WVa gov to address lawmakers after COVID-19 bout

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice will address lawmakers next week after his State of the State address was postponed when he was diagnosed with COVID-19 earlier this month.

The Republican governor will speak to a joint session of the Legislature on Jan. 27, his office said in a news release.

After Justice announced Jan. 11 that he had become ill, a House clerk read his speech to lawmakers the next day. The speech included a proposed $4.65 billion state budget for the upcoming fiscal year.

The governor resumed his weekly briefings on the virus Monday.

Next week’s speech will supplement the governor’s written State of the State message, the statement said.