West Virginia Gov. Morrisey signs budget for FY 2026

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) – West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey on Friday signed West Virginia’s budget for Fiscal Year 2026, according to a release from the Governor’s Office.

“The budget passed by the Legislature and signed by Governor Morrisey closely mirrors the Governor’s proposal sent at the beginning of session,” the release states.

“When I took office, I inherited a $400 million structural budget gap in the upcoming fiscal year, which would grow to nearly $600 million in the years ahead if it was not immediately addressed,” Morrisey said in the release. “The fiscally conservative budget I signed tonight makes progress tackling structural gaps and begins to place us on a pathway toward financial stability in the future. Much work remains in the next fiscal year to address budget shortfalls, but I applaud the Legislature for sending me a budget that closely resembles my original proposal and begins to address long term issues while funding West Virginia priorities.”

The release goes on to state, “The budget for fiscal year 2026 is designed to provide flexibility to address future uncertainties, such as stock market fluctuations and changes to federal spending, ensuring programs will be fully funded throughout the year. In the case of a surplus, up to $100 million will be allocated to funding road maintenance and improvement projects across the state. The budget fully funds Medicaid, senior services, and the HOPE scholarship, while making targeted cuts to spending.”

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