306 Bills completed legislative action (153 House Bills, 153 Senate Bills)
2777 Bills were introduced (1693 House Bills, 1084 Senate Bills)

House Bill 5182 authorizes security personnel employed by the State Treasurer to carry concealed weapons while performing their official duties.

House Bill 5212 amends numerous higher education financial aid and grant provisions including those relating to the Workforce Development Grant Program, the Technical Program Development Grant Program, the WV Advance Grant Program, the Learn and Earn Grant Program; the Medical Student Loan Program, the Health Sciences Loan Repayment Program, the Mental Health Provider Loan Repayment Program, the Higher Education Grant Program, the Higher Education Future Workforce Grant Program, the PROMISE Scholarship Program, and the WV Invests Grant Program.

House Bill 5214 allows the court to require parents to undergo and successfully pass a drug test where the parents have been found to have abused or neglected their child, and the verdict order contains findings of fact and conclusions of law that the parents abused or improperly used controlled substances, which contributed to the situation that resulted in the child being removed from the home. The Department may not allow the child to return home if the drug test is positive for either parent and the parent does not possess a valid prescription or a valid and current medical marijuana card. Upon a positive result, the Department must notify the court, guardian ad litem, and other interested parties that the parent has tested positive, which also allows the court to schedule a hearing to address the test results’ potential impact on the court’s placement order.

House Bill 5227 allows corporations, limited partnerships, domestic limited liability companies, and foreign limited liability companies to elect to file biennial reports and pay biennial fees after complying with the annual report and fee requirements for 5 years. The bill requires the Secretary of State to develop and design an official veteran-owned business logotype for use by a veteran-owned business.

House Bill 5277 is a supplemental appropriation which moves $8,704,000 from unappropriated surplus to Welch Community Hospital for maintenance and repairs.

House Bill 5288 is a supplemental appropriation, which moves $200,000 from unappropriated surplus to the Department of Agriculture for the WV Spay Neuter Assistance Fund.

House Bill 5307 is a supplemental appropriation that allocates $10 million of unappropriated surplus to the Division of Culture and History for maintenance and repairs.

House Bill 5317 is a supplemental appropriation which moves $10 million from the unappropriated surplus to the Division of Natural Resources for maintenance and repairs.

House Bill 5323 authorizes the director of Natural Resources to propose legislative rules changing the indexing of license and stamp fees.

House Bill 5325 creates an emeritus physician license for professionals regulated by the West Virginia Board of Medicine. An emeritus license is purely honorific and does not permit any professional practice or clinical activities in the state. Holders are exempt from continuing education requirements.

House Bill 5327 requires the Department of Human Services to create an ALS Care Services program to provide care services coordination and support, assistive technology, medical equipment, ramp reutilization loan programs, and multidisciplinary ALS clinics.

House Bill 5353 brings virtual currency kiosks within the purview of money transmission licensure. Disclosure requirements and daily transition limits shall be set.

House Bill 5354 authorizes the Higher Education Policy Commission and the Council for Community and Technical College Education to adopt rules to improve purchasing efficiency.

House Bill 5364 eliminates boards and commissions that are not operational. Some of the duties are transferred, while others are simply repealed as they sunset.

House Bill 5366 removes records, files, and other documents relating to the West Virginia Judicial and Lawyer Assistance Program from the FOIA. The Judicial and Lawyer Assistance Program provides support to legal professionals who are experiencing physical, emotional, or mental health conditions that affect their ability to serve or practice law.

House Bill 5381 transfers the Coalfield Community Development Program to the Office of Energy and gives all powers, duties, and responsibilities to the Office of Energy. The bill establishes the Comprehensive Energy Policy and Development Plan Act of 2026, which the Office of Energy will hold a stakeholder meeting to develop a plan. The bill charges the Office of Energy with developing a long-lasting energy policy that embraces coal, natural gas, nuclear, hydropower, hydrogen, and geothermal sources of energy, emphasizing stability, efficiency, innovation, stable baseload generation, low cost, independence, and security. It also eliminates the Office of Energy’s responsibility to develop an energy savings contracting program.

House Bill 5382 extends the Neighborhood Investment Tax Credit to July 1, 2031.

House Bill 5401 clarifies that absentee voting eligibility in federal elections includes certain individuals residing outside the United States.  Eligibility would be consistent with the federal Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act and the Federal Voting Assistance Program, which administers the Act. The bill modifies eligibility criteria for West Virginians temporarily living abroad to vote absentee ballots in state and local elections, to require that the individual 1). was last registered, or eligible to register and vote, in West Virginia, or would have been eligible had they not been a minor at the time, 2) is not registered or qualified to vote elsewhere in the United States, 3) holds a passport, passport card, or other proof of citizenship, and has not established residency in another state or country.

House Bill 5406 clarifies that the West Virginia State Police shall set standards and provide certification to law enforcement in the operation of any equipment required for the collection of breath samples. The bill adds phlebotomy as a profession that may draw blood to determine blood alcohol content.

House Bill 5430 makes the Public Employees Insurance Agency subject to the Pharmacy Audit Integrity Act and prohibits pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) from managing benefits for any pharmacy they own or have an affiliate in West Virginia.

House Bill 5437, the Vape Safety Act, would require those operating a vape or smoke shop to obtain a license from the ABC Commissioner. The annual license fee would be at least $1,200. The funds collected from fees will be split between the ABC Enforcement Fund and the Agricultural Fees Fund. To obtain a license or renew, the applicant must be a U.S. Citizen, pass a background check, and not have been convicted of any crime punishable for more than one year in any state or country.

House Bill 5438 provides that the total appropriation for improving instructional technology is to be reduced annually by an amount not to exceed $15 million, to be retained by the Department of Education to implement a replacement uniform budgeting and accounting system. It also requires that the Governor provide, in each budget, for reappropriation for expenditure during the next fiscal year, the unused accumulated balance of certain allowances for teacher and leader induction funds that were retained by the Department of Education and remain with the Department for the purpose of continuing certain initiatives.

House Bill 5441 terminates the separate classified civil service systems and state grievance procedures of the Department of Transportation after June 30, 2026, and transfers job classifications, specifications, and compensation structures in place prior to July 1, 2026, to the Division of Personnel. The Division of Personnel may not modify the job classifications, specifications, and compensation structures without the consent of the Secretary of the Department of Transportation. The bill also abolishes the separate classified civil service systems of the Department of Revenue and the Bureau for Social Services. Job classifications, specifications, and compensation structures for all three Departments in place prior to July 1, 2026, are transferred to the Division of Personnel. This bill replaces the Civil Service System with the Division of Personnel System. The bill terminates the State Personnel Board and transfers its responsibilities to the Division of Personnel.

House Bill 5444 increases parolees’ monthly fees from $40 to $50.

House Bill 5457 allows partially and non-duty-disabled members to receive half credit for the period during which they were disabled under the Trooper Plan B. This makes the State Police Retirement System consistent with other emergency services retirement systems.

House Bill 5458 amends the laws governing the West Virginia Board of Medicine. The bill modernizes licensure for physicians, podiatrists, and physician assistants and adds regulation of genetic counselors as a new licensed profession under the Board. The bill requires criminal background checks for applicants to genetic counseling programs. This creates the Genetic Counselors Practice Act. Additionally, the bill repeals outdated code.

House Bill 5459 brings the health care-related provider tax as it relates to HMO’s into compliance with federal law.  The bill simplifies that system by setting a flat 2 ½ percent of each HMO’s gross premiums written in this state during each calendar quarter.

House Bill 5462 allows the fund to reduce payments for a mine subsidence loss by any amount the policyholder receives from another source for such loss. The bill also prohibits a policyholder from bringing a cause of action or any other action against an insurer for claims reported to the board arising out of or relating to the mine subsidence insurance fund.

House Bill 5466 renames the abuse intervention and prevention program and permits an abuse intervention program to provide services virtually, provided it also has a physical location where services are offered.

House Bill 5480 establishes the West Virginia Youth Summer Employment and Career Readiness Program within the Department of Commerce’s Division of Workforce Development to provide paid summer employment, apprenticeships, internships, and entrepreneurial exposure for youth statewide. The program would be for students aged 14 to 20, targeting youth facing employment barriers. The program would emphasize emerging job-growth sectors, workforce development, and employer coordination to strengthen West Virginia’s long-term labor force.

House Bill 5484 creates the felony offense of violating an individual’s right to seek appropriate medical treatment or medical forensic care related to a sexual offense. The bill also creates a felony offense of forcing or coercing a person to have an illegal abortion. If found guilty, individuals are subject to 5 to 15 years in a state correctional facility, a fine of not more than $50,000, or both.

House Bill 5515 updates outdated provisions of the code relating to the administration of workers’ compensation claims. Additionally, the bill removes unneeded sections of code.

House Bill 5527 requires that all wellness reimbursement program administrators be licensed by the Commissioner before the administrator may sell, offer, market, promote, or operate a wellness reimbursement program. The application requires certain documents and a $5,000 fee and must be renewed annually. The administrator must comply with all federal and state laws, including laws against misleading advertising and laws that define an employer or employee in claims arising from the wellness program. The bill establishes civil and criminal penalties for violations of this law.

House Bill 5528 prohibits state agencies, counties, municipalities, and political subdivisions from disclosing personal residential information on public websites. The bill also creates a civil action that persons may bring after a written request to have their information removed. The bill does provide for exceptions.

House Bill 5564 increases the amount of accrued vacation time that can be carried over from 30 days to 60 days, aligning it with that of state troopers.

House Bill 5582 extends the Department of Human Services’ drug screening program for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) applicants to December 31, 2030.

House Bill 5612 requires each state agency to inventory state properties that are unused or substantially underused and to provide the inventory to the Real Estate Division. It also removes the requirement to establish the property’s market value located on the State Capitol Complex.

House Bill 5613 defines “telematic” as “an electronic device or system used by the Fleet Management Division to monitor the activity, locations, action, or performance of state vehicles” and adds it to the management services under the director of Fleet Management. The division is tasked with creating rules and collecting and reporting data.

House Bill 5622 allows city charters to expedite procedures to align their elections with the statewide primary and general elections. The bill also recognizes the Secretary of State as the keeper of municipal charter rolls.

House Bill 5638 clarifies the authority and responsibilities of the state Chief Information Security Officer (CISO). The bill outlines the process for cybersecurity program reviews and requires the CISO to establish minimal training requirements for users of state networks, systems, or devices.

House Bill 5653 clarifies that nothing in the code can be construed to require the disclosure of audit-related manuals, guidelines, procedures, and algorithms, related training manuals and materials, and other audit-related information.

House Bill 5682 is a supplemental appropriation, moving a total of $72 million of unexpended balances from the Governor’s Contingent Fund to the current expenses for the Higher Education Policy Commission Control Account to be directed as follows: $30 million to the Marshall University School of Medicine, $5 million to the West Virginia University Dental School, $32 million to the West Virginia School of Medicine, and $5 million to the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine.

House Bill 5684 authorizes our Supreme Court of Appeals to create a pilot program for child protection commissioners to increase efficiency and ensure accountability in court actions involving child welfare. The commissioners would be able to issue non-binding reports and recommendations to the presiding circuit court judge regarding the multiple types of hearings in abuse and neglect matters. Additionally, the commissioners could do a number of things at the outset of the case, including authorizing emergency removals and addressing pre-petition issues.

House Bill 5685 authorizes up to $12 million from excess lottery funds to be used to pay debt service for revenue bonds issued by the Economic Development Authority, beginning July 1, 2026, through July 1, 2047. The bonds will fund repairs and upkeep to the State Cultural Center. The Secretary of Tourism is to submit a list of proposed capital improvements to the Governor on or before September 1, 2026.  On or before September 30, 2026, the Governor is to certify to the Economic Development Authority a list of capital improvements to receive funds from the revenue bonds.

House Bill 5686 changes the timing of payments into the accounts of Hope Scholarship recipients. Beginning July 1, 2026, payments will be made quarterly on the following dates: August 15, October 15, January 15, and April 15.

House Bill 5689 is a supplemental appropriation that moves $11,645,266 of unappropriated surplus of General Revenue to the Department of Homeland Security, Division of Correction and Rehabilitation, Correctional Units, for IT Services and Special Services.

House Bill 5690 is a supplemental appropriation that moves $4,025,000 of unappropriated surplus of General Revenue to the Adjutant General, State Militia, for the Amory Board.

House Bill 5691 is a supplemental appropriation expiring $2,981,132.08 from the Attorney General to the unappropriated surplus of General Revenue and appropriating the same amount to the Division of Health for the Tobacco Education Program.

House Bill 5692 increases the spending authority of the Division of Highways by $100 million.

House Bill 5693 is a supplemental appropriation expiring $4,534,268.43 from the Department of Tourism, Office of the Secretary, to the unappropriated surplus of General Revenue and appropriating the same amount to the Department of Tourism, Division of Culture and History for maintenance.

House Bill 5694 is a supplemental appropriation that moves $8 million from the unappropriated surplus of General Revenue to the Department of Education, State Board of Education, for various programs.

306 Bills completed legislative action (153 House Bills, 153 Senate Bills)
2777 Bills were introduced (1693 House Bills, 1084 Senate Bills)

House Bill 4592 allows state colleges and universities to create detailed campus safety maps to help first responders during emergencies. The maps would include building layouts, location of safety equipment, such as automated external defibrillators and trauma kits.

House Bill 4599 modifies the West Virginia Clearance for Access: Registry and Employment Screening Act (“WV Cares”) to allow variances for travel with employees and to remove unnecessary offenses from the list.

House Bill 4606 requires courts to consider a defendant’s residency, ties to the community, and risk of flight when setting bail for a person charged with a criminal violation. The bill clarifies that a magistrate may not release a person charged with a felony offense on his or her own personal recognizance.

House Bill 4610 expands the Right to Try Act to allow patients to seek experimental treatment for life-threatening or severely debilitating illnesses. The illness must be attested to by a physician.  The bill also expands the available treatment options to include biosimilar drugs, as well as individualized gene therapy and neoantigen vaccines.

House Bill 4625 changes the definitions of excise tax on property transfers to add and clarify exemptions.

House Bill 4626 establishes a grant program to fund the United States Food and Drug Administration’s drug development trials with ibogaine for the purpose of securing the Administration’s approval as a medication for the treatment of opioid use disorder. Funding is provided through appropriations, grants, gifts, and donations.

House Bill 4638 allows individuals to register as organ donors when they register to vote or update their voter registration.

House Bill 4696 authorizes the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to deposit federal abandoned mine land funds into the state’s Abandoned Land Reclamation Fund. This bill also updates state code to allow new federal funds, including those from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the Safeguarding Treatment for the Restoration of Ecosystems from Abandoned Mines Act, to be deposited into the state’s reclamation fund.

House Bill 4712 increases the criminal penalties for DUI causing death to be known as “Baylea’s Law.” This bill would raise the prison sentence to 5 to 30 years and raise several fines in DUI cases.

House Bill 4730 requires the Department of Human Services to consult with contracted providers of independent living and transitional youth services to develop and maintain a coordinated continuum of services and support for all youth who are prepared to exit foster care or who have aged out of care.

House Bill 4740 exempts the Department of Health from standard state purchasing requirements when implementing the federal Rural Health Transformation Program.

House Bill 4749 guarantees that foster children age 13 and older are notified of and supported in attending court hearings, with legal counsel present and an explanation of the outcome.

House Bill 4755 creates 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 4765 increases the salaries for teachers, school personnel, and state police by 3%.

House Bill 4768 updates definitions in the West Virginia College Prepaid Tuition and Savings Program Act to match changes in the federal 529 law.

House Bill 4784 extends the Qualified Opportunity Zone until July 1, 2032.

House Bill 4798 creates Alyssa’s Law, allowing teachers to wear a “mobile alert button” in emergency situations. In addition, this bill will create the Alyssa Alhadeff School Safety Fund within the State Treasury. The fund shall be administered by the WV Department of Homeland Security. All funding will be used to implement mobile panic buttons and similar school safety equipment.

House Bill 4799 establishes the cold case task force for the State of West Virginia. This task force would investigate and prosecute cold-case offenders. The cold case task force would be authorized to cooperate with federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies.

House Bill 4801 adds two permissible uses to the list of purposes for which hotel occupancy funds may be expended. It allows counties and municipalities to use the portion of the funds that they receive for “demolition of unsafe and unsanitary structures” and for “planning or improvement of property owned by municipalities and county commissions.”

House Bill 4819 changes the use of criminal records in determining whether to issue a license, certification, registration, or other authorization to engage in a profession. In addition, this bill requires the results of an arrest or charge to be included in a criminal background check.

House Bill 4842 clarifies the civil cause of action for people exposing intimate images. This civil action would be like the civil cause of action for people who commit sexual extortion.

House Bill 4850 requires the WV State Bar to provide training materials on its website for executors and administrators of wills and estates. The materials should be available free of charge on the State Bar’s website by January 1, 2028, and be accessible for the visually impaired.

House Bill 4865 establishes a program that allows juniors and seniors, as well as homeschool students, to serve as poll workers.

House Bill 4869 establishes a narrow-guaranteed issue right for Medicare Supplement (Medigap) policies in West Virginia. This bill is intended to expand access to these policies, regardless of health status.

House Bill 4881 removes the requirement that the loan value of the motor vehicle be less than $9,500 to allow the automobile dealer, licensed automobile auction, motor vehicle repair facility, or towing company to obtain a certificate of title and registration for the abandoned motor vehicle or junked vehicle.

House Bill 4893 increases the fines for contempt in the magistrate court to not more than $200 and a community service order for the first offense. For the second offense, the fine is now not more than $500 and community service. For the third and subsequent offenses, the fine is not more than $1,000 or confinement in jail for up to 10 days.

House Bill 4951 requires medical professionals in the state to complete continuing medical education credits in nutrition education.

House Bill 4965 allows a patient who has received prior authorization from the Public Employees Insurance Agency for treatment of a medical condition to receive an alternative covered treatment for the same condition without additional prior authorization, provided the alternative treatment is medically appropriate and does not exceed the cost of the originally authorized treatment.

House Bill 4976 sets minimum participation thresholds for different vehicle classes, specifically 50 applications, down from 100 for Class G (motorcycles).

House Bill 4982 repeals the Healthy West Virginia Program from Chapter 5 of the WV Code. The bill also adds Food is Medicine services under the Medicaid Program. The bill restructures the Office of Healthy Lifestyles under the Make WV Healthy Act of 2026. Additionally, the bill makes changes to physical education requirements.

House Bill 4983 allows the Department of Commerce to adopt rules governing the Division of Economic Development’s microgrid district certification.

House Bill 4990 addresses crimes relating to gift cards. The bill creates misdemeanor and felony offenses relating to larceny, tampering, and false pretenses.

House Bill 4995 requires notice to parents or guardians of children in the room when there is an interruption in the video camera or audio recording. The bill allows a judge to order a copy of the recording for the parents. The bill changes the timing of reviewing video recordings.

House Bill 4996 creates a new crime of making threats of violence. The two elements of this crime include 1) intentional communication of a threat to commit any crime of violence and 2) causes severe public alarm or inconvenience or recklessly disregards the risk of causing severe public alarm or inconvenience. The penalty for the crime is a felony, with 1 to 10 years in jail, a fine of $2,500 to $10,000, or both.

House Bill 4999 expands the current law, which is a misdemeanor to commit an assault or battery against an athletic official during an athletic event, to include any participant in the athletic event. Participants include players, coaches, administrators, and other official team members. In addition to the criminal penalties, the person convicted faces a one-year suspension from sporting events and criminal trespassing charges if they do not abide by the suspension.

House Bill 5004 requires the Commissioner of the Bureau for Public Health and the State Health Officer to educate health care professionals on evaluating and treating Pediatric Acute-Onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome (PANS) and Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal Infections (PANDAS).

House Bill 5012 allows the reassignment of a school employee at any point during the school year. It provides that no transfer may be made for arbitrary, capricious, or retaliatory reasons, and allows a teacher who believes that his or her transfer violates these provisions to file a grievance.

House Bill 5015 enacts the Respiratory Care Interstate Compact, which has been enacted in 5 states and is pending in 13.

House Bill 5022 expands the annual study conducted by the Bureau of Medical Services to include not only the Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Waiver program, but also the Aged and Disabled Waiver program, the Personal Care Services program, and the Traumatic Brain Injury Waiver program.

House Bill 5048 allows foster children awaiting residential placement to continue their education through virtual learning.

House Bill 5063 allows the county commission to appoint a county commissioner to a convention and visitors’ bureau as a voting member.

House Bill 5065 requires hotel marketplace facilitators to keep records of the hotel taxes they collect.

House Bill 5067 codifies the existing memorandum of understanding between the Division of Administration Services within the Department of Homeland Security and the law-enforcement offices within the DHS by allowing the Director of Administrative Services to facilitate the application for federal law-enforcement grants.

House Bill 5074 allocates $5 million from the Medical Cannabis Program Fund to the Supreme Court of Appeals for the establishment of a Child Protection Commission and $5 million to the Division of Primary Care to expand and enhance services to address homelessness. The remaining funds will revert to General Revenue. Beginning on July 1, 2026, the money in the fund will be allocated as follows: 15 percent to the Office of Medical Cannabis for administrative purposes, 15 percent to the Department of Agriculture for medical cannabis testing at West Virginia State University, 20 percent to the Fight Substance Abuse Fund, 10 percent to Marshall University for cannabis research, 10 percent to West Virginia University for substance use disorder research, 10 percent to the Supreme Court of Appeals for the Child Protection Commission and 20 percent to the Division of Administrative Services, Justice and Community Service Section.

House Bill 5086 establishes standards for peer support programs. The bill prohibits disciplinary action for licensure in certain instances. The bill states that nothing shall prohibit a board from requiring a licensee to attend a board-designated professional health program. The bill allows privileged communication, including testimonial privilege.

House Bill 5087 establishes the Interstate Cosmetology Licensure Compact. It permits the Board of Barbers and Cosmetologists to require applicants to undergo a criminal history record check if required by the compact or the compact commission rules. The bill sets requirements for membership and regulations for multistate licensure. It also establishes the Cosmetology Licensure Compact Commission.

House Bill 5088 modifies the accrued benefit of members of the West Virginia Natural Resources Police Officer Retirement System who retire after July 1, 2029.

House Bill 5089 modifies the requirement that a transcript or other credential provided by a public-school program, private school program, homeschool program, microschool program, or HOPE scholarship program be accepted by a public school in this state as a record of a student’s previous academic performance for placement and credit assignment by adding charter schools to the list of programs whose credential is required to be accepted by a public school and requiring that each public school record the class, grade, and source on the student’s public school transcript. Additionally, the bill requires an annual report to LOCEA on the student demographics who re-enroll in public school after attending another schooling option.

House Bill 5101 clarifies the definition of domestic violence. The bill also creates and increases penalties for domestic violence and alters bail requirements for domestic violence acts.

House Bill 5110 reduces tuition and fees for senior citizens by allowing them to participate in the reduced tuition program by classifying them as metro-area students at the institution rather than as a WV resident. The bill also reduces the minimum age of the participant from 65 to 60.

House Bill 5168 creates a special revenue fund administered by the Director of the West Virginia Office of Emergency Medical Services for the benefit of emergency medical services in counties with excess levies or dedicated fees related to emergency medical services, designated the County Emergency Medical Services Fund. Additionally, the bill creates a special revenue fund administered by the Director of the West Virginia Office of Emergency Medical Services for the benefit of emergency medical services in all counties, designated the All-County Emergency Medical Services Fund.

306 Bills completed legislative action (153 House Bills, 153 Senate Bills)
2777 Bills were introduced (1693 House Bills, 1084 Senate Bills)

House Bill 4002 creates the West Virginia Collaboratory at Marshall University to share policy and research expertise from state higher education institutions. The Collaboratory will concentrate on workforce development, public education, economic development, and natural resource management research.

House Bill 4004 establishes the Recharge West Virginia Act. This act would support West Virginia companies in investing in their employees’ upskilling. This bill would reimburse companies for upskilling their employees and also provide wage increases to said employees.

House Bill 4005 clarifies the types of employment a person under 16 is prohibited from performing under the Workforce Development Act of 2026. Examples of prohibited work include, but are not limited to, working in a bar, ore reduction work, logging, and saw milling, and more.

House Bill 4007 increases the financial limits on the Industrial Road Fund. This bill increases unmatched funds to $800,000 and matched funds to $300,000. The bill also allows the funds to be used for approved development sites under the WV Business Ready Sites Program.

House Bill 4008 expands the West Virginia Business Ready Site Program to improve the state’s industrial site development. The bill aims to enhance economic development sites by providing funding for infrastructure improvements.

House Bill 4009 creates the Portable Benefit Account Act. This act allows independent contractors to receive benefits from their hiring parties for healthcare, retirement, and life insurance.

House Bill 4022 requires the state to allocate and station child protective services workers in counties based on population, referrals, and average case load.

House Bill 4025 exempts new hires and promoted employees within the Departments of Health Facilities, Human Services, and Health from the classified civil service system and the state grievance process.

House Bill 4028 exempts state and municipal sales and use taxes certain construction materials used to construct, alter, repair, or improve a new or existing public school facility. Building materials specifically do not include tools, equipment, or anything else that does not become a permanent part of the facility.

House Bill 4053 establishes the Blue Envelope Program. The Blue Envelope program would facilitate communication between law enforcement officers and individuals with autism, dementia, or intellectual and developmental disabilities during motor vehicle-related interactions.

House Bill 4087 establishes the West Virginia-Ireland Education Alliance to create partnerships between higher education institutions in West Virginia and Ireland. The bill also allows partnered two-year and four-year colleges to apply for grants of up to $50,000 for student exchanges and collaborative programs, with awards determined by the Higher Education Policy Commission.

House Bill 4088 changes 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’s degree programs, and one to expand the certification to those with only a bachelor’s degree. 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.

House Bill 4089 requires that a scalp cooling system, a device used to cool the scalp to prevent or reduce hair loss during cancer chemotherapy, be covered by insurance if the insurance provides coverage for chemotherapy.

House Bill 4106 removes the licensing requirement for 18-, 19-, and 20-year-olds to conceal carry a deadly weapon. Proponents argued that these individuals can already carry a weapon. Currently, they aren’t able to conceal their weapons. Opponents argued that removing the licensing requirement would eliminate the training required for concealed carry.

House Bill 4126 makes 50% of royalties received from leasing of state-owned gas, oil, and other mineral rights beneath the Ohio River and its tributaries deposited into the State Parks and Recreation Endowment Fund. This fund will pay for the director’s operation, maintenance, and improvement of state parks, state forests, and state rail trails.

House Bill 4138 ensures that the current crimes of “sexual extortion” and “aggravated sexual extortion” are offenses that require registration as a sex offender.

House Bill 4169 modifies West Virginia law concerning the process for individuals to regain their right to possess firearms after being prohibited due to mental health adjudications or involuntary commitments. This bill would update the requirements for the mental health examination that must accompany a petition to the court to restore firearm rights. The bill expands the list of qualified professionals who can conduct this examination to include physicians, psychologists, licensed professional counselors, licensed independent clinical social workers, advanced nurse practitioners with psychiatric certification, and physician assistants, provided these latter professionals have prior court authorization demonstrating expertise in mental health or substance use disorders.

House Bill 4176 allows youth hunters to take one antlered deer or doe during the Special Youth Deer Season.

House Bill 4191 enhances childcare accessibility and support for families and employers in West Virginia by introducing several key provisions. This bill expands tax credits for employers who provide or sponsor childcare for their employees, allows subsidy payments to childcare facilities to be made on a monthly enrollment basis, and requires the Department of Human Services to use a cost-of-care modeling tool to determine subsidy amounts.

House Bill 4196 prohibits individuals and corporations from operating an opioid treatment facility program without first obtaining a license from the Director of the Office of Health Facility Licensure and Certification.

House Bill 4215 allows the Department of Health to adopt rules governing water wells.

House Bill 4245 allows several agencies under the Department of Revenue to create rules. These agencies include, but are not limited to, the Alcohol Beverage Control Commission, Division of Financial Institutions, and the Insurance Commissioner.

House Bill 4265 allows the Department of Agriculture to create rules governing dog registration, taxation, tags, and control.

House Bill 4335 proposes changes to Medicaid provider enrollment and credentialing by setting expedited timelines, standardizing requirements across managed care organizations, and directing the creation of a unified statewide electronic credentialing system.

House Bill 4345 establishes a protocol for preserving records and evidence in unresolved missing persons cases after one year by digitizing them and housing them at the West Virginia Fusion Center.

House Bill 4354 sets requirements for clothing and essential items for foster children.
The bill establishes what is considered an adequate wardrobe for children in the state’s legal custody and outlines how payments for these necessities will be made.

House Bill 4364 addresses juvenile jurisdiction on military installations by updating the sharing of authority between the federal government and the state. The purpose of the bill is to allow the transfer of exclusive federal legislative jurisdiction back to the state in cases involving juveniles.

House Bill 4366 clarifies how military protective orders related to interpersonal or domestic violence can be recognized and used in West Virginia courts. In addition, the bill allows law enforcement officers to notify the agency that entered a military protection order into the National Crime Information Center if there is probable cause to believe the order has been violated.

House Bill 4390 establishes a temporary payment increase for kinship parents, who are relatives caring for children, to match the subsidy amount provided to foster parents.

House Bill 4393 requires the Department of Human Services to develop a statewide prevention plan to provide prevention services to children under 18 and their families, including kinship and foster parents. Services should be trauma-informed and evidence-based. Services should be for children who are at-risk, regardless of whether there is a child protective or youth services case opened. Services shall be offered to pregnant or parenting youth, youth aging out of foster care, youth transitioning from levels of care, and youth post-adoption. The bill requires DoHS to ensure the network of providers is accessible and within a reasonable distance of children and families. Providers cannot be solely telehealth providers or physical locations.

House Bill 4395 requires West Virginia schools to investigate allegations that an employee has jeopardized a student’s health, safety, or welfare, even if the employee resigns or transfers before the investigation is completed.

House Bill 4404 increases the allowance that volunteer and part-volunteer fire departments can spend on educational and training supplies and fire prevention promotional materials from $500 to $5,000 per year.

House Bill 4412 requires commercial websites and applications that contain a substantial amount of sexual material harmful to minors to verify that users are at least 18 years of age before allowing access to the content. If a website contains one-third of sexual material, it must implement an age verification system using digital identification, government-issued identification, or a commercially reasonable system that confirms a user’s age.

House Bill 4415 establishes a felony for unlawfully transporting, causing to be transported, or delivering a telecommunications device into a correctional facility or to an individual held in custody in a correctional facility. The bill expands the definition of a telecommunications device by adding new types of electronic signals and listing specific telecommunications devices.

House Bill 4416 reclassifies forestry equipment as class I to provide tax benefits beginning July 1, 2026. Additionally, the bill exempts the sale and service of forestry equipment from sales tax, as other agricultural equipment is.

House Bill 4418 creates the Tax Efficiency Act of 2026. This act allows municipal business, occupation, or privilege taxes to be paid through the statewide electric data processing system.

House Bill 4425 repeals a law that previously allowed students to transfer between schools without losing their athletic eligibility. Now, if a student transfers from one school to another, they may no longer automatically be allowed to participate in sports at the new school without facing eligibility restrictions.

House Bill 4433 modifies West Virginia’s human trafficking laws by increasing penalties for trafficking, forced labor, debt bondage, and sexual servitude. The bill creates a definition for “illegal alien” as any individual who has entered the United States without authorization and is subject to removal if apprehended, or an individual who has lawfully been admitted into the United States but has since violated the terms of admission or is without legal status. Under the bill, “illegal aliens” are not eligible for restitution.

House Bill 4437 provides one free Gold Star Family license plate to Gold Star parents in West Virginia. Under the bill, a qualifying Gold Star Parent, defined as a mother or father of a veteran eligible for a Gold Star lapel pin under federal law, would be exempt from all registration fees for one personal vehicle plate.

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

House Bill 4463 modifies the rules for Sanitarians. This bill would give the Board of Sanitation greater authority and rulemaking power. Under this bill, the board will be allowed to offer online training for sanitarians, allow persons with an associate’s degree or higher to be eligible for licensing, and establish reciprocity between states.

House Bill 4464 updated the definition of emergency-related Underground Facilities Damage Prevention. The bill clarified that an emergency includes “any emergency that requires immediate correction to assure continuity of services provided by or through an underground facility.”

House Bill 4474 extends the Alzheimer’s Disease and Other Dementia Advisory Council’s sunset date. This council provides the state with information on policies, programs, and resources for individuals living with Alzheimer’s and their families. With this extension, the council will continue implementing the State Alzheimer’s Plan and supporting initiatives across the state.

House Bill 4483 reduces the funeral director’s apprenticeship requirement to 1 year, rather than 2. This bill would also change the renewal period for emeritus licenses from 2 years to 4 years.

House Bill 4484 allows county commissions to have the same flexibility to sell or lease property as municipalities, including competitive bidding or a public auction.

House Bill 4538 prohibits any government entity or agency from using digital equipment to gather evidence for issuing a traffic citation, except under new exemptions established by this bill. This bill allows the use of photographic, video, and digital equipment within an active work zone.

House Bill 4546 requires biennial reports for limited liability and foreign limited liability companies, rather than the annual reports they currently file.

House Bill 4552 classifies correctional officers as law enforcement officers for purposes of carrying a concealed firearm under federal law.

House Bill 4561 allows county sheriffs to appoint more than one chief deputy, with the consent of their respective county commissioners.

House Bill 4575 provides $8 million to the Hancock County Board of Education to prevent missed payrolls at the end of the current fiscal year following the state’s intervention in the county’s troubled school system.

House Bill 4577 creates driver license reciprocity agreements with Ireland and Japan. The Commissioner of Motor Vehicles can only enter into these reciprocal agreements upon a determination that the foreign country’s qualifications for obtaining a driver’s license are at least as stringent as those imposed in West Virginia.