In 2015 as reported by The Cigar Authority the state of West Virginia had two proposals to raise the OTP tax which affects how cigars are taxed. The initial proposal suggested a raise from 7% to 10.5%. However, in late February bi-partisan bill H.B. 2953 was introduced that suggested taxing OTP products at the rate of 39 percent.
The 2015 yearly session closed with the tobacco tax not seeing a vote and now a published report by West Virginia Public Broadcasting states that the Joint Select Committee on Tax Reform focused on one tax increase that would could possibly be voted on by the state Legislature at its most recent meeting. That tax, is the tobacco tax.
While no bill has formally be introduced and numbers have not yet been discussed we will keep and eye on West Virginia and relay any information that comes to light.
