West Virginia Senate approves $1.41 billion supplemental for Department of Human Services

CHARLESTON — The West Virginia Senate on March 9 passed a supplemental appropriation that raises federal spending authority for the Department of Human Services by $1,410,097,966.

Junior senator for the sixteenth urged passage, saying, “The supplemental raises the federal spending authority in the amount of $1,410,097,966 within the Department of Human Services in the following manner: $1,373,000,000 additional spending authority to the medical services appropriation, and 37,000,000 additional spending authority to the medical services administrative costs appropriations.”

The statement outlined how the funds would expand Medicaid-related spending authority and cover administrative costs tied to medical services. The Senate voted 34 yays, 0 nays, 0 absent to pass the bill; a subsequent vote made the bill effective from passage by the same margin.

Why it matters: The supplemental increases the state’s federal spending cap for Human Services programs and is intended to permit immediate increases in medical services spending and administrative support. Lawmakers said the action was necessary to align state appropriations with federal funding needs.

What happened next: The presiding officer declared the bill passed and directed the clerk to transmit the action to the House.

Provenance: The topic was introduced in debate on third reading beginning with SEG 891 and the passage was recorded through SEG 935.