The 2025 legislative session in West Virginia was a disaster. What should have been a time to address crumbling infrastructure, rampant poverty, and a growing healthcare crisis instead turned into a three-ring circus of partisan squabbling, bad-faith bills, and political theater. GOP lawmakers wasted precious time posturing instead of passing legislation that would make life better for everyday West Virginians. Performative bills dominated the floor... What should’ve been a serious session turned into a circus—and the public got front-row seats to another round of Clown Wars under the Capitol dome. Oh wait, they got no seats because they cancelled public hearings.
One of the session’s most glaring failures was the absolute neglect of flood mitigation and relief funding.
After the devastating floods in February, communities were hoping for bold action, long-term investment in infrastructure, flood relief, and recovery plans. What they got was lip service. The state’s flood protection fund remained largely untouched, and Patrick Morrissey outright lied about the success of state flood response efforts.
Meanwhile, bills attacking public education, labor rights, and LGBTQ+ West Virginians made it to the top of the docket. Dismantling miner protections was fast-tracked, even as rural public schools struggled to keep the lights on. Surrounded by generational poverty and a crumbling economy, lawmakers somehow found time to prioritize and debate the right to pop a wheelie. Anti-trans legislation reared its head again, used as a distraction from the state’s real problems. These bills don’t help anyone—they just divide neighbors and waste time.
What this session proved, more than anything, is that lawmakers in Charleston are out of touch with the people they claim to serve. They had a chance to rebuild, reinvest, and actually govern—but they chose theater over leadership. West Virginians are paying the price, not just in dollars, but in trust. And if the people in power won’t fix it, the people will have to replace them.