HB 2156 West Virginia House of Delegates · 2025 Regular Session

Relating to time limits imposed on the Division of Highways to grant a highway entrance permit

HB 2156 sets a 30-day deadline for West Virginia's Division of Highways (DOH) to approve or deny highway entrance permits for work on public roads. If the DOH fails to respond within 30 days, the permit is automatically approved. The bill also limits permit change requests to one revision and requires the DOH to respond to disputes within 15 days, with automatic approval if they miss this deadline. It directly affects construction companies, utility providers, developers, and businesses needing road access, with no application fee required if applicants follow the guidelines - though a $500 fee applies for emergency requests.

Issues: ✓ Transportation

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2025

Committee Review

Mar 2025

House of Delegates Passage

Mar 2025

Senate Passage

Governor

Introduced Feb 12, 2025 Last action Apr 1, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 3 comparisons

What changed between versions

Engrossed Committee Substitute → hb2156 hfa hott 3-28 _2 adopted.htm · 3 edits

MINOR

The bill adds a new subsection (d) to clarify that the Department of Highways has a 30-day limit to approve or deny permits for temporary access needed for operations like timbering. It also establishes a $500 application fee for emergency access requests and re-lettering of subsequent subsections to maintain proper numbering.

Scope change

The bill expands the scope by explicitly including temporary access for operations such as timbering under the same permit rules as other highway openings.

REQUIREMENT

Added a new subsection (d) specifying a 30-day approval timeline for temporary access permits related to operations like timbering.

FISCAL

Introduced a $500 application fee for applicants requesting emergency access or a shorter timeframe than the standard 30 days.

TECHNICAL

Re-lettered the remaining subsections to accommodate the new paragraph (d) and its sub-points.

Floor votes · House of Delegates Mar 31, 2025

How they voted

92–7

Passed · 1 other

Total votes 100

Mar 31, 2025

D Democratic9

5 Yea 4 Nay

55% Yea

R Republican91

87 Yea 3 Nay 1

95% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

Apr 1, 2025

Introduced

Introduced in Senate

upper

Mar 31, 2025

Lower · Passed

Passed House (Roll No. 263)

lower

Mar 28, 2025

Lower · Passed

Amendment adopted (Voice vote)

lower

Mar 28, 2025

Introduced

Amendment reported by the Clerk

lower

Mar 26, 2025

Lower · Passed

By substitute, do pass

lower

Feb 28, 2025

Committee

To House Energy and Public Works

lower

Feb 14, 2025

Committee

To House Enviroment, Infrastructure, and Technology

lower

Feb 12, 2025

Committee

To House Energy and Public Works

lower

Feb 12, 2025

Introduced

Introduced in House

lower

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors