On this episode of The Legislature Today, Sen. Randy Smith, R-Preston, is in his second year as the Senate President. In that role, he is also the lieutenant governor. Smith sat down with News Director Eric Douglas to discuss how he sees things going this session.

Also, in this show, earlier this week, the Senate Education Committee spent over an hour Tuesday discussing House Bill 4574 to provide emergency funding to Hancock County Schools but adjourned without taking action. We have the latest.

And, discussion on the Senate floor on a bill to place the historically significant Robert Aitken Bible in certain public school classrooms Wednesday turned contentious. Maria Young has the story.

Finally, we’ve recruited two teams of high school students this year to follow the West Virginia Legislature and report on issues to the next generation. This week, we hear from our student journalists Lily Rhodes and Saja Huggi as they dive into elements of Gov. Patrick Morrisey’s State of the State address.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cufp4IUnifk

The Legislature Today is West Virginia’s only television/radio simulcast devoted to covering the state’s 60-day regular legislative session.

Watch or listen to new episodes every Friday at 6 p.m. on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

Keep up with our daily coverage at wvpublic.org/thelegislaturetoday, and subscribe to our new podcast The Legislature This Week for a look back at all the major headlines from the past week at the statehouse.