HB 5510 West Virginia House of Delegates · 2026 Regular Session

Eliminate the requirement for private wedding venues to own or lease 2 acres in rural location.

HB 5510 removes a requirement that private wedding venues in West Virginia must own or lease at least two acres of land in a rural area to operate. This change directly affects private wedding venues, particularly those in rural locations that previously faced this land-use barrier. The bill amends West Virginia Code §60-7-2 (relating to private club licenses) to eliminate the two-acre minimum, simplifying licensing for these venues. The policy change takes effect July 1, 2026, after passing through legislative committees.
Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Feb 2026
Committee Review
Mar 2026
House of Delegates Passage
Mar 2026
Senate Passage
Governor
Introduced Feb 13, 2026 Last action Mar 14, 2026
Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Introduced Version Engrossed Version · 6 edits · Mar 4, 2026
MODERATE
This bill significantly expands the West Virginia private club licensing regime by replacing a single, broad definition with specific definitions for various venue types, including private bakeries, cigar shops, food trucks, and stadiums. It removes the previous two-acre minimum land requirement for private wedding venues and introduces new licensing categories for food trucks, farmers markets, and multi-sport complexes. The changes aim to modernize regulations to accommodate modern hospitality businesses while maintaining strict requirements for food preparation facilities and age verification.
Scope change
The bill's scope expanded from a general private club definition to include specific, distinct licensing categories for bakeries, cigar shops, food trucks, farmers markets, stadiums, and various types of golf and tennis clubs.
DEFINITION

Added specific definitions for 'Private bakery', 'Private cigar shop', 'Private caterer', 'Private club bar', 'Private food truck', 'Private club restaurant', 'Private manufacturer club', 'Private fair and festival', 'Private hotel', 'Private resort hotel', 'Private golf club', 'Private nine-hole golf course', 'Private tennis club', 'Private college sports stadium', 'Private professional sports stadium', 'Private farmers market', 'Private wedding venue or barn', 'Private multi-sport complex', 'Private coliseum or center', and 'Private food court'.

REQUIREMENT

Removed the two-acre minimum land requirement for private wedding venues and replaced it with a requirement that the venue be remotely located and verified by the commissioner.

Introduced new requirements for private food trucks, including a minimum of 10 members, specific kitchen equipment, and the need for county or municipal approval for each location.

Established new licensing categories for private farmers markets and food courts, requiring associations of businesses to meet specific food preparation and safety standards.

Added specific acreage requirements for various venue types, such as 80 acres for private golf clubs and 50 acres for private multi-sport complexes.

ELIGIBILITY

Adjusted minimum membership requirements for various new categories, such as 50 members for private bakeries and 10 members for private food trucks.

Floor votes · House of Delegates Mar 4, 2026

How they voted

834
Passed · 12 other
Total votes 99
Mar 4, 2026
D Democratic9
8 Yea 1
88% Yea
R Republican90
75 Yea 4 Nay 11
83% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
22
Key actions
3
Committee
5
Mar 12, 2026
Upper · Passed
Reported do pass, with amendment
upper
Mar 5, 2026
Committee
To Finance
upper
Mar 5, 2026
Introduced
Introduced in Senate
upper
Mar 4, 2026
Lower · Passed
Passed House (Roll No. 324)
lower
Mar 2, 2026
Lower · Passed
Do pass
lower
Feb 13, 2026
Committee
To House Government Organization
lower
Feb 13, 2026
Introduced
Introduced in House
lower
Feb 13, 2026
Committee
To Government Organization
lower
1 primary · 7 co-sponsors

Sponsors