HB 2002
By Megan Bevins
DEVELOPMENT Bills relating to the Mountain State’ s development this session are HB 2002, HBs 2008 & 2009, HB 2014, SB 439 and SB 458.
HB 2014
By Rachel Coffman
SENATE: 34-0 � HOUSE: 99-0 SENATE: 32-1 � HOUSE: 82-16
HB 2002, passed April 9, finalizes the establishment of the One-Stop-Shop Permitting Program, an incentive meant to streamline West Virginia’ s permitting, licensing and business registration processes.
Key features of HB 2002 include a user-friendly online portal for managing permit applications and renewals. The bill also introduces a fast-track option, allowing applicants to pay an additional fee for expedited permit processing. Additionally, it mandates that agencies establish clear processing deadlines, with a refund of application fees required if those deadlines are not met. Finally, the legislation provides a transition period through July 1, 2027, during which applicants may continue to apply directly with agencies using existing methods.
The Department of Administration is tasked with overseeing the program’ s implementation, including rulemaking and inter-agency coordination. This bill aims to enhance economic development by simplifying the state ' s permitting processes.
HB 2008 & 2009 By Megan Bevins
2008— SENATE: 24-8 � HOUSE: 65-34 2009— SENATE: 24-8 � HOUSE: 71-28
In 2025, West Virginia advanced a major reorganization of its executive agencies through HBs 2008 and 2009. HB 2008 restructured the state’ s economic development leadership by moving the West Virginia Department of Economic Development( WVDED) back under the umbrella of the Department of Commerce. Reintegrating the WVDED as a division within the Department of Commerce is meant to eliminate overlapping responsibilities and improve decision-making efficiency.
HB 2009 eliminates the Department of Arts, Culture and History and merges its functions with the Department of Tourism. This structural realignment aims to leverage rich cultural and historical assets as part of a comprehensive tourism strategy. The change is meant to simplify governance by centralizing promotion, funding and strategic planning under a single department.
HB 2014 reimagines the 2023 High-Impact Business Development District law by transforming it into a certified microgrid development framework. The bill removes the requirement that these districts be situated on land leased or sold by the state. The two-district limit does not apply if more than 70 % of the electricity produced is consumed by one or more high-impact data centers.
The legislation reallocates property tax revenue generated by high-impact data centers and associated infrastructure. Fifty percent is allocated to the Personal Income Tax Reduction Fund, 30 % for the county where the data center is located, 10 % is evenly divided among the state’ s remaining 54 counties, 5 % is directed to the Economic Enhancement Grant Fund overseen by the Water Development Authority and another 5 % for the Electric Grid Stabilization and Security Fund. An amendment by Senator Chris Rose further clarified that no portion of this last fund may be used to support the closure or retirement of existing power generation assets.
Photo by Perry Bennett, WV Legislative Photography.
SB 439
By Rachel Coffman
SB 439, a reintroduced proposal from 2024, sought to remove the pollution control tax treatment for wind turbines, which would have shifted their tax valuation from salvage to real property. Clearway Energy, which operates wind assets across multiple West Virginia counties, testified in opposition, stating the bill would raise costs by approximately $ 5 per megawatt-hour under existing power purchase agreements— potentially adding millions in expenses for customers with long-term contracts.
Opponents also warned that the bill would set a troubling precedent for economic development, suggesting that the state could retroactively alter agreements and revoke previously promised incentives after investments have been made. Ultimately, SB 439 did not advance out of the Senate Finance Committee.
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WEST VIRGINIA EXECUTIVE