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2023 West Virginia legislative session
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| 2023 West Virginia legislative session |
|---|
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| General information |
| Session start: January 11, 2023 Session end: March 11, 2023 |
| Leadership |
| Senate President Craig Blair (R) House Speaker |
| Elections |
| Next Election: November 5, 2024 Last Election: November 8, 2022 |
| Previous legislative sessions |
| 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 |
| Other 2023 legislative sessions |
In 2023, the West Virginia State Legislature was scheduled to convene on January 11, 2023, and adjourn on March 11, 2023.
The legislators serving in this session took office following the 2022 elections. Republicans won a 30-4 majority in the Senate and a 88-12 majority in the House. Republicans controlled the governorship, creating a Republican state government trifecta. At the start of the 2023 session, West Virginia was one of 18 state legislatures where Republicans had a veto-proof supermajority in both chambers.
Leadership in 2023
West Virginia State Senate
- Senate president: Craig Blair (R)
- Majority leader: Tom Takubo (R)
- Minority leader: Mike Woelfel (D)
West Virginia House of Delegates
- Speaker of the House: Roger Hanshaw (R)
- Majority leader: Eric Householder (R)
- Minority leader: Sean Hornbuckle (D)
Partisan control in 2023
- See also: State government trifectas
West Virginia was one of 22 Republican state government trifectas at the start of 2023 legislative sessions. A state government trifecta occurs when one political party holds the governor's office, a majority in the state Senate, and a majority in the state House. For more information about state government trifectas, click here.
West Virginia was also one of 18 state legislatures where Republicans had a veto-proof supermajority in both chambers. Veto overrides occur when a legislature votes to reverse a veto issued by an executive such as a governor or the president. If one party has a majority in a state legislature that is large enough to override a gubernatorial veto without any votes from members of the minority party, it is called a veto-proof majority or, sometimes, a supermajority. To read more about veto-proof supermajorities in state legislatures, click here.
The following tables show the partisan breakdown of the West Virginia State Legislature in the 2023 legislative session.
West Virginia State Senate
| Party | As of January 2023 | |
|---|---|---|
| Democratic Party | 4 | |
| Republican Party | 30 | |
| Total | 34 | |
West Virginia House of Delegates
| Party | As of January 2023 | |
|---|---|---|
| Democratic Party | 12 | |
| Republican Party | 88 | |
| Total | 100 | |
Regular session
The list below shows up to 25 pieces of legislation in the 2023 legislative session that most recently passed both chambers of the legislature, were signed by the governor, or were approved by the legislature in a veto override. If no bills are displayed below, no legislation met these criteria in 2023. This information is provided by BillTrack50.
Standing legislative committees
A standing committee of a state legislature is a committee that exists on a more-or-less permanent basis, from legislative session to session, that considers and refines legislative bills that fall under the committee's subject matter.
At the beginning of the 2023 legislative session, there were 70 standing committees in West Virginia's state government, including 27 joint legislative committees, 18 state Senate committees, and 25 state House committees.
Joint committees
- Council of Finance and Administration
- Economic Development Committee
- Education Accountability Committee
- Education Committee
- Employee Suggestion Award Board Committee
- Equal Pay Commission
- Finance Committee
- Forest Management Review Commission
- Government Operations Committee
- Government Organization Committee
- Government and Finance Committee
- Health Committee
- Health and Human Resources Accountability Committee
- Infrastructure Committee
- Intern Committee
- Interstate Cooperation Committee
- Law Institute Committee
- Minority Issues Committee
- PEIA, Seniors and Long Term Care Committee
- Pensions and Retirement Committee
- Regional Jail and Correctional Facility Authority Committee
- Rule-Making Review Committee
- Special Investigations Committee
- Technology Committee
- Veterans' Affairs Committee
- Water Resources Committee
- Workforce Investment for Economic Development Committee
Senate committees
- Confirmations Committee
- Energy, Industry and Mining Committee
- Military Committee
- Natural Resources Committee
- Pensions Committee
- Senate Agriculture and Rural Development Committee
- Senate Banking and Insurance Committee
- Senate Economic Development Committee
- Senate Education Committee
- Senate Enrolled Bills Committee
- Senate Finance Committee
- Senate Government Organization Committee
- Senate Health and Human Resources Committee
- Senate Interstate Cooperation Committee
- Senate Judiciary Committee
- Senate Rules Committee
- Transportation and Infrastructure Committee
- Workforce Committee
House committees
- Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee
- Energy Committee
- Energy and Manufacturing Committee
- Fire Department and Emergency Medical Services Committee
- Fire Departments and Emergency Medical Services Committee
- House Banking and Insurance Committee
- House Education Committee
- House Enrolled Bills Committee
- House Finance Committee
- House Government Organization Committee
- House Health and Human Resources Committee
- House Interstate Cooperation Committee
- House Judiciary Committee
- House Pensions and Retirement Committee
- House Rules Committee
- Industry and Labor Committee
- Political Subdivisions Committee
- Prevention and Treatment of Substance Abuse Committee
- Senior Citizen Issues Committee
- Senior, Children, and Family Issues Committee
- Small Business, Entrepreneurship, and Economic Development Committee
- Technology & Infrastructure Committee
- Technology and Infrastructure Committee
- Veterans Affairs and Homeland Security Committee
- Workforce Development Committee
Legislatively referred constitutional amendments
In every state but Delaware, voter approval is required to enact a constitutional amendment. In each state, the legislature has a process for referring constitutional amendments before voters. In 18 states, initiated constitutional amendments can be put on the ballot through a signature petition drive. There are also many other types of statewide measures.
The methods by which the West Virginia Constitution can be amended:
The West Virginia Constitution can be modified through constitutional conventions and legislatively referred constitutional amendments. West Virginia does not feature the power of initiative for either initiated constitutional amendments or initiated state statutes.
Legislature
A two-thirds vote is required during one legislative session for the West Virginia State Legislature to place a constitutional amendment on the ballot. That amounts to a minimum of 67 votes in the West Virginia House of Representatives and 23 votes in the West Virginia State Senate, assuming no vacancies. Amendments do not require the governor's signature to be referred to the ballot.
Convention
According to Section 1 of Article XIV of the West Virginia Constitution, the state Legislature can vote to refer a constitutional convention question to voters. A simple majority vote is required in the Legislature.
Historical partisan control
The table below depicts the historical trifecta status of West Virginia.
West Virginia Party Control: 1992-2024
Nineteen years of Democratic trifectas • Seven years of Republican trifectas
| Year | 92 | 93 | 94 | 95 | 96 | 97 | 98 | 99 | 00 | 01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05 | 06 | 07 | 08 | 09 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Governor | D | D | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D[1] | R | R | R | R | R | R | R |
| Senate | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R |
| House | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R |
Historical Senate control
Between 1992 and 2022, partisan control of the West Virginia State Senate shifted in favor of the Republican Party. The table below shows the partisan history of the West Virginia State Senate following every general election from 1992 to 2022. All data from 2006 or earlier comes from Michael Dubin's Party Affiliations in the State Legislatures (McFarland Press, 2007). Data after 2006 was compiled by Ballotpedia staff.
West Virginia State Senate election results: 1992-2022
| Year | '92 | '94 | '96 | '98 | '00 | '02 | '04 | '06 | '08 | '10 | '12 | '14 | '16 | '18 | '20 | '22 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democrats | 32 | 26 | 25 | 29 | 28 | 24 | 21 | 23 | 28 | 27 | 24 | 16 | 12 | 14 | 11 | 4 |
| Republicans | 2 | 8 | 9 | 5 | 6 | 10 | 13 | 11 | 6 | 7 | 10 | 18 | 22 | 20 | 23 | 30 |
After the 1992 elections, Democrats held a 32-2 majority. Republicans gained six seats in the 1994 elections, moving the chamber to 26-8 in favor of Democrats. From 1994 to 2012, the partisan balance of the state Senate would fluctuate, with minor gains being shared by Democrats and Republicans from election to election. In 2014, Republicans gained eight seats and took control of the chamber. The GOP picked up another eight seats between the 2016 and 2022 elections, resulting in a 30-4 Republican majority.
Historical House control
Between 1992 and 2022, partisan control of the West Virginia House of Delegates shifted in favor of the Republican Party. The table below shows the partisan history of the West Virginia House of Delegates following every general election from 1992 to 2022. All data from 2006 or earlier comes from Michael Dubin's Party Affiliations in the State Legislatures (McFarland Press, 2007). Data after 2006 was compiled by Ballotpedia staff.
West Virginia House of Delegates election results: 1992-2022
| Year | '92 | '94 | '96 | '98 | '00 | '02 | '04 | '06 | '08 | '10 | '12 | '14 | '16 | '18 | '20 | '22 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democrats | 79 | 69 | 74 | 75 | 75 | 68 | 68 | 72 | 79 | 65 | 54 | 36 | 37 | 41 | 24 | 12 |
| Republicans | 21 | 31 | 26 | 25 | 25 | 32 | 32 | 28 | 21 | 35 | 46 | 64 | 63 | 59 | 76 | 88 |
After the 1992 elections, Democrats held a 79-21 majority. Republicans began moving the partisan balance of the state House in their favor in 2010. The GOP picked up 25 seats between the 2010 and 2012 elections. In 2014, Republicans gained 18 seats and took control of the chamber. Democrats gained five seats total in the 2016 and 2018 elections. Republicans increased their majority to 88-12 in the 2022 elections.
Ballotpedia's Election Administration Legislation Tracker
State election laws are changing. Keeping track of the latest developments in all 50 states can seem like an impossible job.
Here's the solution: Ballotpedia's Election Administration Legislation Tracker.
Ballotpedia's Election Administration Tracker sets the industry standard for ease of use, flexibility, and raw power. But that's just the beginning of what it can do:
- Ballotpedia's election experts provide daily updates on bills and other relevant political developments
- We translate complex bill text into easy-to-understand summaries written in everyday language
- And because it's from Ballotpedia, our Tracker is guaranteed to be neutral, unbiased, and nonpartisan
See also
| Elections | West Virginia State Government | State Legislatures | State Politics |
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External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Gov. Jim Justice switched his registration to Republican on August 4, 2017.
