Morrisey’s State of the State didn’t touch on some of West Virginia’s biggest problems

by Leann Ray, West Virginia Watch
February 18, 2025

West Virginia, I love you so much, but why do you continue to vote for people who won’t do anything to help you?

You can’t keep voting for the people who say “Trump” and “Jesus” the most and claim they know better than experts, then expect West Virginia to take a rocket ship ride to the top.

There are thousands of children in foster care, and we have a shortage of Child Protective Service workers. In 2023, there were 5,286 child abuse and neglect cases filed in circuit courts in West Virginia alone. Gov. Patrick Morrisey didn’t mention anything about that in his State of the State address.

However, he did spend a good portion of his speech talking again about how he’s going to “eradicate the woke virus from infecting our schools.”

Morrisey also briefly touched on the state’s opioid epidemic, but he placed most of the blame on the “open southern border and lax immigration enforcement.”

He was correct in saying that more than 80% of overdose deaths in West Virginia were from fentanyl, however, most of it is not coming from immigrants.

More than 85% of people charged with fentanyl trafficking annually are U.S. citizens, according to the U.S. Sentencing Commission. Nearly 82% of all convicted drug traffickers in 2023 were U.S. residents. More than 90% of the fentanyl that is seized at the Mexican border comes through legal points of entry, according to U.S. Customs and Border Patrol.

Experts say evidence-based harm reduction strategies can minimize overdoses and diseases contracted through sharing needles.

And yet, lawmakers have made it almost impossible for anyone to start a syringe services program in West Virginia, and last year banned those programs from distributing safe smoking supplies. In the first few days of session, there have already been more bills introduced to make syringe exchange programs and all opioid treatment programs unlawful.

Morrisey didn’t mention anything about school discipline — another huge problem — but he did mention President Donald Trump eight times during his speech.

And on Friday, 13 lawmakers introduced House Concurrent Resolution 33 to rename Spruce Knob, the tallest point in the state, as “Trump Mountain.”

It’s very much giving, “The leader is good, the leader is great, we surrender our will, as of this date.” 

Thousands of West Virginians are without clean water, but Morrisey didn’t mention anything about it or utility infrastructure. But he did spend a chunk of his speech focusing on erasing transgender people somehow without using the word transgender.

He bragged about joining Trump in the White House while he signed an executive order that banned transgender women from competing in women’s sports. In West Virginia, only one transegender girl has wanted to compete in women’s sports.

“As your governor, my duty is to protect and defend the citizens of West Virginia,” Morrisey said.

Unless you’re transgender. Or in active addiction. Or an immigrant. Or disabled. Or a minority  —  remember, Morrisey immediately banned diversity, equity and inclusion programs with an executive order on his second day in office? 

How are we supposed to convince businesses to relocate themselves and their employees here if we can’t provide them with the most basic human right: clean, running drinking water?

We’re only a few days into this session, there’s still time to focus on actual problems. Unfortunately, lawmakers don’t care what West Virginians have to say. They made that clear when they voted to end public hearings on day 1.

West Virginia Watch is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. West Virginia Watch maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Leann Ray for questions: info@westvirginiawatch.com.

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