Relating to authorizing bonds for improvements to the West Virginia Science and Culture Center
HB 5685 authorizes up to $150 million in bonds to fund improvements at the West Virginia Science and Culture Center and other state historical sites acquired for preserving West Virginia history. The bill creates a dedicated "Cultural Center Improvements Revenue Debt Service Fund" to be financed annually by $12 million from the State Excess Lottery Revenue Fund (starting fiscal year 2026), with bonds maturing within 20 years. The Economic Development Authority must issue these bonds to cover capital improvements, and the fund will prioritize debt service payments. This directly affects the Science and Culture Center, other historical sites, and taxpayers through lottery revenue allocations.
Bill status
signed
all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Feb 2026
Committee Review
Mar 2026
House of Delegates Passage
Mar 2026
Senate Passage
Mar 2026
Signed into Law
Aug 2026
Introduced Feb 27, 2026
Signed Aug 13, 2026
Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison
What changed between versions
Engrossed Version
→
Enrolled Version
·
2 edits
·
Apr 1, 2026
MINOR
The bill was converted from an 'Engrossed' draft to the final 'Enrolled' version, adding standard legislative signatures and certification language required for passage. Substantively, the text of the law itself remains identical, preserving the authorization for $150 million in bonds for the West Virginia Science and Culture Center and establishing a specific fund to pay debt service from lottery revenue.
Scope change
No change in the scope or applicability of the law; the substantive policy provisions are identical in both versions.
TECHNICAL
Added standard enrolled bill certification language, including signatures for the Clerks of the House and Senate, the Speaker, the President of the Senate, and the Governor, along with the official date of enactment.
Added website navigation links, contact forms, and footer text typical of the final published version of the bill on the legislature's website.
Floor votes · Senate Mar 12, 2026 · House of Delegates Mar 4, 2026
How they voted
32–1
Passed
Total votes 33
Mar 12, 2026
D
Democratic2
100% Yea
R
Republican31
96% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea
All Nay
Mixed
No data
Full legislative history
Actions timeline
Total actions
31
Key actions
7
Committee
3
Apr 1, 2026
Signed into law
Approved by Governor 4/1/2026
lower
Mar 14, 2026
Signed into law
Approved by Governor 4/1/2026 - House Journal
lower
Mar 14, 2026
Signed into law
Approved by Governor 4/1/2026 - Senate Journal
upper
Mar 12, 2026
Upper · Passed
Passed Senate (Roll No. 518)
upper
Mar 10, 2026
Upper · Passed
Reported do pass
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. 339)
lower
Feb 27, 2026
Lower · Passed
Do pass
lower
Feb 27, 2026
Introduced
Introduced in House
lower
1 primary · 10 co-sponsors
Sponsors
Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Bill Anderson
RRepublican
Co
Bob Fehrenbacher
RRepublican
Co
Chris Toney
RRepublican
Co
Chuck Horst
RRepublican
Co
Clay Riley
RRepublican
Co
Gary Howell
RRepublican
Co
Joe Statler
RRepublican
Co
Lori Dittman
RRepublican
Co
Margitta Mazzocchi
RRepublican
Co
Mark Zatezalo
RRepublican
Co
Matthew Rohrbach
RRepublican
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