CHARLESTON — Except for the turf war over eye care, the session was, without question, low-key, devoid of conflict and produced few bold headlines in West Virginia newspapers.

Even so, leaders of both the Senate and House of Delegates applauded the results.

“We worked very hard on a lot of different topics, including school bus safety,” reflected Senate President Earl Ray Tomblin, D-Logan.

“We’ve been able to at least get a budget bill passed with a five percent reduction without any layoffs or tax increases. We dealt with legislation making it easier for people to get foster children. There was a lot of good legislation we have passed out there, even though they’re not the big headliners like we had in the past.”

An absence of discretionary cash threw cold water on the program. Without the money, new programs weren’t possible. Ditto for pay raises.

“There were not a lot of high-profile, sensational bills,” said House Speaker Rick Thompson, D-Wayne.

“We were focused on meaningful, practical initiatives.”

Thompson pointed to a pair of bills giving counties power and flexibility to set school calendars and permitting participation by employees.

Another key education matter attempts to attack West Virginia’s one-in-five dropout rate.

“It took some serious negotiation, but I think we have agreed on legislation that truly addresses the causes of dropouts, rather than just forcing students to remain in school.”

The latter was a reference to elevating the legal age one can quit from 16 to 17.

One major item yet unresolved is the $7.8 billion liability known as Other Post Employment Benefits (OPEB), largely health care paid for retired state employees.

“We will continue to work with the House leadership and with involved parties out there,” said Tomblin, who formed an ad hoc panel that has worked for months in trying to reach legislation palatable to all stakeholders.

“If nothing else on OPEB, we’ve got the facts and we made people realize we actually do have a problem,” the Senate leader said. “It’s not something that’s pie in the sky. It’s something we’ve got to face if this state is going to continue to survive.”

Tomblin said his “biggest disappointment” in the session was the failure to completely repair the school calendar problem.

One flaw he cited was the lack of anything in the two bills that addresses school service personnel, who are employed for 43 weeks.

“We’re still not able to extend the school year the way we should,” he said. “Hopefully, that’s one of the things we can correct when we come back for a special session.”

Thompson was pleased that one item he has long advocated — the business, or chancery, court — gained approval.

“This measure has the potential to lure new businesses to the state while also making our circuit courts more efficient,” the speaker said.

Thompson applauded legislation that obligates the State Police superintendent to produce a plan for adding more troopers, opens the door for more use of the Children’s Health Insurance Program, and lets cities set up a vacant building registration program to address urban blight.

“We took on numerous pieces of legislation that affect and improve the day-to-day lives of average West Virginians,” he said.

“In a time when so many in our state are concerned about the economy, health care and the quality of their children’s education, I am grateful to have worked with a group of legislators who never lost sight of what was really important to the people of West Virginia.”

One major item that exited the House sought to enhance the ethics law by compelling spouses of legislators to log in on assets, since they conceivably could become involved in a lease or purchase by the state.

That bill was expanded to bar any lawmaker or other public official from working as a lobbyist for one year upon leaving office.

The bill failed to get out of the Senate, and Tomblin couldn’t say why it never reached the floor of his chamber.

“There are always winners and losers in every session,” he said.

“I’ve seen so many times when you lose one year and you come back next year and pass it with flying colors.”

— E-mail: mannix@register-herald.com