Blog – Page 5 – Wrap Up

Gov. Org. Advances Bills Exempting Employees from Classified System

Cheyenne DeBolt

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February 26, 2026

Gov. Org. Advances Bills Exempting Employees from Classified System

The Committee on Government Organization met this afternoon.

Committee Hearing

House Bill 5403 would provide reasonable minimum safety standards for fully enclosed buildings participating in the state’s agritourism program.

House Bill 4176 would allow youth hunters to take one antlered deer during the Special Youth Deer Season.

House Bill 5364 reforms the state board and commissions system by eliminating unnecessary, expired, or outdated boards. The bill shifts essential functions of several boards or commissions to various agencies or entities. It reduces the number of members on several continuing boards and commissions. Finally, it modifies or eliminates several reports from various boards or commissions.

House Bill 5087 establishes the Interstate Cosmetology Licensure Compact.

Markup & Passage

House Bill 4025 exempts new hires and promoted employees within the Departments of Health Facilities, Department of Human Services, and Department of Health from the classified civil service system and the state grievance process, effective July 1, 2026.

House Bill 5441 terminates the State Personnel Board. It defines the role of the director and the Division of Personnel, and transfers all State Personnel Board responsibilities to the Division. The bill eliminates the exemptions for the Department of Transportation, State Tax Division, and Bureau of Social Services. It exempts transferring new hires and promoted employees within the Department of Transportation into the classified-exempt system. These employees are exempt from the grievance board.

House Bill 5622 modifies city charters to align local elections with state elections.

House Passes Bill Prohibiting Law Enforcement Cameras on Private Land

Cheyenne DeBolt

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February 26, 2026

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House Passes Bill Prohibiting Law Enforcement Cameras on Private Land

The House of Delegates passed several bills today, but also postponed six by one day. The bills postponed are House Bills 4006, 4148, 4395, 4471, 4981, and 5613.

A few of the bills passed today:

Senate Bill 84 prohibits law enforcement from installing a surveillance camera on private land without the property owner’s consent or a valid search warrant.

House Bill 4483 makes changes to the code relating to funeral services licensure and administration, as well as updates apprenticeship standards.

House Bill 4962 declares violations of controlled substances laws may create a public nuisance, allowing the county or municipality to take action to abate the nuisance and seek assistance from the court.

House Bill 5012 allows for transfers of school personnel during the school year to schools in need.

Resolutions introduced can be found here.

Committee Meetings, Today February 26

Judiciary after floor in Room 410M
Government Organization at 1 p.m. in Room 215E
Finance at 5 p.m. in Room 460M

Committee Meetings, Tomorrow February 27

Judiciary at 9 a.m. in Room 410M
Finance at 9 a.m. in Room 460M
Rules at 10:45 a.m. in Speaker’s Conference Room 218M
Government Organization at 1 p.m. in Room 215E

House Finance Passes Two Originating Bills

Cheyenne DeBolt

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February 26, 2026

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House Finance Passes Two Originating Bills

The House Finance Committee this morning.

Markup & Passage

House Bill Originating provides for revenue bonds for improvements at the Culture Center.

House Bill 4001 would create a nonprofit corporation formed by the Governor to promote economic development, job creation, job retention, job training, and the recruitment of businesses to WV.

House Bill 5353 would bring virtual currency kiosks within the purview of money transmission licensure. The bill sets disclosure requirements and transaction limitations for new and existing customers.

House Bill 5088 increases the West Virginia Natural Resources Police Officer Retirement System accrued benefit for members who retire after July 1, 2029. The bill provides funding for the benefit.

House Bill 4010 provides a statutory framework for lending state funds to local airports for hangar construction to enhance economic development in the state.

House Bill 5515 revises outdated provisions of the code relating to the administration of workers’ compensation claims.

House Bill 5438 would modify the foundation allowance to improve instructional programs.

House Bill Originating – Hope Scholarship would amend the Hope Scholarship to require payments four times a year instead of twice.

An amendment was offered to set an income cap at five times the Average Gross Income. The amendment was ruled not germane.

Another amendment was offered to insert a tier award so that families making $75,000 or less get full award, families making $75,000 to $100,000 would get 75 percent of the award, families making $100,000 to $125,000 would qualify for 50 percent of the award, families making $125,000 to $150,000 would qualify for 25 percent of the award, and families making over $150,000 would be ineligible for the Hope Scholarship. The amendment was ruled not germane.

Another amendment was made to allow out-of-state virtual schools to remain eligible, while making brick-and-mortar schools ineligible. The amendment was ruled not germane.

The originating bill was advanced to the House floor.

The Committee is in recess.

Senate Judiciary Continues to Advance Child Welfare Bills

Headline

Christopher Marshall

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February 26, 2026

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Senate Judiciary Continues to Advance Child Welfare Bills

The Senate Judiciary Committee met Wednesday afternoon and evening, advancing three child protection-related bills, continuing the body’s theme this week of addressing West Virginia’s child welfare issues.

Senate Bill 937 establishes a community-based child welfare system program in West Virginia, beginning with a phased implementation in Berkeley and Jefferson Counties and Bureau for Social Services Region IV, with further expansion requiring legislative approval.

While the Bureau for Social Services would retain exclusive authority for initial intake of abuse and neglect reports, investigations, and emergency safety decisions, responsibility for ongoing case management, service coordination, and court-related functions would be transferred to contracted community-based providers after the initial investigation is complete.

Under the legislation, these providers would be required to meet specific qualifications, and the system would use a case-rate payment model with shared-risk provisions, allowing providers to retain savings from improved outcomes while assuming some cost responsibility.

The bill emphasizes performance-based contracts rather than prescriptive staffing, sets caseload expectations, and requires training aligned with department standards. The Bureau for Social Services would maintain oversight of contract compliance, performance, fiscal accountability, and data reporting, and contracted providers would have protection from civil damages for good-faith actions unless there is gross negligence or willful misconduct.

An evaluation report on child safety, fiscal performance, and provider capacity would be submitted to the Legislature within 18 months of implementation.

Senate Bill 459 would amend the Best Interests of Child Protection Act of 2022, aiming to ensure that courts consider the importance of a child maintaining meaningful contact with their step-siblings when making decisions about what is in the child’s best interests.

The “best interests of the child” is a legal standard used in family law cases, such as custody disputes, to guide judicial decisions.

This bill would add step-siblings to the existing list of relationships that are considered important for a child’s well-being and stability, alongside parents and half-siblings.

House Bill 4749 expands the rights of foster children and children in kinship placements, which are arrangements where a child is placed with relatives.

Specifically, for children aged 13 and older, the legislation adds three new rights: the right to be notified in a timely manner about any court hearing that could legally affect them, the right to attend such hearings, and the right to have the results of these hearings explained to them by their guardian ad litem (a court-appointed representative for the child) or legal counsel.

The bill also clarifies that if a child’s in-person attendance at a hearing is not practical or in their best interest, alternative attendance methods like virtual participation may be used, with a preference for the child’s wishes if feasible and beneficial.

All three bills were sent to the full Senate with the recommendation of passage.

House Health Advances Five Bills to Markup & Passage

Cheyenne DeBolt

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February 25, 2026

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The House Health and Human Resources Committee met this evening.

Markup & Passage

House Bill 5466 renames the intervention and prevention program for domestic abuse.

Committee Hearing

Senate Bill 645 would prohibit out-of-network emergency medical services agencies from balance billing a covered enrollee in a health insurance plan for ground ambulance services. The bill establishes the minimum payment an insurer must make to an out-of-network emergency medical services agency for ambulance services. The bill requires the insurer to pay out-of-network emergency medical services agencies directly and to promptly pay clean claims.

House Bill 5004 would require health coverage for Pediatric Acute-Onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome (PANS) and Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal Infections (PANDAS).

House Bill 5327, the West Virginia ALS Care Services Act, would establish a program and fund to help people with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). The Act would require the Department of Human Services to provide care service coordination and support, as well as access to technology, medical equipment, and ramp loan programs. The bill would also require the Department of Human Services to facilitate access to specialized multidisciplinary ALS Clinics.

House Bill 5563 would create the West Virginia Timely Transplant Referral and Veteran Care Coordination Act. The bill requires transplant referrals to be sent within 3 days, establishes automatic clinical referral triggers based on organ evaluation, and requires written confirmation of referral status to the patient or family members within 7 days.

House Bill 4772 requires the Bureau of Medical Services to verify and remove deceased Medicaid enrollees. The bill requires data matches with official death records and mandates the termination of eligibility upon proof of death.

House Education Advances Two Study Resolutions

Cheyenne DeBolt

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February 25, 2026

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House Education Advances Two Study Resolutions

The House Education Committee met this afternoon.

Markup & Passage

House Bill 4425 repeals the section of the code that governs the athletic eligibility of transfer students.

House Bill 5089 would require verified mastery of content standards to be documented on transcripts when a student enrolls or re-enrolls in a public school in this state.

House Bill 5163 exempts child-care programs operated by a county board of education exclusively for the children of its employees from certain licensing requirements.

House Bill 5537 repeals obsolete and outdated sections of the public education code.

House Bill originating would require the state board to set graduation requirements for public schools.

House Resolution originating would require a study of the firefighter pilot program to determine how to improve firefighter 1 and 2 training and where they are most needed in the state.

House Resolution originating would require a study with the Department of Education to determine whether the state would benefit from fewer, merged school districts.

House Sends Amended Budget Bill Back to Senate

Cheyenne DeBolt

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February 25, 2026

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House Sends Amended Budget Bill Back to Senate

During the Floor Session, the House of Delegates discussed and advanced the fiscal year 2027 budget bill.

Senate Bill 250 is the budget bill. The House amended it with its version of the budget bill. The House Finance Amendment of the Budget Bill allocated the of $5,462,851,590 of General Revenue as follows:

Legislative
- Senate: $6,652,206
- House of Delegates: $12,620,268
- Joint Committee $12,722,947
Judicial: $176, 736,918
Executive
- Governor’s Office: $6,250,122
- Custodial Fund: 622,377
- Civil Contingent Fund: $102
- Auditor’s Office: $2,779,793
- Treasurer’s Office: $8,830,187
- Department of Agriculture: $14,469,072
  - Meat Inspection Fund: $1,214,444
  - Agricultural Award Fund: $15,000
  - WV Agricultural Land Protection Authority: $111,862
- West Virginia Conservation Agency: $12,417,443
- Attorney General: $6,023,360
- Secretary of State: $996,797
- State Election Commission: $7,508
Department of Administration
- Office of Secretary: $16,223,859
- Division of Finance: $825,887
- Division of General Services: $26,463,626
- Division of Purchasing: $1,024,457
- Travel Management: $1,195,454
- Commission on Uniform State Laws: $65,550
- WV Public Employees Grievance Board: $1,178,156
- Ethics Commission: $673,154
- Public Defender Services: $46,010,978
- Division of Personnel: $900,000
- Committee for the Purchase of Commodities and Services from the Handicapped: $4,055
- West Virginia Prosecuting Attorneys Institute: $693,963
- Office of Technology: $7,000,000
- Real Estate Division: $888,578
Department of Commerce
- Division of Forestry: $7,312,143
- Geological and Economic Survey: $3,334,758
- Division of Economic Development: $15,619,700
- Office of Energy: $1,036,585
- Division of Labor: $1,743,200
- Division of Natural Resources: $31,658,977
- Division of Miners’ Health, Safety, and Training: $12,402,386
- Board of Coal Mine Health and Safety: $360,281
- WorkForce West Virginia: $75,340
- Office of the Secretary: $3,134,244
- State Board of Rehabilitation: $16,227,477
Tourism
- Office of the Secretary: $20,550,127
- Division of Culture and History: $5,689,995
- Library Commission: $1,380,493
- Educational Broadcasting Commission: $3,859,496
Department of Education
- School Lunch Program: $2,511,490
- State Department of Education: $236,819,626
- Aid for Exceptional Children: $36,913,699
- State Aid to Schools: $2,010,884,589
- Vocational Division: $38,766,049
- WV School for the Deaf and the Blind: $14,511,425
- School Building Authority: $24,000,000
Department of Environmental Protection
- Environmental Quality Board: $136,671
- Division of Environmental Protection: $7,807,802
- Air Quality Board: $76,645
Department of Health
- Central Office: $4,153,426
- Office of Shared Administration: $6,096,658
- Bureau for Public Health
  - Office of Commissioner: $4,492,893
  - Health Statistics Center: $638,606
  - Office of Environmental Health Services: $3,652,860
  - Office of Epidemiology and Prevention Services: $2,997,605
  - Office of Laboratory Services: $4,172,175
  - Office of Maternal, Child, and Family Health
    - Children’s Special Care: $1,685,672
    - Infant, Child, Adolescent, Young Adult Health: $2,030,040
    - Maternal, Child, and Family Health Epidemiology: $469,195
    - Community Health: $435,508
    - Women’s and Family Health: $2,557,262
    - WV Birth to Three: $17,156,198
  - Office of Medical Cannabis: $1,218,359
  - Office of Nutrition Services: $38,540
  - Commission for Deaf and Hard of Hearing: $242,921
  - Center for Local Health: $20,305,818
  - Office of Chief Medical Examiner: $14,138,525
  - Office of Emergency Medical Services: $5,332,052
  - Office of Threat Preparedness: $5,595
  - Office of Community Health and Health Promotion: $8,160,839
  - Human Rights Commission: $1,563,667
  - Office of Inspector General: $8,752,760
- Department of Human Services
  - Division of Human Services: $188,579,791
  - Office of Shared Services: $27,996,004
  - Bureau for Medical Services
    - Office of the Commissioner: $901,324
    - Medical Services Administration: $47,255,306
    - Policy and Programming: $225,064,349
    - Home and Community Based Waiver Programs: $157,528,384
  - Bureau for Social Services
    - Office of Commissioner: $31,064,017
    - Children’s Services: $43,092,266
    - Adoption: $85,350,822
    - Foster Care: $202,733,826
    - Adult Services: $6,350,984
    - CPS Caseworkers: $33,679,906
    - Caseworkers: $13,916,220
    - APS Caseworkers: $5,984,002
    - YS Caseworkers: $6,564,776
  - Department of Health Facilities
    - Central Office: $7,743,609
    - Health Facilities Capital Projects Fund: $550,000
    - Welch Community Hospital: $24,216,810
    - Sharpe Hospital: $140,131,859
    - Mitchell-Bateman Hospital: $63,393,315
    - Sharpe Hospital – Transitional Living Facility: $2,366,766
  - Department of Homeland Security
    - Office of the Secretary: $4,296,125
    - Division of Emergency Management: $7,145,657
    - Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation
      - WV Parole Board: $1,288,692
      - Central Office: $360,425
      - Correctional Units: $371,824,592
      - Bureau of Juvenile Services: $61,885,429
    - WV State Police: $116,510,428
    - Division of Protective Services: $3,990,124
    - Criminal Justice Fund: $23,940,215
    - Division of Administrative Services: $6,038,001
  - Department of Revenue
    - Office of Secretary: $648,849
    - Tax Division: $32,263,563
    - State Budget Office: $1,136,629
    - WV Office of Tax Appeals: $1,223,334
    - State Athletic Commission: $36,075
  - Department of Transportation
    - Division of Multimodal Transportation Facilities: $1,353,865
      - State Rail Authority: $2,509,484
      - Public Transit: $2,982,129
      - Aeronautics Commission: $993,394
    - Department of Veterans’ Assistance: $15,946,337
      - Veterans’ Home: $1,968,297
    - Bureau of Senior Services: $6,580,366
    - WV Council for Community and Technical College Education
      - Control Account: $14,862,985
      - Mountwest: $7,157,658
      - New River: $7,271,440
      - Pierpont: $8,540,530
      - Blue Ridge: $10,078,278
      - WVU-Parkersburg: $12,542,081
      - Southern WV CTC: $9,896,697
      - WV Northern CTC: $9,289,720
      - Eastern WV CTC: $2,466,862
      - BridgeValley: $9,254,556
    - Higher Education Policy Commission
      - Control Account: $82,987,803
      - WVU School of Medicine: $22,987,917
      - WVU General Administration: $125,905,175
      - Marshall University School of Medicine: $10,320,177
      - Marshall University Administration: $60,387,107
      - WV School of Osteopathic Medicine: $6,647,449
      - Bluefield State University: $7,209,129
      - Concord University: $11,669,283
      - Fairmont State University: $20,871,339
      - Glenville State University: $7,974,932
      - Shepherd University: $13,810,226
      - West Liberty University: $10,639,093
      - West Virginia State University: $18,368,730
      - WVNET: $2,028,906
    - Adjutant General
      - State Militia: $17,320,959
      - Military Fund: $78,887

Aside from the General Revenue Fund, the totals for other revenue funds were provided:

State Road Fund: $$2,165,942,568
Other Funds: $2,666,402,653
Lottery Revenue: $166,006,00
Excess Lottery Funds: $334,612,000
Federal Funds: $9,728,704,716
Federal Block Grants: $725,006,799
General Revenue Surplus: $191,190,000
Lottery Surplus: $31,777,000
Excess Lottery Surplus: $21,345,488

Several amendments were made to the House Committee’s Budget Amendment.

Delegate Hite (R-Berkeley) amended the budget to state that all unexpended appropriated funds for IDD Waivers at the end of Fiscal Year 2026 may be used for Fiscal Year 2027.

Delegate Linville (R-Cabell) amended the bill to provide $150,000 to the Division of Labor for an OSHA investigator.

Delegate Hornbuckle (D-Cabell) and others amended the budget to include $25,000,000 from surplus to the WV Flood Resiliency Office Trust Fund.

Delegate Funkhouser (R-Jefferson) amended the bill to allocate an additional $2 million to WorkForce WV.

Delegates Riley (R-Harrison) and Hott (R-Grant) amended the bill to increase the funding for nonuniformed employees in the Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation.

The amended bill moves back to the Senate for consideration.

The House is adjourned until Tomorrow, February 26 at 11 a.m.

Committee Meetings, Today February 25

Government Organization at 4 p.m. in Room 215E
Education at 4 p.m. in Room 432M
Energy & Public Works at 5:30 p.m. in Room 410M
Health & Human Resources at 5:30 p.m. in Room 215E
Finance at 6:30 p.m. in Room 460M

Committee Meetings, Tomorrow February 26

Sub. Com. on Revenue at 8:30 p.m. in Room 460M
Judiciary at 9 a.m. in Room 410M
Finance at 9 a.m. in Room 460M
Rules at 10:45 a.m. in Speaker’s Conference Room 218M
Government Organization at 1 p.m. in Room 215E
Energy & Public Works at 3 p.m. in Room 410M
Health & Human Resources at 3:30 p.m. in Room 215E

Senate Passes Bill Adopting Uniform Protected Series Act

Headline

Christopher Marshall

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February 25, 2026

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Senate Passes Bill Adopting Uniform Protected Series Act

The Senate passed 11 bills during Wednesday morning’s floor session.

Among the bills passed, Senate Bill 670 would adopt the Uniform Protected Series Act. The legislation would provide the the Commissioner of Highways with the authority to grant locality pay to Division of Highways employees working in jurisdictions where additional compensation is needed to help recruit and retain staff.

Under this legislation, the commissioner can approve a pay differential that allows employees to receive up to $10,000 above their regular salary or hourly rate, even if this exceeds their standard salary range for their job classification.

The purpose of this locality pay is to make certain geographic areas or positions more competitive in attracting and keeping qualified workers. The commissioner will need to propose specific rules for implementing this pay program, which will require approval from the legislature according to the state’s administrative procedures.

This approach allows for targeted, location-specific compensation adjustments to address workforce challenges in particular areas or for specific job roles within the Division of Highways.

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

Also on Wednesday, the body adopted Senate Resolution 49, which commends volunteers for their recovery efforts in the aftermath of flooding at Chief Logan State Park.

Senator Rupie Phillips (R-Logan, 07) described both his role and the heroic role of volunteers and local coal company employees, in helping in the recovery efforts following a May 2025 flood at Chief Logan State Park.

UPDATE:

The Senate returned at 4:30 to receive committee reports and read select bills a first time.

The following Senate Bills were read a first time: SB 63, SB 141, SB 194, SB 644, SB 714, and SB 954.

The Senate is adjourned until tomorrow, Feb. 26 at 11 a.m.

Morning Meetings for Feb. 26:

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

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

Senate Natural Resources Approves Jennings Randolph Lake and Teter Creek Lake State Parks

Headline

Christopher Marshall

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February 25, 2026

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Senate Natural Resources Approves Jennings Randolph Lake and Teter Creek Lake State Parks

The Senate Natural Resources Committee met briefly Wednesday morning to approve Senate Bill 996, which creates the Jennings Randolph Lake and Teter Creek Lake State Parks.

The legislation recognizes the importance these areas for recreation, the economy, and the environment, and aims to boost tourism and conservation in these respective regions.

The bill would amend existing law to add both areas to the the list of West Virginia state parks, and it grants the Division of Natural Resources the authority to manage, maintain, and improve the parks, including entering into agreements with entities like the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to ensure its continued operation and public use, while clarifying that federal jurisdiction over the lakes and surrounding federal lands remains unaffected.

The Division is also empowered to develop facilities, improve access, expand amenities, and allocate resources to enhance outdoor recreation and promote economic growth, with the new parks’ designations taking effect on July 1, 2026.

The bill now heads to the Senate Finance Committee for further consideration.

House Finances Advances Six Bills from Committee

Cheyenne DeBolt

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February 25, 2026

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House Finances Advances Six Bills from Committee

House Finance met this morning.

Markup & Passage

House Bill 5463 reduces the mandatory liability minimum from $1.25 million to $1 million. The bill also removes the excess coverage requirements for county boards of education.

House Bill 4869 establishes a narrow, clearly bounded guaranteed-issue right for Medicare Supplement (Medigap) policies in West Virginia.

House Bill 4421 ceases tolls on the West Virginia Turnpike upon completion of all bond payments.

House Bill 4452 repeals the “Mortmain” restrictions on religious organizations.

House Bill 5106 authorizes, instead of requiring, the Cabell County Board of Education to provide funds available to the board through special and excess levies to the Greater Huntington Park and Recreation District.

House Bill 5457 provides that half service credit for periods of disability service counts toward retirement for State Troopers.

Committee Hearing

House Bill 5527 requires companies selling wellness reimbursement plans to be licensed to do business in the state by the Insurance Commissioner.

House Bill 5353 brings virtual currency kiosks within the purview of money transmission licensure. The bill would create disclosure requirements and daily transaction limitations for new and existing customers.

The House Bill Originating is the Culture Center Bond Bill.