Special Session: Legislature Gavels in (Updated)

The West Virginia Legislature has begun the special session called for by Gov. Joe Manchin, mostly to tackle education issues, The Associated Press reports.

Manchin's proclamation also proposes a new, federally funded high-risk health insurance pool, a health-related funding measure and three bills that he vetoed from the regular session because of technical flaws.

The governor has also posted summaries of his proposed legislation.

AP had reported earlier that the state's two main teachers' groups have raised objections either to the key education bills or the concepts behind them. Manchin responded both to AP and the Charleston Daily Mail about their expected resistance to his proposals.

MetroNews also reports on the stance taken by one of those groups, the West Virginia Education Association, as does The Charleston Gazette.

MetroNews and the The Gazette also offer previews of the special session's agenda.