Special Session will Focus on Flood Funding

Governor Earl Ray Tomblin will call lawmakers into a special session Sunday evening to consider legislation that will help the state continue to cleanup and recover from June’s historic flooding. 

Gov. Tomblin issued the proclamation Friday convening a special session beginning Sunday evening at 6pm. Lawmakers will only be able to consider two pieces of legislation, according to the session call.

The first bill expires $21 million of surplus funds from the 2016 fiscal year and takes and an additional $55 million from the state’s Rainy Day Fund, placing them in the general revenue account. The bill then appropriates $85 million from general revenue into the governor’s Civil Contingency Fund to pay debts and on-going expenses related to flood damage.

The second bill on the call allows lawmakers to pay both their own and employee salaries and expenses for the length of the special session.

Tomblin said flooding in south-central West Virginia on June 23 resulted in more than $300 million worth of damage to homes, businesses, and public buildings and infrastructure.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency will pay 75 percent of those costs, although Tomblin has asked the federal government to increase the match to 90 percent.