West Virginia Governor's Office issued the following announcement on Mar. 19.
Gov. Jim Justice hosted a pair of ceremonial events inside the Governor’s Reception Room in Charleston, signing into law two bills: the West Virginia Jumpstart Savings Act and the COVID-19 Jobs Protection Act.
House Bill 2001: West Virginia Jumpstart Savings Act
Gov. Justice was first joined by West Virginia State Treasurer Riley Moore as he signed HB 2001, officially creating the West Virginia Jumpstart Savings Program.The Jumpstart Savings Program, which is the first program of its kind in the nation, allows individuals who wish to pursue a vocation or trade, ranging from welding to cosmetology, to make tax-free contributions to a savings and investment account up to $25,000 each year. Family members and the individual’s employer can also make contributions to the account.
The beneficiary can later withdraw money from the account – which will also be tax-free up to $25,000 each year – to help cover equipment, tools, certifications, licenses, and business startup costs used in a vocation or trade.
“This is a way that we can really step in and help our people that know the trades; know how to do something with their hands,” Gov. Justice said. “As our state continues to move forward, we need this workforce because they are the backbone of everything we have.”
Senate Bill 277: COVID-19 Jobs Protection Act
Later in the day, Gov. Justice was joined by several state senators as he signed SB 277: the COVID-19 Jobs Protection Act.
This legislation provides a legal framework for questions of COVID-19 liability and is intended to protect the citizens of West Virginia, including individuals, health care providers, health care facilities, institutions of higher education, businesses, manufacturers, and others from certain claims specifically related to COVID-19.
The bill also provides businesses assurance that reopening will not expose them to undue liability for a person’s exposure to COVID-19.
Original source can be found here.