SB 860 creates a new special revenue account in the State Treasury called the Tobacco Cessation Initiative Program Special Revenue Account, to be administered by the Director of the Bureau for Public Health. Money in the account must be used only for the purposes of the tobacco cessation initiative, and unspent balances, including interest and other earnings, would remain in the fund rather than reverting to the General Revenue Fund.
The bill also directs a fixed annual transfer of $5 million from the interest and other returns earned on the Revenue Shortfall Reserve Fund – Part B to the new account, beginning July 30, 2025 and continuing each year thereafter. For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, the bill allows expenditures from collections rather than only through legislative appropriation. The stated purpose is to provide dedicated funding for tobacco use cessation efforts in West Virginia.
Impact
If enacted, SB 860 would amend the West Virginia Code by adding a new section creating a dedicated funding mechanism for tobacco cessation programs. It would require annual transfers from earnings on the Revenue Shortfall Reserve Fund – Part B into a special revenue account, thereby earmarking state funds for public health programming and limiting legislative discretion over those dollars once transferred. The bill would primarily affect the Bureau for Public Health, the state treasury, and the use of reserve-fund investment earnings.
Sentiment
The available context suggests a generally supportive, public-health-oriented bill with no recorded committee debate or votes in the provided materials. The caption and stated purpose frame the measure as a targeted funding bill for tobacco cessation, indicating an emphasis on prevention and treatment rather than controversy. Because no transcript or vote history is included, there is no evidence here of formal opposition or amendment activity.
Contention
The main potential point of contention is fiscal: the bill diverts $5 million annually from earnings on the Revenue Shortfall Reserve Fund – Part B, which may raise concerns about the use of reserve-fund returns and the Legislature’s flexibility over those resources. Another possible issue is the creation of a dedicated special revenue account that does not revert to General Revenue, which can be viewed as protecting program funding but also as reducing budgetary discretion. No specific opponents or disputed provisions are identified in the provided record.
Supplementing and amending appropriations to the Higher Education Policy Commission, Higher Education Policy Commission – Administration – Control Account