The 2011 regular session of the West Virginia Legislature is scheduled to begin Wednesday, January 12. That evening, Acting Governor Earl Ray Tomblin will deliver the State of the State Address, in which he will detail his legislative agenda.

This is expected to be an unusual regular session for lawmakers. Issues expected to be on the agenda this term include funding for higher education, retiree benefits and the state budget.

State Senator Jeff Kessler, D-Marshall, who appears likely to be named Acting President of the West Virginia State Senate during the upcoming session, has been making strides behind the scenes to unveil a new leadership team to the West Virginia Legislature when the body convenes Jauary 12.

The Senate is expect to re-elect Tomblin as Senate president for its first order of business and then to adopt Senate rules with the amendment to create the position of acting president for the upcoming session while Tomblin serves as Acting Governor. It is expected Kessler will be elected to the position.

Kessler has said he will name Sen. John Unger, D-Berkeley, as Senate Majority Leader, replacing Truman Chafin, D-Mingo, in that position. Kessler also plans to name Sen. Brooks McCabe, D-Kanawha, as President Pro Tempore, a position Joe Minard, D-Harrison had occupied, and Sen. Richard Browning, D-Wyoming will be named Majority Whip.

Kessler named his committee chairmen Wednesday. Sen. Roman Prezioso, D-Marion, will be chairman of the Finance Committee with Douglas Facemire, D-Braxton, as co-chairman. Corey Palumbo has been named chairman of the Judiciary Committee(Palumbo's father was chairman of the same committee). Herb Snyder, D-Jefferson, has been named chairman of the Government Organization Committee with Mike Green, D-Raleigh as his vice chairman and Ron Stollings, D-Boone has been named chairman of the Health Committee with Dan Foster, D-Kanawha, as his vice chairman.

Today, Congresswoman Shelley Moore Capito, R.-WV, and Congressman David McKinley, R-WV introduced the “Protect America's Energy and Manufacturing Jobs Act.”

“As my first piece of legislation in the 112th Congress, I have introduced a bill which seeks to delay for two years any action by the EPA to regulate carbon dioxide and methane gases under the Clean Air Act,” Capito said in announcing the legislation. “I cannot imagine an issue more timely or more relevant to the West Virginia economy than preventing the EPA’s regulatory overreach from killing jobs and raising energy prices across the board.”

Symposium registration was sent out the first of the week to all Coal Bits recipients and completed forms are being returned at a rapid pace.  A lot of requests have been made for the actual agenda and I’m sorry to report that the agenda probably won’t be available until the week before Symposium start-up date.  If you need registration forms, please let us know at: sdavison@wvcoal.com

Rising gas prices are the elephant in the room that no one is talking about. With 87 octane gasoline now around $3 a gallon throughout the country, we can expect to start seeing increased prices for the delivery of goods and services, as UPS, FedEx, railroads and even airplanes feel the fuel cost pinch.