Legislative Update…By Lori Dittman WV House of Delegates 63rd District

On Friday, Will and I took a break from chasing waterfalls to me chasing good legislative ideas at the Southern Legislative Conference in Charleston, South Carolina, a city that was voted the number one best city in the United States for the last ten years. The conference is a time for legislators to come together to learn, share, and take-home ideas that can be implemented.
I have attended policy sessions with topics such as Take It to the Bank: Leveraging Infrastructure Banks for Strategic Investments, Economic Development, Transportation and Cultural Affairs, Powering the Future: Perspectives on Energy Generation and Transmission, “F” is for Future: Where do States go after “Failing” the Nation’s Report Card.
Former Congressman Trey Gowdy spoke to the crowd about the state of our nation and shared three main ideas. First, with the polarization our country is facing, consider friendship with someone that is different from you. We learn more from different ideas than we do from only sharing with people that always think like we do. Second, practice the power of grace.
What a difference unmerited favor can have on someone’s life. Finally, embrace the art of persuasion. Insults and yelling convince no one. He concluded his time, by pointing out the importance of hope.
Governor Justice announced that West Virginia is expected to receive $7 billion in federal funding between 2022 and 2027 through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). The state’s infrastructure website has been upgraded to allow residents to see how the money is being invested in the various infrastructure projects around the state. You can visit the website at https://west-virginia-iija-wvinfrastructure. hub.arcgis.com.
With the middle of July already here, school is just around the corner. Summer goes by too fast. The West Virginia Department of Education is rolling out Ready, Read, Write, West Virginia, an initiative to increase literacy proficiency in all students. I would like to encourage everyone to read and instill a love of reading in the young ones around them. Our district’s libraries have wonderful programs and books just waiting to be shared. You can also check out the WVDE website for more resources.
From the session on “F” is for Future, one speaker stated that our economic success depends on workforce and workforce depends on education. Schools cannot do it alone. Communities must become partners in education. I look forward to seeing how our communities can become even more involved in building successful students that in turn build stronger communities.
“One of the marvelous things about community is that it enables us to welcome and help people in a way we couldn’t as individuals.”
– Jean Vanier,
philosopher
I look forward to hearing from people in the district and hope to see you out and about enjoying all the great things our area has to offer. I can be contacted at: lori.dittman@wv house.gov or 304-701-8600.