From The Well

At the center of the West Virginia state capitol is an area known as “The Well.” It is the informal gathering place for lobbyists, reporters, constituents and lawmakers. Centrally located between the chambers of the House of Delegates and Senate, The Well is often where information is shared, alliances are formed and deals are made.

From The Well

Mental Health Consequences of the Pandemic and its Aftermath. 

Brian Skinner Government & Policy, Mental Health & Substance Use Disorders

  By Brian Skinner, Esq. As the COVID-19 pandemic drags on and the economy continues to suffer, policymakers must be prepared address an increased need for both a public health response and policies to increase intervention and prevention efforts associated with the mental health of the state’s population.  Recent studies are highlighting the impact the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting …Read More

Michigan Essential Workers to Get Free College

Brian Skinner Government & Policy

FREEP.COM About 625,000 essential workers in Michigan who put in time during the height of the COVID-19 lockdown and don’t have a degree are eligible for free college under a plan detailed Thursday by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. Futures for Frontliners, inspired by the G.I. Bill that provided college education to those serving their country in WWII, was initially announced by …Read More

Mailing It In: VBM Ballot Deadlines Explained

Brian Skinner Elections

By Democracy Docket A voter in Sacramento, California and a voter in Flint, Michigan mail their ballots three days before Election Day. Each ballot is postmarked three days before Election Day and arrives at their respective local election offices the day after Election Day. However, only one ballot counts. Why?  Under some state laws, mail ballots …Read More

Do I Need an Excuse to Vote By Mail? Not Always.

Brian Skinner Elections

  By Democracy Docket Once you have registered to vote, there are a number of ways to cast your ballot, including early voting and voting on Election Day. Another option in most states is “vote by mail” or “absentee voting,” where the state sends you a ballot in the mail. Depending on your state, you can return that ballot …Read More

Study Finds Ohio Medical Marijuana Prices Too High

Brian Skinner Medical Cannabis

  By Brian Skinner, Esq. Marijuana Business Daily (MBD) reports that a study, conducted by Ohio State University Moritz College of Law’s Drug Enforcement and Policy Center, found that more than 60% of Ohio residents are dissatisfied with the state’s medical cannabis program, citing high prices as the number one reason. However, the study also showed that perceptions of …Read More

Recent Studies Show Increased Unemployment Benefits Do Not Deter Workers

Brian Skinner CARES Act, Government & Policy, Unemployment Benefits

  By Brian Skinner, Esq. Economists generally agree that the $600-a-week Pandemic Unemployment Compensation supplement that went to the 32 million Americans in March as part of the CARES Act, kept the economy functioning through the COVID-19 pandemic. Economists at the University of Chicago estimated that more than two-thirds of the workers on unemployment insurance …Read More

Policies WV Should Consider to Reduce Local Flood Risk

Brian Skinner Government & Policy

By Brian Skinner, Esq. In 2016, West Virginia experienced some of the most deadly and destructive flooding in the state’s history. Twenty-three people were killed, more than 1,500 homes and businesses were destroyed, and another 2,500 significantly damaged, while losses to highways and bridges totaled about $53 million. The National Weather Service declared that the amount of rainfall in June …Read More

More People With Felony Convictions Can Vote, but Roadblocks Remain

Brian Skinner Elections, Government & Policy, Voting

  PEW STATELINE – By Lindsey Van Ness – August 31, 2020 More than ever, Eric Harris is mindful of the elected officials around him: The school board members deciding whether his children will go back to the classroom, the sheriff influencing how officers interact with people like him, and the U.S. president steering the country’s coronavirus response.  …Read More