State of Affairs is the official blog of the Bowles Rice Government Relations team. From Charleston to Washington, D.C., and across the Mountain State, members of our team are recognized and respected advocates for businesses, industry groups, associations, and other entities. Attorney Richard R. Heath, Jr., a former deputy attorney general who also served as chief legal counsel and chief of staff to two West Virginia Senate presidents, is the primary author of this blog. Topics include legislative reviews, new and pending state laws, and other issues related to policy and governance.