|Photo by Eric Ayres| W.Va. Gov. Patrick Morrisey speaks to local leaders Wednesday at West Virginia Independence Hall in Wheeling. Morrisey visited the Friendly City on his 100th day since taking office as governor, highlighting his administration's accomplishments and outlining tasks that lie ahead for the Mountain State.

WHEELING – West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey marked a milestone in the early stages of his governorship on Wednesday, outlining accomplishments made so far this year and looking ahead to goals targeted for the future of West Virginia.

Dozens of local and state officials joined a handful of other community leaders at West Virginia Independence Hall on Wednesday in Wheeling to hear Morrisey’s first public address in the area since taking office.

“Today is the 100th day that I’ve been in office,” said Morrisey, noting that he has spent much of his time in Charleston since taking the oath earlier this year. “I’ve been a little bit busy down there. There are a lot of things to clean up to get the state moving in the right direction. But it’s great to be back in the Northern Panhandle. This is actually the first time I’ve come up since I’ve been governor.”

Morrisey noted the urgency of keeping noses to the grindstone in the state capital, but stressed the importance of also taking time to get out to have direct conversations with constituents and local leaders throughout the state.

“We know West Virginia has some real challenges,” Morrisey said, noting that the state ranks at or near the bottom of too many lists among other states in the nation – from rankings for higher education to economic development, health, quality healthcare, infrastructure and other important categories. “We still lose more people than we gain every year – we need to change that.”

Since taking office, an aggressive agenda has been put forth by the Morrisey administration, and the governor said he was “not afraid to ruffle a few feathers” in order to get things accomplished.

“We need to put away political strife and look out for ‘Team West Virginia,'” he said. “I think the future is great. We have a lot of opportunities right now. We have too much potential and unlimited opportunity to be squandered by apathy or by saying ‘this is the way things have always been done.'”

Morrisey said about a dozen bills from this aggressive new agenda have moved forward through the state legislature so far. He said impactful pieces of legislation like the Power Generation and Consumption Act, creates a certified microgrid program to make the state more attractive to data and technology centers to set up shop in West Virginia and to allow them to take advantage of the state’s wealth of energy resources.

The governor said the Mountain State would greatly benefit from a dedicated fund for economic development in order to compete with neighboring states.

“If we really want to exceed and defeat all of the states around us in that economic ‘Backyard Brawl’ – we have to be more competitive economically and allow for opportunities,” he said, eying cuts to the state’s income tax. “Taxation is certainly one of them.”

Other pieces of legislation passed as part of Morrisey’s agenda during his first 100 days in office include the Riley Gaines Act, which defines sex-based terms into the state code and allows for private spaces for women. The Universal Professional and Occupational Licensing Act allows for universal licensing reciprocity in West Virginia for certain occupations and professions that require state certification.

Legislation was also passed that limits cell phone use in classrooms in order to minimize distractions, and Morrisey touted the bill putting an end to diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.

“We should always treat people well. I want to treat everyone the same,” he said. “Everyone should be subject to the same rules – the rule of law – regardless of their skin color, religion or any issue. We should not be discriminatory. We shouldn’t be picking all of these winners or losers based upon what you look like or your economic status.”

Morrisey said he inherited a $400 million budget shortfall, but a “fiscally conservative” budget for fiscal year 2026 was able to be passed.

“The budget was particularly challenging this year,” he said. “It’s not going to be an easy road into the future. We know that next year we’re looking at close to another $400 million deficit gap. We’re going to have to roll our sleeves up. I think we’re making progress on the fiscal front.

Looking ahead, the governor said officials in the state will be focusing efforts on tackling tough issues like PEIA (Public Employees Insurance Agency).

“I thought that that would be best for a special session, to be honest,” he said of the state’s PEIA conundrum. “Because you can bring everyone in and you could focus on it. It’s a complicated issue, and we want to get it right.”

Morrisey said other issues – such as the school aid formula, better access to broadband, simplifying the state’s tax code and improving education as means to bolster economic opportunities – will also be on the front burner in the coming months.

The governor stressed the importance of maintaining strong relationships with lawmakers in Washington, D.C. He recently met with U.S. Transportation Sean Duffy, U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Dr. Mehmet Oz and others during a visit to the nation’s capital.

“I’m committed to working with anybody whose heart is in it for a better West Virginia,” Morrisey said. “I’m going to fight for our people like no one has ever seen before. That’s who I am. I put people in our state first, and I certainly think it’s helpful to work collaboratively with the Trump administration. I think our president is doing a great job.”

State Sen. Laura Wakim Chapman, R-Ohio, and Del. Jimmy Willis, R-Brooke, also spoke during Morrisey’s visit Wednesday to West Virginia Independence Hall. Both praised the governor’s firm action to improve education and health initiatives in the state.

“He’s championed a robust agenda that’s been wildly successful so far,” Wakim Chapman said. “I’m so excited about the economic development potential for our area and our state. I truly believe that we are in a perfect position to make West Virginia the best state in the nation.”

Willis noted that action to remove DEI initiatives from colleges in the state was a needed step forward.

“I know it’s controversial to some on the left side of the aisle, but making sure our colleges are teaching people, not indoctrinating them – will be huge,” Willis said. “As vice chair of higher education in the house, I look forward to seeing that improvement, showing that education is the only thing that is important at our institutions of higher learning across the state.”

Willis said he and the people of the state are looking forward to the accomplishments the governor’s next 100 days will bring.

“We’ve had a lot of success over the last 100 days, but we’re just getting started,” Morrisey said. “I know that there’s a lot of tough work to do in the months ahead.”