The first three candidates in the race for governor in 2016 have officially tossed their hats into the ring.  Current Senate President and prominent Mercer County businessman Bill Cole (R-Mercer) announced Tuesday that he will be running for governor in 2016. He is joined by Greenbrier Resort owner Jim Justice, who announced he is running for the Democratic nomination in May and former Senate President Jeff Kessler (D-Ohio), who announced his run for the governorship in March.

Cole, who also serves as the state’s Lieutenant Governor, said he “went to Charleston to try to make a difference. When you consider public service, the question for me is how I can best serve, and in what function and capacity I can best serve.”

 “There is a limit to what can be accomplished legislatively,” Cole said. “In order to complement the extraordinary efforts of our Legislature, we need a chief executive working together through the executive branch to streamline government — to be a partner to those creating businesses — not a roadblock. I believe my lifelong experiences in business as well as my accomplishments as Senate President give me a unique opportunity to lead our state government in a new direction.”

Cole is credited by many for turning the state balance of power to GOP control for the first time in more than 80 years. Republicans took control of the state House and Senate in the November 2014 election.

Justice, who changed his registration from Republican to Democrat at the end of February, promised a campaign focused on jobs and reuniting West Virginia families.

“I tell you there’s something really, really wrong when our families in this state are fragmented all to pieces—and they are. And why?” Justice asked. “Because they can’t find a job. The kids are all gone because they can’t find a job.”

Vowing bold leadership to rebuild the state’s economy, the 64-year-old Justice said he would be a different kind of candidate, a non-politician, who isn’t worried about preserving himself in office.  “I can tell you that our state and our people are hurting and we need somebody to step forward that doesn’t have a vested interest in trying to do something for themselves,” he said. “You need somebody that loves our state and doesn’t want a nickel for doing it.”

In media interviews after his announcement, Kessler said he’s “not going to be afraid to be a Democrat.”  Kessler is embracing his party affiliation.  “We’ve done some wonderful things as Democrats and we’ve run from being Democrats, unfortunately, for the last few cycles,” he told Hoppy Kerchival on the Talkline radio show shortly after his announcement.

Kessler embraces the Obamacare and has also spent considerable time during the recent legislative session speaking on behalf of labor and other Democratic and left-leaning organizations.

In response to Senate Concurrent Resolution 63, (SCR 63), the WV Board of Coal Mine Health & Safety promulgated “Emergency Rules” Governing the Movement of Mining Equipment in Underground Mines which became effective Tuesday, June 2, 2015, as was directed by the SCR. 

The emergency rule revises the Title 36, Series 4 Rule, which has been in effect since 1979, to conform with recent legislative changes made to WV Code 22A-2-6 by the passage of Senate Bill 357.  The revised rule establishes a series of safety precautions which must be employed when moving or tramming underground mining equipment and miners are working inby the move; provides for special safeguards when operating track cleaners or roof bolting in track entries where trolley wire exists and for tramming electrical equipment, transporting mining supplies and disassembled mining machine parts; and, addresses situations where rehabilitation and construction work is performed underground. The rule also restates the statutory prohibition against moving equipment where “energized” trolley wire exists with miners inby.

The Board announced a 30-day comment period extending through June to receive comments on the emergency rule and the WV Office of Miners’ Health Safety & Training will set up regional information briefings on the rule over the next several months.

On Monday,SB 357,“The Coal Jobs and Safety Act of 2015” went into effect.  The bill passed the Legislature on March 3, 2015, was signed by theGovernor and was to be effective 90 days from passage, which was June 1^stof this week.You can click the bill number above to obtain a copy of the final version of the bill.

This was, of course, the centerpiece of this year’s Legislative accomplishments, as it contained five (5) major mine safety issues and six (6) significant environmental issues.  Each of these issues are individually important, but collectively these parts representmajor enhancements that will strengthen West Virginia’s mine safety and environmental laws by being more reflective of actual conditions and practices in today’s modern coal mines and will bring us more in line with the federal laws and regulations, as well as with the laws/regulations/practices in other coal producing states. Implementation is progressing as expected and will be most helpful when fully in place.