News

State Republican legislative leaders are asking for additional study into the economic impact of a potential right-to-work law in West Virginia.

A news release Wednesday says Senate President Bill Cole and House Speaker Tim Armstead requested the research on March 6. It will be completed by the West Virginia University Bureau of Business and Economic Research later this year.

This year’s right-to-work proposal would have made it a misdemeanor, punishable by up to a $5,000 fine, to require workers to pay dues to a union. It wouldn’t have applied to federal workers.

Employees who don’t pay dues still would have benefited from the union representation.

GOP leaders say the proposal is dead this year.

Twenty-five states have similar laws. GOP Gov. Scott Walker just signed one in Wisconsin this week.