Lawmakers Return Today Authorize Road Bonds

Gov. Jim Justice is calling the Legislature back today to address legislation to authorize selling bonds following the recent approval by voters for the state to issue $1.6 billion of new bonds to repair and build roads and bridges. The state has listed more than 600 planned projects.
The Republican-controlled Legislature early this year approved taxes and fees to support bond repayments, which Gov. Jim Justice signed into law.
Lawmakers were called back in October and voted to strengthen penalties for violations of a law that requires 75 percent of the workforce on a state-contracted construction job be from the local labor market.