Volunteer fire departments are closing because they do not have the funds to operate. West Virginians are rationing insulin because they cannot afford the full doses they need. The foster care program is overwhelmed by high demand while being understaffed. Broadband internet remains a dream for many.

Each of these problems can be addressed by legislation. However, the Republican leadership in Charleston controls what issues will be brought up. Fire departments, people suffering from diabetes, foster children and rural residents without good internet access were not deemed important enough to be considered at the Special Session this week.

Along with six other Democratic senators, I introduced three bills at the beginning of the Special Session. SB 2010 would have reduced the maximum co-pay for a 30-day supply of insulin to $35, down from $100. SB 2010 would also, for the first time, put co-pay caps on insulin pumps and similar devices. The Republican leadership refused to allow the bill to be considered. Instead it killed SB 2010 by referring it to the Rules Committee, a committee which did not even intend to meet.

The second bill we introduced, SB 2011, would have nearly doubled funding for volunteer fire departments by increasing the surcharge on home owners insurance to 1 percent (from 0.055 percent). Without the additional funding, some volunteer departments will close. In areas where the closure means no fire protection is available, companies will not sell home owners insurance. That means people will be unable to get mortgages, which require insurance, and others will be unable to sell their homes to people who need mortgages. The Republican leadership refused to allow the bill to be considered, killing it by referral to the Rules Committee, which did not intend to meet.

SB 2012, our third bill, would have protected at-risk children, by requiring that each report of potential abuse by a physician be promptly investigated. It would have provided funds to increase salaries for social workers in order to help fill the over 1,000 vacant child care worker positions. And, SB 2012 would have created data collection systems to keep track of foster children, available foster parents and outcomes, and would have strengthened the ombudsman program. The Republican leadership refused to allow the bill to be considered, killing it by referral to the inert Rules Committee.

Nor would the Republican leadership consider a temporary gas tax holiday, even though it would benefit the many West Virginians who commute significant distances to work, or drive trucks for a living. We have the money because revenues have again been higher than expected.

Finally, although the governor had promised to deal with broadband during the Special Session, he made no proposal, apparently because the major broadband providers object to being subject to basic consumer protections. Meanwhile, $700 million supplied by the Biden administration for broadband sits unused.

The refusal of the Republican leadership to even allow consideration of these issues shows that everyday West Virginians are not on their agenda.

Hannah N. Geffert, West Virginia senator of the 16th District