Work continues at a rapid pace here at the Capitol and under the gold dome in Charleston during the 2014 Regular Session. Lawmakers and myself have been meeting regularily in committees and on the floor of the House Chamber in an effort to continue moving the state forward in a productive manner.
The water crisis in regard to a chemical leak which affected around 300,000 individuals in nice counties continues and we are still investigating the causes and how to best respond and prevent this from happening again. We have held public hearings and brought in key individuals in an effort to better understand the circumstances surrounding this accident.
We are committed to finding out the root cause and making sure the water supply is safe, clean and no longer affected by this chemical. Water is such a crucial and important part of life in general that we often take it for granted that it’s clean. We have now seen three accidents involving water, two in West Virginia and one in North Carolina, that it is clear we must do better in protecting our waterways for the health of everyone.
While much of the focus has clearly been on the water crisis, we continue to look at other legislation and issues that are presented to the various committees. Many bills will not make it out of committee but some, like House Bill 4135, make it through the committee process and are voted upon.
House Bill 4135, which I was a co-sponsor of, would establish the first Thursday in May as the West Virginia Day of Prayer. Under West Virginia law, currently, there are six special memorial days recognized by the state. Those include Native American-Indian Heritage Week, Susan B. Anthony Day, Pearl Harbor and Military Appreciation Week, Vietnam Veteran Recognition Day, Purple Heart Recognition Day and Korean War Recognition Day. This bill, if approved by the Senate and Governor, would add another special memorial day and it will be known as the “West Virginia Day of Prayer.”
The date coincides with the National Day of Prayer, which, according to its website, was established as an annual event in 1952 by a joint resolution of the United States Congress and signed into law by President Harry S. Truman.
I am proud to have sponsored this legislation and hope that the Senate would give it a fair hearing.
If you should have any questions or comments regarding any issues or bills before the legislature please feel free to contact me. To write me, my address is Delegate David Walker, State Capitol, Building 1, Room 203-E, Charleston, WV 25305. Or you may call me at (304) 340-3135. I encourage all my constituents to remain active and become part of the legislative process.
