HUNTINGTON, Va. (WSAZ) – It was one of the first bills announced by West Virginia House leadership in December, and on Wednesday it was one of the last bills passed by the House before the “Passage Day” deadline.
On Wednesday, the House adopted it HB4001establishing the TEAM-WV corporation. Wednesday was a “transition day,” the deadline for bills to be passed by at least one chamber.
House Republican Party leaders describe the TEAM-WV initiative as a private, independent, nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting the state’s economic development. It is modeled after the JobsOhio program in Ohio.
“TEAM West Virginia will open doors to creative opportunities that don’t exist within the rigid structure of our current state labor agreement,” House Speaker Roger Hanshaw (R-Clay) said on WSAZ in December.
The bill received significant support from House leadership during Wednesday’s debate.
“We have to do this,” House Finance Chairman Vernon Criss (R-Wood) said during debate on the bill. “It’s one of the things in the toolbox that we can do that will help us operate.”
“I’m tired of seeing our materials and services across the river when we should be doing it in West Virginia,” he continued. “Along the Ohio River, we see this every day. And what I see when I look at the state of Ohio and the way they’re doing economic development right now is putting us even further behind. This bill will help us catch up.”
Some delegates expressed concerns about the novel intervention by nonprofits and the government. However, these concerns were dismissed. The nonprofit’s board of directors will be composed of university leaders and members selected by the governor. Additionally, despite its independence from the government, the nonprofit will be scrutinized by the state for conflicts of interest regarding misconduct.
“The voters who sent you here have a right to expect that we are here working to improve West Virginia’s economy,” Speaker Pro Tempore Matthew Rohrbach (R-Cabell) told delegates. “This is a right that I believe your citizens have. I believe this bill is a movement and a step in the right direction.”
House of Representatives Vice Chairman for Finance and lead sponsor of the bill, Del. Clay Riley (R-Harrison) urged other delegates that it was time to act.
“If we really want to compete with Pennsylvania, Ohio, Kentucky and Virginia in the future, we have to be innovators,” he said on the floor. “The status quo has delivered results, but we need more differentiated results. We need to be more effective. We need partnerships. We need flexibility. We need efficiency.
“It’s time,” Riley continued. “Let’s take care of our future, not today, not tomorrow, but today.”
The bill passed by an 87-8 majority and will go to the Senate.
