SB 402 expands West Virginia's apprenticeship tax credit to $2 per hour (capped at $2,000 annually per apprentice) for wages paid to registered apprentices in construction trades, directly benefiting employers and apprentices. It creates a new West Virginia Micro-Credential Program under the Higher Education Policy Commission to support workforce training. The bill also modifies tax rules to allow deductions for contributions to and receipts from voluntary portable benefits plans, and removes proficiency exam requirements for military-trained applicants seeking professional licenses. These changes aim to increase workforce participation and simplify licensing for veterans.
SB 650 amends West Virginia law to define a psychiatric hospital treating exclusively civil and forensic patients (with over 95% of its inpatient census being court-ordered forensic or civil involuntary commitments from state custody) as a "state-designated facility" for tax purposes. This change excludes such hospitals from the category of "eligible acute care hospitals" subject to a 0.75% tax on gross receipts, exempting them from this tax. The bill directly affects psychiatric hospitals in West Virginia meeting this specific patient mix requirement by altering their tax classification under the Medicaid funding structure.
Senate Bill 641 amends West Virginia's Aboveground Storage Tank Act to expand exemptions for small tanks used in oil/gas operations and road maintenance. It exempts tanks holding 210 barrels or less of brine or hydrocarbon-related fluids (not in "zones of critical concern") from third-party inspection requirements, requiring owners to self-inspect, self-certify, and report annually instead. Tanks in "zones of critical concern" still require monthly secondary containment inspections but remain exempt from third-party certification. The bill directly affects oil and gas operators, coal mining sites, and road maintenance crews using these small tanks, while maintaining basic registration and signage rules.
West Virginia Senate Bill 645 prohibits non-network ambulance services from charging patients extra fees beyond standard insurance cost-sharing. It requires insurers to pay non-participating ambulance providers directly at 400% of the Medicare rate (or the provider’s billed amount, whichever is lower) within 30 days of a clean claim. Patients cannot be billed for amounts beyond their standard copayments, coinsurance, or deductibles, and insurers must provide written denial notices with specific reasons. This applies to ground ambulance services covered under health insurance policies issued on or after January 1, 2027.
SB 640 prohibits the public release of contributors' addresses and employer information for political election donations exceeding $250 in a single election cycle. It amends West Virginia election law to require this information to be reported in financial statements but bans its disclosure to the public, while maintaining the requirement for contributors to provide it. The bill directly affects political donors over $250 and election committees that file financial reports. A violation constitutes a misdemeanor offense under the new provisions. This change modifies existing disclosure rules to protect contributor privacy for specific details, without altering contribution limits or reporting requirements.
SB 28 allows members of the West Virginia State Police Retirement System to convert accrued annual or sick leave into additional retirement credit. It specifically affects current and future State Police retirees, with different rules based on membership start dates: members joining before July 1, 2015, receive two days of retirement credit for each day of accrued leave, while those joining on or after that date receive one day of credit per day of leave. The bill clarifies that each leave day equals eight hours and establishes how remainders (e.g., less than 10 workdays) are handled, ensuring the conversion aligns with existing retirement service calculations.
SB 659 prevents West Virginia municipalities from banning or overly restricting accessory dwelling units (ADUs) - secondary living spaces like converted garages or backyard cottages - on single-family residential properties. The bill bans local governments from requiring public hearings, imposing excessive fees ($250 max application fee), mandating matching exterior designs, or setting stricter size/height rules for ADUs than for primary homes. It also prohibits municipalities from requiring additional parking, restrictive covenants, or separate water/sewer systems for ADUs, though they may still regulate short-term rentals separately. This directly affects homeowners seeking to build or rent out ADUs without local bureaucratic hurdles.
This bill authorizes West Virginia's Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to implement an existing rule about motor vehicle equipment standards, which was previously filed in the State Register on July 24, 2025. It directly affects vehicle owners and manufacturers by allowing the DMV to enforce specific equipment requirements under the rule (91 CSR 11). The bill does not create new regulations but formally authorizes the DMV to put the existing rule into effect. This is a procedural measure to finalize the rule's implementation.
This bill adopts the Uniform Protected Series Act for West Virginia, creating "protected series" within series limited liability companies (LLCs). It allows a single LLC to form separate, legally distinct compartments (protected series) that hold specific assets and liabilities, shielding each series from the debts or claims of other series within the same LLC. Key provisions include rules for naming series, managing assets, limiting liability between series, requiring annual reports, and establishing procedures for dissolving or merging series. The law directly affects businesses operating as series LLCs in West Virginia, as well as foreign LLCs with protected series structures operating in the state.
SB 281 authorizes West Virginia's Governor's Committee on Crime, Delinquency, and Correction to establish and maintain law enforcement training and certification standards. The bill specifically reauthorizes a previously modified rule (149 CSR 02) that was adjusted to address concerns raised by the Legislative Rule-Making Review Committee. This rule, originally filed in 2025 and refiled after revisions, sets requirements for police training programs across the state. The policy directly affects law enforcement agencies and officers by standardizing their certification processes under state oversight. The bill does not create new standards but formally authorizes the existing rule to remain in effect.
SB 643 repeals all sections of West Virginia law (§3-12-1 through §3-12-16) that established the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals Public Campaign Financing Program. The bill directly discontinues a program that provided public funding to candidates running for the state Supreme Court. Key provisions include removing all legal references to this financing mechanism, effectively ending the program's operation. This is a procedural repeal with no new funding or requirements added.
This bill modifies insurance coverage rules for drivers using vehicles provided by businesses that sell, repair, lease, or service motor vehicles. It establishes that the driver's personal auto insurance will be primary coverage, while the business's insurance acts as secondary coverage when the vehicle is used as a replacement while the driver's own car is being repaired or serviced. The change applies only when no additional payment is made for the vehicle's use and the driver has the business owner's permission. An exception exists for employees using company vehicles during work hours, where the business's insurance remains primary.
