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CHARLESTON -- In recent months, State Senator Robbie Morris, R-District 11, and Delegate Jonathan Kyle, R-District 66, told voters in Randolph County that they would work hard for the financially troubled school system while in Charleston.
Just this week, two school-focused bills were introduced, one by Morris and one by Kyle, which cleared their first hurdle and are off and running.
Morris' Senate Bill 516, Support for Extremely Remote Schools, passed out of Senate Education on Thursday and is headed to the Senate Finance Committee.
Kyle's House Bill 2939, Remote School Support, meanwhile, passed out of subcommittee on Tuesday and was sent to the full Education Committee.
"We are putting a lot of hours in down here in Charleston," Kyle told The Inter-Mountain on Friday. "Robbie (Morris) and I are both working hard and we introduced kind of sister bills on the Senate side and the House side for the Remote School Funding Act. Both of those are moving along pretty well."
Morris said that, because only several hundred of the thousands of bills introduced actually make it through a committee process each year, he was happy to see his and Kyle's bills make it through the first process.
"Obviously there are a lot of bills that are double-referenced because they have a policy component and they have a financial component," Morris said by phone while making his way home to Elkins Friday evening. "So 516 has made it through the policy component and there was great discussion and debate on 516 in the Education Committee about our extremely remote schools and how important they are to the communities, students, and to families those schools serve."
Morris said that although both bills are similar and seek additional funding for remote schools, there are some differences.
"Jonathan's bill changed it up a little bit to where it defines specific schools, where mine is more geographic-focused for anyone who meets the criteria would be eligible for increased funding," said Morris. "So it's good to have bills working through both Houses, because that is an indication that both chambers are interested in the topic.
"Like so many other bills this session, it's going to come down to money and availability of funds. I sit on the Finance Committee as well, and a lot of the heavy lifting for the budget is going to start next week…
"We have been going through budget hearings with different agency heads, so I think we are in a good spot and understand where we are and how we need to figure out a way to get across the finish line with a budget bill that is balanced," Morris said.
Kyle said his bill includes the four schools that have already received remote school funding - Pickens, Aurora, Paw Paw and Meadow Bridge – while adding two more schools, Harman and Hacker Valley.
"The intent of both House Bill 2939 and Senate Bill 516 is to get remote schools 2 1/2 times the state funding formula," Kyle said. "For instance, instead of getting $15,000, they would get approximately $35,000…
"I'm pretty sure that bill will go on to finance next week, which is where the difficult hurdle is. Everyone knows the current budget is getting a lot of pressure from the governor and there's a lot of conversation about budget potential shortfalls. But I'm hopeful that we can get some additional money to keep some of the things that are happening right now in Randolph County from having to be long-term."
After journeying home for the weekend, Morris and Kyle will resume legislative session duties on Monday. The legislative session, which began on Jan. 8, runs for 60 consecutive days.