Relating to eligibility for homebound services for exceptional children
SB 778 amends West Virginia law to allow nurse practitioners and physician assistants, alongside physicians, to certify students with disabilities as eligible for homebound educational services. This change directly affects families of exceptional children who require homebound instruction due to injury or health conditions. The key provision removes the previous restriction requiring certification only by physicians, expanding who can authorize this service. The bill aims to streamline access to homebound education by broadening the pool of qualified medical professionals who can make this determination.
Bill status
passed
3 of 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Feb 2026
Committee Review
Feb 2026
Senate Passage
Feb 2026
House of Delegates Passage
Governor
Introduced Feb 5, 2026
Last action Mar 8, 2026
Floor votes · Senate Feb 18, 2026
How they voted
30–0
Passed · 3 other
Total votes 33
Feb 18, 2026
D
Democratic2
100% Yea
R
Republican31
90% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea
All Nay
Mixed
No data
Full legislative history
Actions timeline
Total actions
17
Key actions
2
Committee
4
Feb 19, 2026
Committee
To House Education
lower
Feb 19, 2026
Committee
To Education
lower
Feb 19, 2026
Introduced
Introduced in House
lower
Feb 18, 2026
Upper · Passed
Passed Senate (Roll No. 120)
upper
Feb 13, 2026
Upper · Passed
Reported do pass
upper
Feb 5, 2026
Introduced
Introduced in Senate
upper
Feb 5, 2026
Committee
To Education
upper
1 primary · 3 co-sponsors
Sponsors
Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Patricia Rucker
RRepublican
Co
Amy Grady
RRepublican
Co
Craig Hart
RRepublican
Co
Scott Fuller
RRepublican
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