By Matthew Young
For HDMedia
Since taking office on Jan. 13, 2025, Gov. Patrick Morrisey has repeatedly stated his goal to “shrink the size and scope” of state government. The governor’s pursuit of that goal continued with the recently concluded legislative session.
“When you make tough, fiscally responsible decisions, and you stay focused on what actually matters, good things happen for the Mountain State,” Morrisey said during a March 16 news conference in Charleston. “The decisions we made, they weren’t always easy, but they were the correct ones.”
One such decision Morrisey made during the legislative session was his request that lawmakers introduce and adopt House Bill 5364.
“I’m happy to report that this session we were able to work with the Legislature to eliminate nearly 30 outdated boards, commissions and councils,” Morrisey said. “That allows us to reduce redundancies and inefficiencies, while ensuring that the state agencies can operate more effectively and efficiently. That saves money for taxpayers.”
HB 5364: Reforming Boards and Commissions
Introduced by House of Delegates Speaker Roger Hanshaw, R-Clay, on Feb. 9 and passed by the Legislature on March 14, HB 5364 impacted a total of 27 state boards, councils, workgroups, committees, advisory committees, taskforces and coalitions — dissolving 24 and modifying 3. While most were eliminated outright, several saw their duties and responsibilities transferred to other agencies. Assets controlled or possessed by dissolved entities were also vested to other agencies.
“We need to do a lot more,” Morrisey added. “Frankly, there are dozens of additional boards and agencies that we can get rid of. But like we will with all things, we’ll take what we can get right now, and we’ll keep going.”
The following entities have been eliminated by HB 5364:
- Physician/medical practitioner provider Medicaid enhancement board
- Health care provider Medicaid enhancement board
- Dentist provider Medicaid enhancement board
- Facility providers’ Medicaid enhancement board
- Interagency council on osteoporosis
- Council on aging
- Interagency council on arthritis
- Workgroup to study adverse childhood experience
- Hearing impairment testing advisory committee
- Working group on hospice services
- Advisory committee on state health care rules
- Breast and cervical cancer detection and education program coalition
- Needlestick injury prevention advisory committee
- Statewide birth defects information system advisory council
- State advisory coalition on palliative care work group
- Taskforce of infrastructure deployment clearinghouse
- Employment first taskforce
- Carbon dioxide sequestration working group
- Commission to implement NG911 in West Virginia
- Juvenile justice reform oversight committee
- Children with autism trust board (does not impact existing trusts)
The following entities have been dissolved by HB 5364 and had their responsibilities transferred to other agencies:
- Public Land Corporation: responsibilities transferred to DNR
- Uncrewed aircraft systems advisory council: responsibilities transferred to Department of Economic Development
- Complete streets advisory board: responsibilities transferred to Division of Highways
The following entities have been modified by HB 5364:
- West Virginia motorsports committee: membership increased
- Tourism advisory council: membership decreased
- Conservation districts: modification of powers and responsibilities
Elimination of health care-related boards
Of the 21 boards eliminated by HB 5364, 16 are related to health care, with four specifically pertaining to Medicaid. The Gazette-Mail contacted the governor’s office Thursday, inquiring whether the elimination of these particular boards was done to make way for new initiatives presented as part of the federal Rural Health Transformation program.
“The boards eliminated this session were either redundant or had not met in months,” said Lars Dalseide, Morrisey’s communication’s director. “We are focused on building the most efficient, cost-effective government possible. The boards eliminated this session were either redundant or had not met in months. Keeping them in place would have been a waste of taxpayer dollars.”
Authorized by Congress last summer as part of President Donald Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act, the RHT will provide each state with a minimum of $100 million per year for the next five years. West Virginia was awarded $199.5 million for 2026, which the Legislature appropriated to the state’s Department of Health.
“Everything depends upon having healthy workers,” Morrisey said. “I think our rural health care opportunities are going to make a big difference for West Virginia, whether it’s telehealth or expanded access to primary and specialty care. We think rural health can really be a difference maker in West Virginia.”
Potential benefits
Despite Morrisey’s stated commitment to downsize state government, Tuesday saw the governor’s signing of Senate Bill 878, creating a new state agency in the West Virginia Office of Entrepreneurship.
“Today is a giant leap forward for entrepreneurs and entrepreneurship in West Virginia,” Secretary of State Kris Warner said through a statement released after Morrisey’s signing. The newly created Office of Entrepreneurship will be managed and maintained by the Secretary of State’s office.
Introduced by Sen. Ben Queen, R-Harrison, SB 878 establishes the Office of Entrepreneurship “to serve as the liaison between entrepreneurs, startups, scale-ups, state agencies, and organizations that support entrepreneurship.” The bill is also intended to “foster working relationships” between government agencies and private sector businesses.
“The Secretary of State’s Office of Entrepreneurship is the tip of the spear for helping stakeholders navigate red tape to create a vibrant ecosystem for entrepreneurs and small businesses to thrive and grow,” Warner added.
What’s next?
HB 5364 is set to take effect 90 days from its passage by the Legislature, meaning all dissolutions or modifications of impacted entities will take place beginning no later than June 12. The Office of Entrepreneurship will be created no later than July 1.
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