Accomplishments as a State Delegate 30th :

During my ten years in the Legislature I have passed nearly 100 bills that I've sponsored or co sponsored providing important changes and development for Kanawha County. I've been responsible for legislation to create a sex offenders registry (Megan's Law), releasing the names of violent juveniles to the press and making parents responsible for the destructive acts of unsupervised children all in an attempt to keep our neighborhoods safe. I voted to cut the food tax by 50%, eliminated the state privilege tax on autos, lowered the business franchise tax and cut the corporate net income tax in order to keep and promote new and existing businesses in WV. 

      I've voted to pay more than 1.8 billion toward unfunded pensions and state debt, delivered a state budget with a surplus for five years in a row increasing our bond rating to "AA" and saving the state more than 2.5 billion dollars. 

      During the past five years 240 companies have expanded or located to WV, creating nearly 13 billion dollars in new, private business investment. 

      I've voted to raise the minimum wage, increased the eligibility for Health Care for children through the CHIPs Program, supported the promise scholarship program, all to help working families.  

      Finally during my ten years I've provided in conjunction with my fellow Delegates from Kanawha, hundreds of thousands of dollars in Community Development Assistance, Public Education Assistance and aid to seniors and libraries. 

      I've been busy the past 10 years but there is still more to do. 

HIGHLIGHTS OF LEGISLATIVE BILLS PASSED

HB 2264- (95R) Requiring that insurance companies notify an insured when they are eligible for standard policy rates if they are in a risk pool 

HD 2402- (95R) Increasing liability of parents for criminal and violent acts of unsupervised children up to $5,000 

HB 4362- (96R) Creating a sex offender registry (Megan's Law) * 

HB 2354- (96R) Prohibiting sex offenders from changing their names if they have committed acts of violence toward a child. 

HB 2135- (96R) Releasing the names of violent juveniles to the press and the community. 

HB 4234- (96R) Making ID fraud a felony 

HB 4457- (98R) Exempting seeing eye dogs from taxation 

HB 2392- (99R) Payment of funeral bills for law enforcement and emergency workers killed in the line of duty 

HB 2693- (99R) Created the "Long Term Care Act" exempting from taxes persons who provide insurance or other means of long term care. 

HB 2731- (99R) Eliminated the 3 day waiting period for marriage 

HB 2534- (05R) Created Teen Court as a diverse plan for young offenders 

HB 2865- (09R) Provided for parents of severely handicapped or ill children do not need a daily excuse from a Dr. for missed school 

HB 2868- (09R) Provided the first Tax Exempt Trust Fund for Autistic Individuals Act in the country * 

HB 4534- (10R) (Erin's Law) Increasing penalties for drivers who fail to stop and render first aid after striking someone with their vehicle 

*Bills introduced by Delegate Hunt but passed by other sponsors. 

FURTHER SUPPORTED: 

CUTTING TAXES:

• Cut the food tax by 50%
• Gave low income families a tax credit
• Doubled the property tax credit for seniors
• Eliminated the state privilege tax on autos
• Lowered the business franchise tax
• Cut the corporate net income tax 
  

 

SUPPORTING SENIORS:

• Dedicated more than $316 million in additional revenue for seniors services in the past five years 
  

 

PROTECTING WORKERS:

• Passed historic mine safety legislation
• Hired additional inspectors to investigate companies that employ illegal workers to level the playing field for everyone 
  

 

CREATING RESPONSIBLE GOVERNMENT:

• Paid more than $1.8 billion toward unfunded pensions and state debt, including $731 million to the Teacher's Retirement Fund
• Saved more than $2.5 billion by paying down these liabilities early
• Delivered a state budget surplus for five years in a row
• West Virginia's bond rating has increased to AA 
  

 

CREATING JOBS AND EXPANDING INVESTMENTS:

• 240 companies have expanded or located in WV
• Created nearly $13 billion in new, private business investments 
  

 

PROTECTING OUR ENERGY FUTURE:

• Developed a plan for the future using coal, natural gas and new technology
• Required the Division of Energy to track challenges to the energy industries and report to the state 
  

 

HELPING FAMILIES:

• Increased school clothing vouchers from $150 to $200, helping 57,000 children a year
• Expanded newborn testing to require 26 tests, including sickle-cell anemia, cystic fibrosis and hearing deficiency
• Increased the age limit to 25 for a dependent child or stepchild to qualify for PEIA
• Created the Child Protection Act, which greatly increased penalties for sexual predators, created a unit in the State Police for abuse and established an abuse registry
• Raised the state minimum wage 
  
  

 

SUPPORTING VETERANS:

• Created the Helmets to Hardhats program to provide military personnel with training and job opportunities
• West Virginia was the first state to offer the Veteran's Bonus Program which has provided 7,600 bonuses in excess of $4.5 million 
  

FUNDED PROGRAMS 

The following is a list of my funded programs for the 2010-2011 Budget Bill 

 

LOCAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE:

• Kanawha City Community Association-Community improvements  35,000
• Kanawha Charleston Humane Association-Spay/Neuter Program  10,000
• Good news Mountaineer Garage-Repair of donated vehicles   2,000
• Applied Behavior Learning Center-Certified Behavior Analysists  30,000
• Health Right-Drugs for Autistic Students     30,000
• Rae of Hope Fellowship Home-Purchase of van    10,000
• National Youth Science Foundation-Educational Materials    1,500
• Prestera Center for Mental Health-Refurbish Riverside    7,000
• Keep Your Faith Corporation- Reading and learning center    5,000
• City of St. Albans-Rosie the Riveter Project      5,000
• YWCA Sojourners Shelter for Homeless Women and Families -Dishwasher and beds  14,000
• Coal River Group Science and Education Center-Demo Systems  14,000
• Charleston Community Music Association-Programs    2,000
• Salvation Army Boys and Girls Clubs, After School Programs   3,500-Charleston
• Salvation Army Boys and Girls Clubs, After School Programs   3,500-St. Albans
• WV Starbase-Education/National Guard     10,000
• Kanawha-Charleston Soccer Foundation-New Soccer Fields   5,000
• Charleston Area Alliance-Conference Rooms,etc.     3,000
• Town of Chesapeake-City Hall roof, Upper KVC storage facilities  30,000
• City of Dunbar-Local Beautification       2,500
• Childhood Language Center-Parent Education Programs    1,000 
  

 

PUBLIC EDUCATION:

• Horace Mann Middle School-Enhance Fine Art Programs   24,700
• Alum Creed Elementary School-Playground Equipment   36,000
• Glenwood/West Side Elementary School-Nutrition Materials/Healthy Snacks   10,000
• West Side Elementary School-Instruments     20,000
• Sharon Dawes Elementary School-Healthy Snacks     9,000
• Cedar Grove Middle School-Laptops     10,000
• Belle Elementary School-Fencing       1,300
• South Charleston High School-Computer Lab    15,000 
  

 

EMS:

• Kanawha County emergency Ambulance Authority-Dispatch Consoles    24,500

 

SENIORS:

• Kanawha Rand Center-Commercial Can Opener     1,000
• Kanawha Hansford Center-Kitchen Equipment     5,000
• Kanawha Dunbar Center-Vegetable Steamer and Cooking Pots   2,500
• KVSS-Tiskelwah Center-Renovation HVAC upgrade   47,000
• Putnam Aging-Dunbar Center-Nutrition Program Equipment   2,500
• Putnam Aging-Hansford Center-Nutrition Program Equipment   5,000
• Putnam Aging-Hansford Center-Senior Respite     6,000
• Putnam Aging-Rand Center-Nutrition Program Equipment    1,000 
  

 

LIBRARIES:

• Kanawha County Public Library- Match private pledges for buildingfund- Marmet, St. Albans, Elk, Charleston  22,400
  
  *All projects were funded jointly by members of the 30th Delegate District. 2010-2011
  
  

The following is my list of funded programs from the
2009-2010 budget bill: 

LOCAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT:

• City of St. Albans-Alban Arts and Conference Center   11,200
• Kanawha-Charleston Soccer Foundation-2 fields/concession b ldg.   5,000
• YWCA Sojourner's Shelter for Homeless Women and Families  10,500 -flooring, mattresses, tables and chairs, education/training for Employment
• Kanawha County Animal Shelter-Spay/Neuter Program   10,500
• Coal River Group-Construction of Science and Education Center  10,500
• Charleston Area Alliance-Community Improvements   10,500
• Bridge Road Neighborhood Associates-Phase IV Revitilization Plan 10,500
• Health Right-Autism Drug Program      11,214
• Kanawha County Emergency Ambulance Authority    24,300 -Equipment/supplies/software/technology/capital improvements
• South Charleston Womens Club-Improvements/Supplies/Equipment 14,000
• Thomas Memorial Hospital Clinical Pavillion    24,500
  -New surgical suites, obstetrics floor and private rooms
• Alum Creek Alliance for Community Development    35,000
  -Property for Washington District Senior/Community Center
• Kanawha City Community Association, Inc.     35,000
  -Landscaping/Phase 2 of 57th St. Trailhead Park and Fence by Yeager Bridge
• Kanawha County Health Right-Autism Drug Program   11,214 

 

PUBLIC EDUCATION:

• South Charleston High School-Mobile Computer Lab   19,000
• St. Albans High School-Education Equipment/Supplies   19,000
• Horace Mann Middle School-Reading Programs    20,000
• Elk Elementary Center-Pool Maintenance,Safey/Locker Renovation 45,000
• Holz Elementary Center-Playground Equipment     9,000
• Sharon Dawes Elementary School-Equipment/Supplies    6,000
• Kanawha County Board of Education-Equipment/Supplies    6,000
• Glenwood Elementary School-Equipment/Supplies     2,037 

 

EMS:

• Dunbar Fire Department       24,500 
  

 

SENIORS:

• Alum Creek Senior Center-Facility Expansion/Projects   30,000
• Rand Community Center       30,000
• Chesapeake Senior Nutrition Center-HVAC Upgrades   10,000