West Virginia Bill to Limit Use of Settlement Funds Vetoed

West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice has vetoed a bill that sought to limit fellow Republican Attorney General Patrick Morrisey’s use of money from lawsuit settlements.
The Charleston Gazette-Mail reports the governor this week vetoed legislation to put a $7 million cap on the amount of settlement funds that Morrisey could have in his office’s consumer protection account.
Morrisey, who opposed the bill, has $12 million in his consumer protection account.

Justice says the bill would have discouraged state agencies from filing lawsuits and delay agencies seeking to solve problems because lawmakers would have the final say on the settlement monies’ spending.
A similar bill last year died in the state Senate.