The House Public Education and Educational Choice Committees discussed several bills this afternoon.

Public Education

House Bill 4871 would make vegetarian meal option available for students that complies with federal nutritional guidelines.

House Bill 4467 would permit pregnant women and new mothers who are employed by the public school system to utilize the sick leave bank.

House Bill 4485 would allow educators in the public school system or in the higher education system to donate leave to employees for maternity leave.

Educational Choice

House Bill 4817 would modify the Charter Schools Startup Fund. Some of these modifications include an application submission to be sent to the West Virginia Professional Charter School Board, expanding the uses for the funds, and requiring the distribution of money to qualifying charter school applicants and charter schools.

House Bill 4062 would create the West Virginia Homeschool Student Athletics Participation Act. This act would create an opportunity for homeschool students to play in WVSSAC athletics.

House Bill 4950 would establish the West Virginia Freedom and Innovation Pilot Act of 2026. This act would let school districts opt out of the school aid formula, following School Board approval. Any county that chooses to participate in the pilot program shall be funded by a grant of $5,775 per enrolled student as of December 2025.

The Subcommittee on Government Administration met this afternoon.

Markup & Passage

House Bill 4483 updates funeral director licensing. The bill also reduces the time required for apprenticeship towards licensure.

House Bill 4492 increases the maximum broker deposit amount to $500.

House Bill 4550 requires the State of West Virginia, or any agency or political subdivision, to provide appraisals for landowners when involved in eminent domain negotiations.

House Bill 4580 establishes a two-county pilot program requiring the use of mobile devices to access the CPS case management system during child abuse and neglect investigations. The Department of Human Services would be required to report annually to LOCHHRA about the programs.

Committee Hearing

House Bill 4531 requires the Division of Motor Vehicles to provide certain identification documents to homeless U.S. citizens residing in homeless shelters within this state at no cost.

House Bill 4612 would allow for a new vehicle title to be provided for an older vehicle left to individuals inheriting property.

House Bill 4518 would streamline the process of updating a driver’s information when getting a new vehicle and using EZ-Pass.

House Bill 4558 would allow tow truck companies to access driver registration information on demand, at any time. The goal is to notify owners of vehicles where their vehicles can be found.

The Subcommittee on Banking and Insurance met this afternoon.

Markup & Passage

House Bill 4089 requires health insurers to cover scalp-cooling systems for the preservation of hair during cancer chemotherapy.

The bill was advanced to the full committee.

Committee Hearing

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

House Bill 4117 prohibits out-of-network emergency medical services agencies from balance billing a covered enrollee in a health insurance plan for ground ambulance services.

The House Health and Human Resources Committee advanced two bills this evening.

House Bill 4641 would organize the guidelines for nutritionally adequate school breakfasts and lunches to follow standards set by new federal guidelines, as well as the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. This bill was advanced to the Standing Committee on Education.

House Bill 4770 would create limitations on the use of AI technology to deliver mental health care except for administrative functions. This bill was advanced to Finance.

House Bill 4982 would establish and expand a coordinated, statewide Healthy Lifestyles framework to promote nutrition, physical activity, and wellness through cross-agency collaboration, school-based initiatives, public-private partnerships, grants, and reporting requirements to improve the health of West Virginians.

House Bill 4760 would require insurance to cover certain nutrition and dietary needs that are recommended by a person’s physician.

House Bill 4907 would restrict the use of pesticides within 1000ft of schools. These pesticides include paraquat or paraquat dichlorate, atrazine, dicamba, chlorpyrifos, 2,4-dichloroacetic acid (2,4-D), glyphosate, or perfluoroalkyl or polyfluoroalkyl substance.

The House Energy and Public Works Committee met this evening.

Markup & Passage

House Bill 4012 would reduce the regulatory burden on utility companies when constructing and maintaining electric power generation and transmission facilities within this state by shortening the time to final decision.

House Bill 4026 requires integrated power companies to expand their integrated resource plans. The bill was amended to clarify that costs and benefits should be included in the plans submitted to the PSC.

House Bill 4461 provides that consumers are not required to pay for service outages lasting more than 12 hours.

House Bill 4489 allows the DMV to issue birth, death, marriage, or divorce records in the State Registrar. The bill allows for the DMV to collect a fee for doing so.

Committee Hearing

House Bill 4011 would facilitate the implementation of third-party certification of mass balance attribution to promote waste reduction practices by enabling the use of recycled material in feedstock for new products.

House Bill 4862 would require the board of a public service district to cooperate with a county commission when the county commission has authorized the dissolution, sale, or merger of the district with another public service district.

The House Agriculture, Commerce, and Tourism Subcommittee met this afternoon.

Markup & Passage

House Bill 4504 requires the Division of Natural Resources to make rules for hunted antlered deer. The bill would allow first antlered deer to be taken under current rules, but adds that the second antlered deer must have three points on one side.

House Bill 4663 repeals the special license for multi-vendor private fairs and festivals where multiple vendors share liability and responsibility.

House Bill 4386 changes the age limit for firefighters. The bill was amended to allow applicants to be 40 years old.

House Bill 4493 was amended; the bill now creates the West Virginia Wholesale Accountability Act. The bill requires the wholesaler of residential homes to notify the seller that the home will be transferred to another individual or organization before the buyer takes legal title to the home.

Committee Hearing

House Bill 4762 would provide reciprocity for licensed veterinarians and veterinary technicians who are licensed and in good standing in other states and offer specialized and temporary licensure to foreign graduates through PAVE and ECFVGG.

House Bill 4800 would add “any other livestock” to penalties for dogs wounding livestock.