With the 2016 legislative session starting next week, Republican leaders are putting the finishing touches on their agendas for the year.
Likely topping the list: adding West Virginia to a growing list of right-to-work states, implementing a host of tax, regulatory and tort reform measures, and balancing the state's ever-tightening budget. Infrastructure improvement and creating charter schools are also high on the priority list.
All of those are worthwhile and necessary. Right-to-work, accompanied by much-needed reform measures, will no doubt help West Virginia's job market by making the state's business climate more attractive to employers. That's key when the majority of the state's working age population isn't employed.
While lawmakers debate bills that could have long-lasting effects on our state's economy, they'll also have to readdress past issues and weigh new ones that will pop up throughout the course of the session.
Last legislative session, a bill to allow ride-sharing company Uber to operate in West Virginia was denied. Lawmakers also rejected a proposal to extend housing and job protections statewide to residents who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender. A bill that would have done the opposite - nullify the protections some cities already afford LGBT residents - didn't make it out of committee.
Lawmakers have said they'll reintroduce legislation to allow state residents to carry concealed handguns inside the Capitol. Another measure that would allow West Virginians to carry a concealed weapon without a permit is likely to come up again, although Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin vetoed similar legislation last year.
While those issues are important, they don't seem to - and shouldn't - rank high on Republican leadership's priority list.
Yes, allowing Uber to operate in West Virginia would put us on par with surrounding states and provide some jobs, but it's not the economic boom we need. While it's unfair to deny housing or job opportunities to people based on their sexuality, such ordinances probably aren't very high on the list of things companies seek when looking to expand.
The Second Amendment is an important one and should be protected, but should lawmakers prioritize such legislation over strengthening our state's business climate and creating jobs?
As legislators prepare to head back to Charleston for the 60-day session, we urge them first to look at issues that can have a far-reaching effect on the state's future. Social issues, while important, can wait until lawmakers lay the foundation for a stronger, more competitive economy.