West Virginia Code Chapter 11. Taxation § 11-13V-2. Legislative intent and findings

(1) The unfunded liability in the state workers' compensation program exceeds three billion dollars;

(2) Until a fiscally responsible plan for paying this unfunded liability is provided by the Legislature, the condition of the workers' compensation fund will continue to negatively affect economic development in this state;

(3) Until a fiscally responsible plan for paying this unfunded liability is provided by the Legislature, the Legislature will not be able to privatize workers' compensation;

(4) Until a fiscally responsible plan for paying this unfunded liability is provided, the Legislature will need to annually appropriate dollars from the general revenue fund of the state to pay down this unfunded liability and to cover the annual shortfall between funds available to pay workers' compensation benefits to injured workers and premiums collected by the workers' compensation fund from employers;

(5) In accordance with the constitution of this state and decisions of the West Virginia supreme court of appeals, the Legislature may enact a new tax and dedicate the net collections of the tax to pay down this unfunded liability or to pay debt service on bonds sold by the state to raise funds to pay down this unfunded liability.