We have officially crossed the midpoint of the West Virginia 87th Legislative Session.
By now, most people have at least heard something about what is happening under the Capitol dome. You may have read a headline, seen an explosive social media post, been part of a frustrated conversation, or maybe caught a press release. But the second half of the session is not the same as the first. The first half is about ideas. The second half is about survival. More importantly, it is about choices.
Here is the truth most people do not realize. Heck, some members may not fully realize it. Almost every bill you may have heard about right now is in danger of quietly dying.
West Virginia’s Legislature runs on deadlines. Committee deadlines. Crossover Day. Budget deadlines. Rules deadlines. If a bill misses even one of these deadlines, it doesn’t matter how popular it is, how many press conferences were held, or how many posts were shared online. It is finished. Done. Dead in its tracks.
So, the better question is not just what the Legislature should accomplish. It should be what are you willing to do to help make it happen?
What should legislators get across the finish line? Some bills may seem like a waste of time. Some may seem stupid (to you). Every bill and resolution has meaning to someone in the state. I used to say we have until midnight every day. We can be here to hear the people’s concerns. And they should. Unashamedly.
In every session, you will see many bills introduced and hundreds debated. Most West Virginians consistently want progress in a few specific areas.
Is your concern economic stability? Everyone likes ribbon cuttings. We all like hearing about a new employer coming to a county that has lost jobs. However, economic development cannot rely solely on landing one large company every few years. People want stability. They want the ability to stay in their hometown and know their kids can do the same.
That means workforce participation, child care availability, a sufficient stock of suitable housing, and reliable utilities. It also means practical policies that help small businesses survive, not just attract large corporations. The mom-and-pop stores around town are equally important.
We all hear about the roads, especially the potholes, at this time of year. Nobody ever holds a parade for paved roads, safe bridges, water lines, or broadband that actually reaches the hollers and hillsides. But when those fail, everything else fails with them, including schools, hospitals, and employers. Infrastructure policy is not glamorous, but it is the legislation that determines whether a community grows or declines over the next few decades.
What about healthcare? This isn’t theoretical. Rural hospital closures are no longer warnings; they have been happening for years. The distance to emergency care now matters in ways many families never considered. Recruiting doctors, nurses, physical therapists, and dental providers is as important as recruiting businesses to the state. And yes, I believe prevention matters too. The cheapest health care policy the state will ever pass is one that keeps people from needing the hospital in the first place.
Have you heard about the bill that originated in the House Finance Committee this past week? This is all part of the process. If you have just been made aware of the HOPE Scholarship, you have been asleep. You will hear more.
What about other education issues and workforce readiness? Parents and employers seem to believe graduates need more pathways. Not every student may need a four-year degree. Every student needs a future, and the state needs people with a variety of skills to make things work. Career and technical education, apprenticeships, and community college partnerships are economic policy.
Do you want to know a secret? You actually have far more influence in the second half of the session than in the first. Why, you ask? Because legislators are now setting priorities. They cannot pass everything. Leadership decides what moves, committees decide what advances, and members decide what gets attention.
A legislator may personally support a bill, but if no one back home mentions it, it falls below ten other urgent issues. This is where citizens misunderstand the process. Posting online is not participation. It is broadcasting. Much of what I see online comes from the vocal minority. They are trying to build a belief that there is severe outrage (or support) over their particular subject of interest (to them). The Legislature does not operate on algorithms. It operates on contact.
You do not need to be a lobbyist, a donor, or a political insider. In fact, the most effective communication legislators receive is usually the simplest and most local.
If you have a concern, contact your delegate or senator directly. Call their office, leave a message, and send an email. Yes, they really do track them and notice whether they come from home. Five personal contacts from home outweigh fifty generic emails.
Be specific in your ask. Take the time to articulate how something affects you and your family. Do not cut and paste emails to show the level of support or outrage. If it matters to you, take the time to explain why and how it will affect you.
Be early, not angry. Once a bill reaches the House or Senate floor, it is often already decided. The real decisions happen in committees. The public rarely watches committee meetings, but that is where outcomes are decided.
Invite your legislators to see things in action back home. The most powerful thing a legislator can see is a real-world example. Policy becomes real when it has an address.
So, see, the second half of the session belongs to the public. The uncomfortable reality is that many of the issues people care most about never fail because legislators oppose them. They fail because legislators never hear about them.
Lawmakers are overwhelmed by hundreds of bills, limited time, and competing demands. Silence is interpreted as satisfaction. So, when someone asks, “Why didn’t they fix this?” the follow-up question should be, “Did they know it mattered to you?” The second half of the session is not when citizens should start tuning out; it is when they should start paying attention.
The Legislature will adjourn soon, in less than 20 days. Speeches will be delivered. Press releases will be sent. Some people will be pleased, while others will be frustrated.
West Virginia will get what West Virginians ask for; the real question is whether West Virginians will be part of the process and actually ask for it.
