Herb Snyder returned to the Senate from the 16th District, part of both Jefferson and Berkeley counties. "I'm excited for the opportunity to go back", said Senator Snyder. Herb said he is working hard every day on issues that are important to the residents of Berkeley and Jefferson counties, because leaders from other parts of the state could easily ignore the problems of the Eastern Panhandle. "We're so far away (from Charleston) the rest of the state has little in common with us."
Leadership is an important part of being a senator, Snyder said, adding that he served as vice chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee for seven years.He was also chairman of the Senate Labor Committee and the Interstate Cooperation Committee.

 

Some of the issues he helped address include increased public school student enrollment funding, environmental bills and improvements, a $2,000 state tax credit for those who adopt a child and the opening of the Jefferson County Department of Motor Vehicles office to reduce the customer volume in the Berkeley County office.

 

He is 55 and serving his ninth year in the Senate after serving six years on the Jefferson County Commission Herb has six children, including two teenagers who attend Jefferson High School and four adult children.He also has three grandsons. He is an environmental chemist and for 31 years he has been the owner and director of Hydrochem Laboratories, a state-certified environmental laboratory.

 

He now serves as the vice chairman of the Senate Government Organizations committee and also am a member of the Rule Making and Review committee. He is also a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee as well as several other minor committees. As a former Jefferson County commissioner, he championed issues that affect local government. In the 2009 legislative session Herb sponsored the Chesapeake Bay Initiative and legislation that authorized counties with zoning to limit annexation by cities to the limits of an Urban Growth Boundary set forth on the county's zoning map. In addition he has been instrumental in the continuation of the MARC train service of the Eastern Panhandle and funding for the East Ridge Mental Health Center. He was also instrumental in passing legislation that would double the amount of funds that would remain in each race track county (if Jefferson County voters approve table gaming). Herb's focus is and will remain on local issues that affect the citizens of Jefferson and Berkeley County.