Wednesday, June 24, 2026
Wednesday, June 24, 2026
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Senate Judiciary Advances First Amendment Preservation Act, DMV Clarification

Jaidyn Carter
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Senate Judiciary Advances First Amendment Preservation Act, DMV Clarification

The Senate Judiciary Committee met this afternoon and advanced two bills on establishing the First Amendment Preservation Act and county attorney obligations for refusal of review hearings.

Senate Bill 531 would establish the First Amendment Preservation Act.

This bill would prevent the state of West Virginia and its agencies from contracting with media monitoring or fact-checking organizations. Hiring advertising or marketing companies that use certain media monitors would be prohibited.

State agencies are prohibited from the following:

  •  Entering into a contract with any media monitoring organization
  •  An advertising or marketing agency that utilizes the services of a media monitoring organization for the agency’s contract or agreement
  •  Provide support of any form, other than nondiscretionary actions required by law, to a media monitoring organization.

The bill is intended to preserve viewpoint neutrality in state spending and avoid government involvement in determining which news sources are credible or acceptable.

The bill was reported to the full Senate with a recommendation of passage.

Senate Bill 575 clarifies existing law regarding refusal review hearings for drivers accused of DUI and of refusing a chemical test.

This bill would clarify that county prosecuting attorneys are required to handle all legal matters in these hearings on behalf of the state and the Division of Motor Vehicles. Testimony informed the committee that the clarification is needed because in several recent instances, the DMV has tried to become a part to the proceedings.

The bill was reported to the full Senate with a recommendation of passage, first being sent to the committee on Finance.

Health Advances Pilot Program for Caseworker Support

Cheyenne DeBolt
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Health Advances Pilot Program for Caseworker Support
The Committee on Health and Human Resources met this afternoon. Three bills were on the markup and passage stage, and one was on the committee hearing stage.
Markup & Passage
House Bill 4602 establishes a pilot program to support caseworker administrative tasks with technology and human caseworker aide services, increasing the frequency and timeliness of caseworker interactions with children and families served by caseworkers within the Department of Human Services.
House Bill 4852 adds a definition for “poisonous or injurious to health” for the section of code relating to pure food and drugs.
House Bill 5096 removes personal care services and intellectual developmental disabilities services from the certificate of need.
Committee Hearing
Senate Bill 210 cleans up code relating to the Legislative Oversight Commission on Health and Human Resources Accountability to reflect the changes in the department split to the Department of Health, the Department of Human Services, and the Department of Health Facilities.

Senate Pensions Approves 5 Bills on Police and Firefighters’ Retirement Benefits

Jaidyn Carter
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Senate Pensions Approves 5 Bills on Police and Firefighters’ Retirement Benefits

The Senate Committee on Pensions met this afternoon and advanced five bills regarding retirement and benefits for the State Police, Municipal Police, Firefighters, and home confinement officers.

Senate Bill 28 would allow West Virginia State Police members to use their annual and sick leave to gain additional retirement credit.

Members who joined the retirement system on or after July 1, 2015, would be eligible to trade their annual leave or sick leave days for additional credited service in the retirement system.

Each month of retirement service credit is equal to 20 days.

Senate Bill 717 would modify disability and retirement benefits for municipal police and firefighters.

Members who previously qualified for total disability incurred not in the line of duty and are at the Social Security normal retirement age will no longer be required to provide their tax return and relief fund to receive the total disability incurred not in the line of duty.

Senate Bill 724 modifies retirement eligibility for home confinement officers in West Virginia.

This bill would allow certain home confinement officers to join the Emergency Medical Services Retirement System even if they are not certified law enforcement officers.

Eligible officers would have additional time to choose whether they want to participate, expanding access to retirement benefits.

Senate Bill 719 modifies the Police Officers and Firefighters retirement system.

This bill would allow Municipal Police Officers and Firefighters the ability to use leave days for their retirement credit and modify statutory provisions pertaining to campus police officers’ election to participate in the Municipal Police Officers and Firefighters Retirement System.

Senate Bill 206 updates retirement eligibility for certain sheriffs.

The bill would allow a sheriff of a county who is not participating in another retirement system to retire upon written application at the age of sixty-two, with eight or more years of contributing service as an elected sheriff of a county.

The following bills were reported to the full Senate with a recommendation of passage, first being sent to the committee on Finance.

House Judiciary Heard Several Bills

Soleil Woolard
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House Judiciary Heard Several Bills

House Judiciary and its subcommittees advanced several bills this morning.

House Bill 4098 would restore a person’s right to sit on a jury upon the expungement of one’s record. This bill was reported to the floor.

House Bill 4865 would create a program to allow students who are juniors or seniors, in addition to homeschool students, to work as poll workers. This bill was advanced to markup and discussion.

House Bill 4881 would remove the requirement that the loan value of a motor vehicle be less than $9,500 to allow an automobile dealer, licensed automobile auction, motor vehicle repair facility, or towing company to obtain the title and registration for the abandoned motor vehicle. This bill was advanced to markup and discussion.

House Bill 4996 would create mandatory bail conditions for people charged with making terrorist threats against a school. This bill was advanced to markup and discussion.

House Bill 4997 would prohibit persons convicted of felony terroristic threats towards schools or children from residing within 1,000 feet of a school. This bill was advanced to markup and discussion.

Senate Bill 208 would make certain military records unable to be requested by FOIA in West Virginia. This bill was advanced to markup and discussion.

Courts

House Bill 4850 would provide online training for people to become Executors/Executrixes of an Estate. This bill was reported to the Judiciary.

House Bill 4999 would change the criminal and administrative penalties for assault or battery on athletic officials and participants, including, but not limited to, players, scorekeepers, coaches, and referees.

House Bill 4568 would prohibit service of process in Family Court and civil actions on county property. This bill was advanced to markup and discussion.

House Bill 4709 would recognize the legal standing of the West Virginia Legislature in court actions in case there are unauthorized changes to election laws and rules. This bill was advanced to markup and discussion.

House Bill 5176 would relate to creating the animal abuse database within the West Virginia State Police. This bill was advanced to markup and discussion.

Homeland Security

House Bill 4106 would allow constitutional carry for 18 to 20-year-olds. This bill was reported to the Judiciary.

House Bill 5025 would allow the burning of certain farm structures as long as the Department of Environmental Protection approves said burning. This bill was advanced to markup and discussion.

House Bill 5182 would allow the State Treasurer to allow security personnel to carry a concealed firearm while performing their official duties. This bill was advanced to markup and discussion.

Legal Services

House Bill 4405 would allow for the creation of a second public defender corporation when a public defender company hires six or more assistant public defenders, including the chief public defender. This bill is intended to improve availability and address conflicts of interest. This bill was reported to the judiciary.

House Bill 4452 would remove Mortmain restrictions on religious organizations. This would allow churches and other religious organizations to hold more real estate. This bill was reported to the Judiciary.

House Bill 4638 would include an option to become an organ donor when registering to vote or modifying their voter registration. This bill was reported to the Judiciary.

House Bill 4546 would require biennial reports for limited liability and foreign limited liability companies, in addition to increasing filing fees. This bill was reported to the Judiciary.

House Bill 4710 would increase the amount of time a candidate could switch parties before filing to run for office from 60 days to 180 days before an election. This bill was advanced to markup and discussion.

House Bill 5166 would require a notice to be given to any political committee violating the filing requirements before assessing any civil fines. This bill would also give the Secretary of State authority to grant additional time for compliance, but not exceed an additional 14 days. This bill was advanced to markup and discussion.

House Government Organization Advances Four Bills to Floor

Soleil Woolard
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House Government Organization Advances Four Bills to Floor

House Government Organization advanced House Bills 4462, 4463, 4561, and 4784 to the floor.

House Bill 4462 would prohibit the sale of cell-cultured products in West Virginia, specifically targeting cell-cultured meat or eggs. This bill was reported to the floor.

House Bill 4463 would modify rules for Sanitarians. This bill would allow the Board of Sanitation to have more authority and rulemaking. Under this bill, the board will be allowed to offer online training for sanitarians, allow a person with an associate’s degree or higher to be eligible for licensing, and add reciprocity between states. This bill was reported to the floor.

House Bill 4561 would allow county sheriffs to appoint more than one chief deputy, with the consent of their respective county commissioner. This bill was reported to the floor.

House Bill 4784 would extend the timeframe of Qualified Opportunity Zones till July 1, 2032. This bill was reported to the floor.

House Bill 4088 would change the licensure for certified public accountants. This bill would offer three different pathways. Two of these pathways include those who have been a part of post-bachelor degree programs, and one to expand the certification to those with only a bachelor’s degree. This bill was advanced to markup and discussion.

If a person seeking to become a certified public accountant decides to only get their bachelor’s degree, they would need to have two years of work experience to apply for their certification.

ICE Bill Passes Senate, Moves to House of Delegates

Jaidyn Carter
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ICE Bill Passes Senate, Moves to House of Delegates

The Senate met this morning, introducing bills 823-892, adopting resolutions 28 and 30, and advancing five bills to the House.

Senate Bill 615 would require individuals with an illegal immigration status to be turned over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and deported.

If the same individual is present in the state under an illegal immigration status for a second time, they would be guilty of a felony offense and would be incarcerated in a state penitentiary for 3-5 years, and following their release, would be sent to ICE for deportation.

Under the proposed bill, law enforcement can suspect an individual is in the United States under an illegal immigration status only if the officer is detaining the person for a separate legal issue and chooses to report the individual to ICE.

Separate legal issues include, but aren’t limited to:

  • Speeding
  • Broken headlight, taillight, brake light, or turn signal
  • Expired registration or inspection
  • Checkpoint stops (DUI or license checkpoints)
  • Illegal turn or U – turn

“This bill puts good people at risk,” Senator Joey Gracia (D – Marion,13) said, raising concerns that individuals here as United States Citizens fear future interactions with law enforcement due to assumptions about their ethnicity or perceived immigration status.

Senator Patricia Rucker (R – Jefferson, 16), had a different perspective.

“As the only member of this body that is an immigrant, I support this legislation,”  Rucker said. “I never once had any problems with law enforcement or questions that made me feel uncomfortable; this protects Americans and law enforcement.”

Senate Judiciary Chairman Tom Willis (R-Berkeley, 15) closed by stating that when you boil this legislation down, it’s simply about state law enforcement agencies helping to enforce federal laws that have been on the books for years.

After debate, the bill passed and was reported to the House of Delegates for consideration.

Senate Bill 440 would make it a felony to transport telecommunication devices into a state correctional facility.

If an individual attempts to deliver anything into a state correctional facility to aid or facilitate another individual’s escape, they would be guilty of a felony and would be sentenced to a minimum of 10 years in prison.

All bills on third reading passed and were reported to the House of Delegates for consideration.

Afternoon Meetings:

Transportation and Infrastructure at 1 p.m. in Room 451M

Pensions at 2 p.m. in Room 451M

Energy, Industry, and Mining at 2 p.m. in Room 208W

Finance at 3 p.m. in Room 451M

Judiciary at 3 p.m. in Room 208W

Morning Meetings for Feb. 10:

Education at 9:30 a.m. in Room 451M

Government Organization at 9:30 a.m. in Room 208W

The Senate is adjourned until tomorrow, Feb. 10, at 11 a.m.

House Rejects Four Amendments

Soleil Woolard
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House Rejects Four Amendments

The West Virginia House of Delegates advanced three bills to the Senate.

House Bill 4522 would ban foreign spending on state ballot issues.

House Bill 4755 would create enhanced sentencing for offenders of aggravated vehicular homicide, driving under the influence causing serious bodily injury, and third offense driving under the influence.

House Bill 4982 would re-establish the Office of Healthy Lifestyles and expand a coordinated, statewide framework to promote nutrition, physical activity, and wellness through various initiatives, agencies, partnerships, and grants.  The bill also requires the development of the Governor’s Fitness Test, a school fitness month, and the reporting of outcomes of both.

In addition to bills passing, the House debated four amendments proposed by Delegates Evan Hansen (D – Monongalia, 79) and Sean Hornbuckle (D – Cabell, 25)

House Bill 4600 would require absentee ballots mailed in to be received by 8:00 p.m. on the day of the election to be counted.

Hansen and Hornbuckle proposed four amendments that would allow for exceptions to the new deadline established in the bill for students, the elderly, military personnel, people with disabilities, or those with an injury that would not allow them to be at a physical polling location. The exceptions return the deadline to current code for these groups. All four amendments were rejected.

Bills introduced can be found here.
Resolutions introduced can be found here.

Committee Meetings, Today February 9

Committee Meetings, Tuesday February 10

The House is adjourned until 11:00 a.m. Tuesday, February 10, 2026. 

Senate Passes Small Business Growth Act

Christopher Marshall
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Senate Passes Small Business Growth Act

The Senate passed Senate Bill 1, the Small Business Growth Act, which would establish a new program administered by the West Virginia Department of Commerce to encourage capital investment in eligible West Virginia businesses.

The program defines terms like “affiliate” (an entity controlled by another), “capital investment” (cash invested in a growth fund for specific purposes), “growth fund” (a certified entity investing in rural businesses), and “eligible business” (a business with fewer than 250 employees and principal operations in West Virginia). Growth investors making capital investments in certified growth funds can receive tax credits against their state tax liability, with the credit amount determined by an “applicable percentage” that increases over time.

The legislation outlines application procedures for growth funds, including requirements for business plans and revenue-impact assessments, and sets limits on the total amount of credits that can be issued annually. It also includes provisions for recapturing credits if growth funds fail to meet investment or reinvestment requirements, prohibits certain investments by eligible businesses in growth funds, and mandates annual reporting by growth funds on job creation and salaries. The act would take effect on January 1, 2027.

The bill now heads to the House of Delegates for consideration.

The Senate is adjourned until Monday, Feb. 9, at 11 a.m.

The Judiciary Subcommittee for SB593 will meet Monday at 9 a.m. in 208W

House Judiciary and Subcommittees Meet Today

Soleil Woolard
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House Judiciary and Subcommittees Meet Today

House Judiciary and its subcommittees met this morning.

Judiciary

House Bill 4412 would require pornography websites to use some kind of age verification method to prevent minors from accessing the website. This bill would also create liability and penalties against the website if do not follow these procedures. This bill was reported to the floor.

House Bill 4725 would allow a court to order a change in the animal’s place of custody and to order the animal euthanized if it is in the animal’s best interests or for public health and safety. The euthanasia of the animal must be based on a sworn testimony of a licensed veterinarian or animal control officer. This bill was reported to the floor.

House Bill 4801 would define permissible expenditures for municipalities and counties. This bill was reported to the floor.

Senate Bill 207 would clarify the sheriff’s compensation for tax collection. This bill was reported to the floor.

House Bill 4098 would restore the right of a person to sit on a jury upon expungement of one’s record.

House Bill 5101 would establish the Joanna Phillips Domestic Violence Prevention Act. This act would create and increase penalties for certain domestic violence offenses and change bail requirements for domestic violence.

Legal Services

House Bill 4865 would create a program to allow students who are juniors or seniors to work as poll workers. This bill was reported to the Judiciary.

House Bill 4881 would remove the requirement that the loan value of a motor vehicle be less than $9,500 to allow an automobile dealer, licensed automobile auction, motor vehicle repair facility, or towing company to obtain the title and registration for the abandoned motor vehicle. This bill was reported to the Judiciary.

House Bill 4405 would allow for the creation of a second public defender corporation when a public defender company hires six or more assistant public defenders, including the chief public defender. This bill is intended to improve availability and address conflicts of interest.

House Bill 4452 would remove Mortmain restrictions on religious organizations. This would allow churches and other religious organizations to hold more real estate.

House Bill 4638 would include an option to become an organ donor when registering to vote or modifying their voter registration.

Homeland Security

House Bill 4996 would create mandatory bail conditions for people charged with making terrorist threats against a school.

House Bill 4997 would prohibit persons convicted of felony terroristic threats towards schools or children from residing within 1,000 feet of a school.

House Bill 4106 would allow constitutional carry for 18- to 20-year-olds.

House Bill 4624 would permit the county commission of each county to lease, rent or to permit the use of a county-owned wireless tower or any portion thereof, with exceptions.

House Sends Six Bills to Senate

Soleil Woolard
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House Sends Six Bills to Senate

The West Virginia House of Delegates advanced six bills to the Senate.

House Bill 4461 would require Internet or telecommunications providers that fail to provide subscribed customers service for five or more days to issue a refund or credit for the unavailable service.

House Bill 4570 would allow a third party to serve the eviction notice by posting it on the front door, securing it, and taking a photograph of it to show that it was posted if the tenant is not available to receive the notice.

House Bill 4382 would require collection agencies to provide 30 days’ notice via mail before they garnish wages. This bill would also require a monthly statement to the debtors of how much money was garnished.

In addition to bills passed, the House passed two amendments for House Bill 4982. The first amendment, proposed by Delegate Wayne Clark (R – Jefferson, 099), would require the food used for the Make West Virginia Healthy Act of 2026 to be sourced locally.

The second amendment, proposed by Delegates Joe Statler (R – Monongalia, 77) and Christopher W. Toney (R – Raleigh, 43), would allow high schools to utilize existing facilities if available for health initiatives and would allow the Department of Education to administer the Presidential Fitness Test more easily.

Bills introduced can be found here.
Resolutions introduced can be found here.

Committee Meetings, Today February 6

  • Sub. Com on Courts will meet after the floor session in Room 410M
  • Sub. Com on Homeland Security will meet after the floor session in Room 410M

Committee Meetings, Monday February 9

The House is adjourned until 11:00 a.m. Monday, February 9, 2026. 

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