Gov. Justice Introduces Tax Break Bill For Pandemic Unemployment Benefits

Gov. Jim Justice announced Friday he is introducing a bill to provide a tax cut for people who lost their job last year.

The proposal would exempt the first $10,200 in unemployment benefits received last year from 2020 state income taxes.

“This is a huge tax break,” Justice said “A huge tax break for thousands of West Virginians who had to endure some really tough going.”

The governor said 197,351 West Virginians received unemployment last year and would be impacted by the plan.

According to the governor, the bill would make tax-free over a billion dollars of aid received by people who lost their jobs.

Earlier this month, the U.S. Congress created a similar tax break in the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan. The federal program exempts the same $10,200 in unemployment aid from federal income taxes.