CHARLESTON — West Virginia Governor Jim Justice on Monday issued a proclamation, amending his call for the West Virginia Legislature to convene in Special Session to include an additional item for consideration.

The additional item asks the Legislature “To clarify and modernize the abortion-related laws currently existing as part of the West Virginia Code, to ensure a coherent, comprehensive framework governing abortions and attendant family services and support to expecting mothers to provide the citizens of this State more certainty in the application of such laws.”

You can read the amendment to the call here.

“From the moment the Supreme Court announced their decision in Dobbs, I said that I would not hesitate to call a Special Session once I heard from our Legislative leaders that they had done their due diligence and were ready to act,” Justice stated in a press release issued by his office Monday. “As I have said many times, I very proudly stand for life and I believe that every human life is a miracle worth protecting.”

The Special Session began today, Monday, July 25, at noon.

Justice originally called the West Virginia Legislature into Special Session to consider his proposal to reduce West Virginia’s personal income tax by an aggregate of 10 percent.

According to a press release from the governor’s office, Justice’s proposed total tax reduction of $254 million is the maximum recommended reduction that can be safely made while remaining in compliance with American Rescue Plan Act guidelines.