This bill (SB 831) reallocates $200,000 within an existing budget line for West Virginia's Department of Human Services Community Mental Health Services (Fund 8794). It decreases funding from the "Federal Coronavirus Pandemic" account and increases funding for "Personal Services and Employee Benefits" to cover staffing costs. The bill does not create new programs or change eligibility for services - it simply shifts existing federal funds between two internal budget categories. This adjustment affects how the Department of Human Services allocates resources for mental health services within its current fiscal year budget.
SB 703 would establish West Virginia as a participating state in the Social Work Licensure Compact, allowing licensed social workers from member states to practice across state lines without obtaining separate licenses in each state. This directly affects social workers seeking employment in multiple states, military families (including active-duty personnel), and clients needing access to licensed social services. Key provisions include creating a multi-state license system, forming a Compact Commission to oversee implementation, requiring states to recognize licenses from other member states, and enabling telehealth services across participating states. The bill eliminates duplicate licensing requirements while preserving each state’s authority to take disciplinary action against licensees for misconduct in their jurisdiction. It also mandates a shared data system to track disciplinary actions and license statuses among member states.
SB 875 supplements the 2026 budget for the West Virginia Department of Commerce's Division of Forestry (fund 8703) by adding $250,000 for personal services and $500,000 for current expenses. The funds come from unappropriated federal money remaining for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2026. This bill directly affects the Division of Forestry's budget allocation, increasing its available funding for staff costs and operational needs during the 2026 fiscal year.
SB 772 declares specific, previously identified claims against West Virginia state agencies (including Education, Health, Corrections, and Highways) as "moral obligations" requiring payment. The bill directs the state Auditor to issue warrants for payments totaling over $150,000 from designated funds (like General Revenue or State Road Fund) to named claimants, such as individuals ($240 to $30,000) and businesses (e.g., FEI Systems Inc. at $34,403.81). It does not create new policy but formalizes payment for claims already validated by the Legislative Claims Commission. The bill affects the listed claimants and requires state funds to settle these specific, pre-determined obligations.
SB 724 removes the requirement that home confinement officers must be certified as law-enforcement officers to join West Virginia's Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Retirement System. The bill also extends the deadline for eligible home confinement officers to elect participation in the retirement system. This change directly affects home confinement officers working in the state's justice system, allowing them to access retirement benefits without prior law-enforcement certification. The bill amends specific sections of the West Virginia Code (§16-5V-2 and §16-5V-6f) to update eligibility rules and election procedures.
SB 843 is a supplemental budget measure that adds $330,000 to the existing appropriation for the Department of Health's Vital Statistics Account (fund 5144) for fiscal year 2026. It specifically increases funding for "Personal Services and Employee Benefits" within this account, using unspent funds identified by the Governor. The bill directly affects the Department of Health's Vital Statistics program, which handles birth, death, and other vital records. This is a procedural budget adjustment to reallocate existing unappropriated funds, not a new policy or program.
SB 796 would repeal a specific section (§51-8-5) of West Virginia law that currently governs how certain official state reports must be distributed. This bill removes the existing legal requirement for distributing these reports but does not establish a new distribution process. The repeal directly affects state agencies responsible for producing and sharing these reports, eliminating the current procedural framework. No new mechanisms or alternatives are specified in the bill text.
SB 793 defines a "day of local significance" as a date when local events like fairs, festivals, parades, or celebrations make court business impractical in a county. It establishes that county courts may designate such days through the chief justice of the Supreme Court or local chief judge, allowing courthouses to close without disrupting court schedules. If a court proceeding is scheduled on a designated day of local significance, it automatically moves to the next non-holiday, non-emergency weekday. This bill clarifies courthouse closure rules for local events while maintaining consistent court operations on standard legal holidays.
SB 868 increases funding for payments to claimants who have filed claims against the State of West Virginia. It amends the existing budget allocation by raising the total amount from $864,750 to $2,314,750 (split as $1.1 million general revenue, $250,000 special revenue, and $964,750 state road funds) to cover a higher volume of claims. This adjustment directly affects individuals and entities seeking compensation for claims against the state, which have risen due to expedited payment processes established by prior legislation. The bill does not create new policies but adjusts existing fiscal provisions to address increased claim volumes.
This bill adds $13,099 to the Department of Administration's Office of the Secretary (Fund 0186) for "Current Expenses - Surplus" in fiscal year 2026. It directly affects the Department of Administration by allocating an existing unappropriated surplus balance identified in the Governor's budget. The bill makes a minor procedural budget adjustment to use leftover state funds without creating new programs or impacting citizens or organizations. It is a routine fiscal amendment, not a substantive policy change.
SB 1043 is a supplemental appropriation bill that adds $3 million to the West Virginia Department of Agriculture's Agriculture Fees Fund (Fund 1401) for fiscal year 2026. The funds will cover operational expenses ($2.8 million), personal services and employee benefits ($200,000), and up to $1 million for software and program-related costs as specified in SB985. This bill directly affects the Department of Agriculture by providing authorized spending authority for existing unappropriated funds. It does not create new policies but allocates previously available money to support department operations and technology needs.
SB 821 is a budget reallocation bill that moves $21 million from the Premium Tax Savings Fund (fund 2367) to the Public Entity Insurance Trust Fund (fund 2363) within the Department of Administration. It uses unspent funds from the fiscal year ending June 30, 2026, to supplement the Public Entity Insurance Trust Fund's budget. This bill directly affects state insurance funds and administrative operations, not individual citizens or new policies. The change is purely procedural, transferring existing unappropriated funds between two state insurance trust funds without creating new programs or changing laws.
