HB 4410 West Virginia House of Delegates · 2026 Regular Session

Relating to special stops required for on-track equipment

HB 4410 clarifies when drivers must stop at railroad crossings by defining "on-track equipment" (including maintenance vehicles and all rail-based equipment) and updating stop requirements. It requires drivers to stop 15-50 feet from rails when signals indicate an approaching train or other on-track equipment, gates are lowered, a train is within 1,500 feet and audible, or a train is visibly hazardous. The bill also prohibits driving around or under closed gates and specifies penalties: misdemeanor fines up to $100 or 10 days in jail, plus three driver’s license points for violations. This directly affects drivers approaching railroad crossings in West Virginia, ensuring consistent safety rules for all rail-related equipment.
Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2026
Committee Review
Mar 2026
House of Delegates Passage
Jan 2026
Senate Passage
Governor
Introduced Jan 16, 2026 Last action Mar 10, 2026
Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Introduced Version Engrossed Version · 3 edits · Jan 29, 2026
MINOR
The bill adds a formal legal definition for 'on-track equipment' to clarify that it includes maintenance vehicles used on railroad tracks. It also cleans up the text of the existing traffic stop statute by removing repetitive and grammatically incorrect words like 'such the' and 'shall may', making the law easier to read and enforce without changing the actual penalties or rules for drivers.
Scope change
The bill expands the scope of the 'on-track equipment' definition by explicitly including maintenance of way equipment used to inspect, maintain, and repair the rail system, ensuring these vehicles are legally recognized in traffic violation contexts.
DEFINITION

Added a new section (§17C-1-72) that explicitly defines 'on-track equipment' to include maintenance vehicles used to inspect, maintain, and repair the rail system.

TECHNICAL

Removed repetitive and grammatically incorrect phrasing (e.g., 'such the', 'shall may') throughout the statute to improve clarity and readability.

Consolidated the bill text into a single, clean version, removing duplicate headers, navigation links, and formatting artifacts present in the introduced version.

Floor votes · House of Delegates Jan 29, 2026

How they voted

960
Passed · 3 other
Total votes 99
Jan 29, 2026
D Democratic9
9 Yea
100% Yea
R Republican90
87 Yea 3
96% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
20
Key actions
3
Committee
4
Mar 10, 2026
Committee
To Judiciary
upper
Mar 10, 2026
Upper · Passed
Reported do pass with amend and title amend but first to Judiciary
upper
Jan 30, 2026
Introduced
Introduced in Senate
upper
Jan 29, 2026
Lower · Passed
Passed House (Roll No. 29)
lower
Jan 23, 2026
Lower · Passed
Do pass
lower
Jan 16, 2026
Committee
To House Energy and Public Works
lower
Jan 16, 2026
Introduced
Introduced in House
lower
1 primary · 1 co-sponsor

Sponsors