West Virginia Completes 306 Bills in 2026 Session, Including Small Business Growth Act and Mine Inspector Raises

- West Virginia lawmakers completed 306 bills (153 House, 153 Senate) out of 2,777 introduced in the 2026 session, with Senate Bill 1 launching the First Small Business Growth Act via Commerce Department incentives.
- Senate Bill 104 grants $5,000 salary increases to all state mine inspectors effective July 1, 2026, covering electrical, underground, and surface specialists.
- Additional measures include Senate Bill 44 regulating cottage foods and Senate Bill 137 raising second-degree murder sentences to 15-60 years with 15-year parole minimum.
- Senate Bill 467 strengthens Purple Heart parking enforcement with $500 fines and affirmative defenses for recipients.
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Trump to Meet NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani at Gracie Mansion During U.N. Week
• President Donald Trump will meet New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani at Gracie Mansion on Monday, Sept. 21. • City Hall stated the discussion will focus on issues affecting New Yorkers during U.N. week.
Read original · yoopya.com
YoopyaRussia’s Pro-Putin Party Wins Wartime Election, Retains Constitutional Majority
• President Vladimir Putin’s ruling United Russia party won the wartime Duma election to retain its constitutional majority. • The party secured 355 of 450 seats after receiving 57.83% of the vote according to Russia’s Central Election Commission.
Read original · yoopya.com
YoopyaSupport for political violence drops across the board, though MAGA supporters remain the most likely to justify it
• A new nationally representative survey found that American public support for political violence decreased leading up to the 2026 midterm elections. • The data shows that an overwhelming majority of U.S. adults now unconditionally reject using physical force to achieve political goals.
Read original · psypost.org
PsyPostChancellor Merz calls Germany state elections results a “disaster,” as far-right surge again
• Chancellor Friedrich Merz described recent German state election results as a disaster after exit polls showed his Christian Democratic Union party losing ground. • The CDU is facing a squeeze from both left-wing parties and the surging far-right Alternative for Germany party.
Read original · cnn.com
CNNGermans head to the polls in state elections as pressure mounts on Merz
• German voters head to the polls this Sunday for state elections as the right-wing AfD party seeks to build on recent momentum. • The AfD enters the vote following a successful election performance in Saxony-Anhalt earlier this month.
Read original · euronews.com
EuronewsPressure grows on Germany's Chancellor Friedrich Merz after bruising election defeats
• German Chancellor Friedrich Merz is facing increasing political pressure following a series of election defeats. • Merz has struggled to implement promised economic and social welfare reforms alongside his coalition partners in the Social Democratic Party (SPD).
Read original · euronews.com
EuronewsItaly: Protests continue over doctors under investigation for 'helping' irregular migrants - InfoMigrants
• Italian authorities launched investigations into at least 23 medical professionals suspected of helping irregular migrants avoid detention centers. • The doctors are accused of falsely certifying migrants as ill to prevent their transfer to holding facilities.
Read original · infomigrants.net
InfoMigrantsGerman chancellor stands his ground after his party loses in state elections
• German Chancellor Freidrich Merz pledged to continue his federal agenda after his party lost recent state elections. • Merz described the election results as a "disaster" for the political center.
Read original · npr.orgEuro HE Weekly Briefing from Wonkhe - Euro HE Weekly
• France is facing a severe higher education funding crisis involving a proposal to increase tuition fees fivefold and a national mobilization of students and staff. • Sector warnings indicate that the French university system risks hitting a wall within the next three to four years due to current financial pressures.
Read original · eurowonkhe.substack.comGerman chancellor clinging to power after another loss to far-right AfD | Germany
• German Chancellor Friedrich Merz met with Christian Democratic Union leadership in Berlin on Monday to secure support following losses in two state elections. • The CDU was ousted from a state parliament for the first time this month as far-right and far-left parties gained ground.
Read original · theguardian.comExit polls show Merz’s party suffering heavy losses in 2 German state elections
• Friedrich Merz’s centre-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU) is projected to suffer heavy losses in two German state elections according to exit polls. • The CDU is expected to fall to 5.5% in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, which would be the party's worst result in that region since World War II.
Read original · euronews.com
EuronewsHusband, Father, Prisoner: The Saga of a Texas Man Wasting Away in a Russian Prison
• David Barnes is currently imprisoned in Russia after traveling there to recover his sons who were abducted by his ex-wife. • A Russian judge ruled the country has "vicarious jurisdiction" over the case because the ex-wife holds Russian citizenship.
Read original · texasmonthly.com
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