West Virginia Legislature

BERKELEY SPRINGS, W.Va. - Daryl E. Cowles will seek re-election to a second two-year term to the West Virginia House of Delegates. In 2006, Cowles was elected to the state Legislature representing the 51st Delegate district, which covers most of Morgan County and a portion of Hampshire County. "Although the state government is moving in a positive direction, there remains much work to be done," Cowles said in a news release. "Tax reform and stimulating the West Virginia economy are critical to improve the daily lives of our citizens, especially in the Eastern Panhandle.

charlestown@herald-mail.com MARTINSBURG, W.Va. - Del. Vic Roberts said Monday being on the road more than he anticipated was one of the reasons he has decided to not to run for re-election next year. Roberts said the West Virginia Legislature held five special sessions in the past year and he has decided he wants to spend more time with his family. "As we get into our twilight years, sometimes we have to consider other priorities," said Roberts, R-Berkeley. Nancy Myers, chairperson of the Berkeley County Republican Executive Committee, announced last week that Roberts would not run for a second two-year term and said the Republican party was saddened by the announcement from the longtime Gerrardstown, W.Va.

ANNAPOLIS -- After getting a peek at a different legislative universe, some visiting West Virginia lawmakers were brimming with observations. State lawmaking in Annapolis, they said, isn't the same as it is in Charleston. The five West Virginia legislators, all from the Eastern Panhandle, learned some ways of the Maryland General Assembly on Wednesday. Del. Walter Duke, R-Berkeley, said it was interesting that Maryland delegates may stand and explain their votes, and others may change their votes while the explanation is given.

charlestown@herald-mail.com CHARLES TOWN, W.Va. - Sen. Herb Snyder, who is completing his second four-year term in the West Virginia Legislature, announced Tuesday he is running for re-election next year. In a press release Tuesday, the Jefferson County Democrat touted his work on environmental issues as one of his strong points. Snyder said he has been a "watchdog for environmental issues," and was instrumental in the clean-up of hundreds of millions of waste tires in the state of West Virginia.

In the its last session, the West Virginia Legislature tried to deal with the fact that several insurance companies had stopped offering the state's doctors medical malpractice coverage. Now the doctors are saying the fix didn't go far enough. Lawmakers need to deal quickly with this vital issue. Members of the legislature had hoped that the doctors would create their own physician-run insurance company. But on Sunday the state medical society said that to make that idea work, more cash and some key changes in state law are needed.

W.Va. workers' comp system must be fixed To the editor: As a West Virginia employer and secretary of the West Virginia Roundtable, I recognize the immeasurable importance of the upcoming Special Session of the West Virginia Legislature and the critical need for enactment of significant, powerful legislation to reform the state's Workers' Compensation System. Without question, the current system threatens our ability to retain and create jobs. Consequently, the ability of West Virginia citizens to improve their economic condition will be significantly impaired, perhaps for decades to come, unless the Legislature passes comprehensive legislation that addresses the system's governance structure, internal management and growing deficit.

A bill that would provide support for the operation of MARC commuter train service in the Eastern Panhandle passed Saturday by a 98-1 vote in the House of Delegates on the last day of the West Virginia Legislature's 60-day session. The state Senate later concurred with amendments the House made to Senate Bill 103, which now awaits consideration by Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin, according to an audio webcast streamed live on the Legislature's website. The bill creates a special fund in the state treasury and requires the state to negotiate agreements with Maryland or the Maryland Transit Administration for the continued operation of the service from Washington, D.C., into West Virginia.

martinsburg@herald-mail.com INWOOD, W.Va. - Both of the candidates seeking the 53rd District House of Delegates seat in the West Virginia Legislature listed among their priorities a need to control growth-related problems, including traffic congestion at the intersections of U.S. 11 and W.Va. 51 in Inwood. Jerry Burton, a Democrat, and Vic Roberts, a Republican, are running. The general election is Nov. 2. The 53rd District covers southern Berkeley County, including the communities of Inwood, Pikeside, Glengary and Gerrardstown.

BERKELEY SPRINGS, W.Va. - Daryl Cowles, a Berkeley Springs Republican who was elected to the House of Delegates' 51st District seat last November, said he enjoyed his first regular session, and he had time to learn the legislative process. "I was initially dependent upon building relationships with my colleagues, and that's a lesson I quickly learned," he said. House Speaker Del. Richard Thompson, D-Wayne, was newly elected to that position, Cowles said, and his leadership team of about 12 people was new to the job, so the legislature got a late start.

MARTINSBURG, W.Va. - A Hedgesville, W.Va., woman is spearheading a drive to add two more seats to the Berkeley County Commission. Pat Butts believes the growth boom in the county has forced the commission to spread itself too thin as it tries to address the accompanying increase in demand on government services. Berkeley County is the fastest growing county in West Virginia and had 70,970 residents in 1998, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. "I think you need some help," Butts told the commission at its weekly meeting Thursday.