The West Virginia Racing Commission (WVRC) will soon consider a penalty system for drug violations that dovetails with uniform model rules making their way through the state legislature.

The medication model rules offered by the Racing Medication and Testing Consortium and adopted by the Association of Racing Commissioners International were approved by the WVRC last year and are making their way through the state legislature in 2014. The penalty component was not part of the rules.

Deputy attorney general Kelli Talbott, who represents the WVRC, recommended Jan. 21 the penalty system–called MVP, or multiple violation penalties–be considered for the 2015 legislative session. In order for that to happen, the rules must be submitted by June 2014.

West Virginia has participated in medication meetings in the Mid-Atlantic region. Most states in the region have approved the medication rules and the penalty system