds. "Sixty percent of the proceeds would benefit higher education campuses, while the rest would go to state parks, the Capitol Complex and other state facilities," AP reports.

"Also approved Tuesday was a measure, not seen during the regular session, that aims to improve pay and staffing at the state’s two acute care psychiatric hospitals," the article said. "The House and Senate also approved funding measures that draw $26.5 million from emergency reserves for flood-damaged counties, and $21 million from lottery proceeds for lawyers long owed fees from court-appointed criminal cases."

The Register-Herald of Beckley, MetroNews and The Charleston Gazette also have coverage from the session's end.

The Journal of Martinsburg focuses on passage of a bill that would limit strip club locations, while The Gazette notes "grumbling" over the $21 million measure for court-appointed lawyers.