“ Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and conndence.“-Helen Keller
HB 4268 CO-TENANCY
By Anne Blankenship
SENATE: 23-11 � HOUSE: 58-41
House Bill( HB) 4268, known as the Co-tenancy Modernization and Majority Protection Act, has passed after years of negotiations. This bill will place West Virginia on a level playing field with other major oil and natural gas-producing states.
To develop shale resources, oil and natural gas companies enter into leases with mineral owners to form development units made up of individual tracts. Until now, West Virginia was the only state in the Marcellus and Utica shale plays that prevented production when less than 100 percent of the mineral owners agreed for it to proceed.
While a very small percentage of mineral owners have been denying the majority of owners from royalty payments for years, now a super majority of 75 percent in each tract within a drilling unit can decide whether drilling can occur. Not only is this the highest threshold for co-tenancy in the country, but the law will also compensate the 25 percent of nonconsenting co-tenants as well as the highest-paid lessee in the same tract.
After passing the House and Senate, the bill went to Governor Jim Justice, who signed it into law on March 9, 2018.
HB 4001 SNAP BENEFITS
By Del. Joshua Higginbotham
SENATE: 24-9 � HOUSE: 73-23
West Virginia has one of the highest percentages of state population on government assistance in the country. House Bill( HB) 4001 aims to curb this negative trend by changing how citizens qualify for welfare.
The premise is simple: recipients must work or volunteer 20 hours per week in order to receive SNAP benefits, or food stamps. If a SNAP recipient is over the age of 50, is a veteran, has a disability or has a child, they are not required to work or volunteer. HB 4001 also updates the state code on how to handle welfare fraud and abuse cases.
Given that several states have enacted similar bills that saw significant savings and a drop in the number of people on public assistance, HB 4001 can lead to tremendous potential savings for West Virginia.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, West Virginia has seen the creation of nearly 10,000 new jobs over the last 12 months, and the state now has one of the fastest growing economies in the nation. It is time to get people back to work, and HB 4001 does exactly that.
HB 4001 was signed into law on March 27, 2018. Advocates expect this to be an economic boost for the region.
“ Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and conndence.“-Helen Keller
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