WEST virginia legislature

2026 regular session

Committee Substitute

for

Senate Bill 877

By Senators Smith (Mr. President) and Woelfel

(By Request of the Executive)

[Reported March 6, 2026, from the Committee on Finance]

A BILL supplementing and amending the appropriations of public moneys out of the Treasury from the balance of moneys remaining as an unappropriated surplus balance in the State Fund, General Revenue, to the Department of Commerce, Division of Economic Development, fund 0256, fiscal year 2026, organization 0307, by supplementing and amending the appropriations for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2026, by adding a new item of appropriation.

WHEREAS, The Governor submitted the Executive Budget Document to the Legislature on January 14, 2026, containing a statement of the State Fund, General Revenue, setting forth therein the cash balance as of July 1, 2025, and further included the estimate of revenue for the fiscal year 2026, less net appropriation balances forwarded and regular and surplus appropriations for the fiscal year 2026, and further included recommended expirations to the unappropriated surplus balance of the State Fund, General Revenue; and

WHEREAS, It appears from the Governor’s Statement of the State Fund, General Revenue, there now remains an unappropriated surplus balance in the Treasury which is available for appropriation during the fiscal year ending June 30, 2026; therefore

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:

That the total appropriation for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2026, to fund 0256, fiscal year 2026, organization 0307, be supplemented and amended to read as follows:

Title II – Appropriations.

Section 1. Appropriations from general revenue.

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

35 - Division of Economic Development

(W.V. Code Chapter 5B)

Fund 0256 FY 2026 Org 0307

       General

Appro- Revenue

priation Fund

Personal Services and Employee Benefits 00100 $ 3,856,055

Unclassified 09900 108,055

Current Expenses 13000 4,052,861

Local Economic Development Partnerships (R) 13300 1,250,000

ARC Assessment 13600 152,585

Global Economic Development Partnerships (R) 20201 150,000

Guaranteed Work Force Grant (R) 24200 997,499

Directed Transfer – Surplus 70099 40,000,000

Mainstreet Program 79400 142,525

Marshall University Research Corporation 80701 500,000

BRIM Premium 91300 3,157

Hatfield McCoy Recreational Trail 96000 198,415

Total $ 51,411,152

Any unexpended balances remaining in the appropriations for Unclassified – Surplus (fund 0256, appropriation 09700), Partnership Grants (fund 0256, appropriation 13100), Local Economic Development Partnerships (fund 0256, appropriation 13300), Global Economic Development Partnerships (fund 0256, appropriation 20201), and Guaranteed Work Force Grant (fund 0256, appropriation 24200), and Current Expenses – Surplus (fund 0256, appropriation 13099) at the close of the fiscal year 2025 are hereby reappropriated for expenditure during the fiscal year 2026.

From the above appropriation for Current Expenses (fund 0256, appropriation 13000), $50,000 shall be used for the Western Potomac Economic Partnership, $100,000 shall be used for Advantage Valley, $750,000 shall be used for the Robert C. Byrd Institute, $548,915 is for West Virginia University, and $298,915 is for Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College for the Mine Training and Energy Technologies Academy.

The above appropriation to Local Economic Development Partnerships (fund 0256, appropriation 13300) shall be used by the Division of Economic Development for the award of funding assistance to county and regional economic development corporations or authorities participating in the Certified Development Community Program developed under the provisions of §5B-2-14 of the code. The Division of Economic Development shall award the funding assistance through a matching grant program, based upon a formula whereby funding assistance may not exceed $50,000 per county served by an economic development or redevelopment corporation or authority.

The above appropriation for Directed Transfer – Surplus (fund 0256, appropriation 70099) shall be transferred to the Economic Development Promotion and Closing Fund (fund 3171).