Bill > HB5668

This bill establishes the Central West Virginia Economic Development and Rural Revitalization Act, a program designed to address economic distress in counties like Webster, Clay, Braxton, Roane, Calhoun, Wirt, Lewis, and Gilmer by encouraging private investment, job creation, small business support, workforce development, infrastructure improvements including broadband, downtown revitalization, and tourism. The program will be administered by the West Virginia Department of Commerce and can provide grants, loans, and technical assistance for eligible entities, which include local governments, development authorities, non-profits, small businesses, and public-private partnerships within the specified region. To incentivize investment, the bill also creates a Central West Virginia Investment Tax Credit for qualified capital investments and job creation, and a Small Business Job Creation Tax Credit for businesses creating new full-time jobs, both of which can be applied over several years. The Department of Commerce is tasked with creating rules to implement the program and will report annually on its progress, including funded projects, jobs created, and investment leveraged.

Budget and Finance

http://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Status/Bills_history.cfm?input=5668&year=2026&sessiontype=RS&btype=bill