HB 5669 West Virginia House of Delegates · 2026 Regular Session

Prohibiting the home schooling of children in certain circumstances

HB 5669, known as "Raylee's Law," temporarily blocks custodial parents or guardians accused of child abuse or neglect from withdrawing children from public or private schools to homeschool or resuming home instruction during an active Department of Human Services investigation. The restriction applies only while an investigation is ongoing and ends when the investigation is closed without finding abuse or if a court orders otherwise. The Department of Human Services must notify both the child's school and the parent/guardian in writing about this temporary restriction. The bill directly affects children in abuse/neglect cases where the alleged perpetrator is their custodial caregiver.

Bill status failed 2 of 4 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2026

Committee Review

Mar 2026

House of Delegates Failed

Mar 2026

Governor

Introduced Feb 17, 2026 Last action Mar 5, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Introduced Version → Committee Substitute · 4 edits

MODERATE

The bill was amended from a version that restricted parents from removing children from school during abuse investigations to a version that restricts school districts from authorizing home instruction in those specific cases. The committee substitute adds a mandatory policy requirement for county superintendents to coordinate with the state board and establishes a strict 48-hour confirmation timeline for the Department of Human Services to respond to school reports, ensuring faster intervention if a child is at risk.

Scope change

The scope of the restriction was narrowed and clarified; it now specifically applies to a county board's authorization of home instruction for students currently enrolled in public schools when the investigation is triggered by a school report against a custodial parent or guardian.

ELIGIBILITY

The restriction on home instruction now explicitly applies only when the investigation is initiated by a schoolteacher or school personnel against a custodial parent or guardian with whom the child resides.

REQUIREMENT

A new requirement mandates that the county superintendent must develop a policy with the state board of education to ensure they are contacted immediately when school staff report suspected abuse or neglect.

TIMELINE

A strict 48-hour deadline was added for the Department of Human Services to confirm the case status after being contacted by the county superintendent.

A new provision states that if the complaint is not substantiated within 7 days of the investigation's initiation, the county superintendent must permit home instruction.

Floor votes · House of Delegates Mar 4, 2026

How they voted

52–40

Failed · 7 other

Threshold to pass 67

Total votes 99

Mar 4, 2026

D Democratic9

9 Yea

100% Yea

R Republican90

43 Yea 40 Nay 7

47% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Mar 4, 2026

Vote failed

House of Delegates Vote: fail (52-40-7)

house of delegates

Mar 3, 2026

Committee

By substitute, do pass, but first to Judiciary

lower

Feb 17, 2026

Committee

To House Education

lower

Feb 17, 2026

Introduced

Introduced in House

lower

Feb 17, 2026

Committee

To Education then Judiciary

lower

1 primary · 1 co-sponsor