HB 4126 modifies how royalties from mineral leasing beneath the Ohio River are distributed to state park funding. Starting July 1, 2026, 50% of these royalties will fund state park operations, maintenance, and improvements unless the fund balance reaches $100 million, at which point 100% will be allocated. The bill directly affects state parks, forests, and rail trails by changing their primary revenue source from these mineral royalties. It does not create new programs but adjusts existing distribution rules based on the fund's balance. The change aims to ensure consistent funding for recreational facilities while allowing the fund to grow toward a $100 million threshold.
This bill creates a Central Abuse Registry in West Virginia to track individuals convicted of crimes involving child abuse, neglect of incapacitated adults, abuse of adults receiving behavioral health services, and property misappropriation by those providing care services. It also adds specific sex offenses to the registration requirements and clarifies that people convicted of certain past offenses must remain on the registry. The legislation establishes a single annual fee of $125 for individuals required to register under both the abuse registry and sex offender registry, simplifying compliance by requiring only one payment. Funds collected from these fees will be used first to support mental health services for current and former state police employees before being applied to general state police operations.
HB 4755 adds "aggravated vehicular homicide" (defined in §17C-5-1(c)) to West Virginia's list of offenses that trigger enhanced sentencing for repeat offenders. This change directly affects individuals convicted of aggravated vehicular homicide who have prior qualifying offenses under the state's recidivism laws. The bill amends Section 61-11-18 of the West Virginia Code to include this offense, meaning a second or third conviction for this crime could result in harsher penalties if the offender has previous serious convictions. The law focuses on increasing penalties for repeat offenders in cases involving severe DUI-related fatalities.
This bill authorizes the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals to establish a program of child protection commissioners to support child welfare services across the state. The legislation defines the qualifications, powers, and duties of these commissioners while allowing for multi-circuit regions to improve efficiency. It also specifies that retired senior judges and justices may serve in this role without losing their retirement annuities, and requires the court to report annually on the program's activities.
HB 5325 creates an honorific "emeritus license" for retired physicians, podiatric physicians, and physician assistants in West Virginia who meet specific criteria. To qualify, applicants must have practiced in West Virginia for at least 10 years, fully retired from clinical practice, not be under investigation, and have no disciplinary history. The license is purely symbolic - it does not permit any clinical practice, exempts holders from continuing education requirements, and remains valid for life unless the holder returns to active practice or the board revokes it. The bill also includes a temporary provision for those whose licenses expired before July 2025.
HB 5022 expands the annual review of healthcare reimbursement rates to include additional programs beyond the current four (Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Waiver, Aged and Disabled Waiver, Personal Care Services, and Traumatic Brain Injury Waiver). The bill requires the Bureau for Medical Services to annually study provider costs - including inflation, staffing expenses, and contract changes - and compare rates with similar programs in other states. Providers must submit financial data to support these reviews, and the bureau must report findings and rate adjustment recommendations to the Joint Committee on Finance each year. This change directly affects healthcare providers serving Medicaid waiver program participants in West Virginia.
HB 5564 increases the maximum amount of vacation time that West Virginia deputy sheriffs can carry forward from one calendar year to the next, raising the limit from 30 days to 60 days. The bill specifically amends §7-14-17a of the state code to change this carryover provision while maintaining existing accrual rates based on years of service (1.25 to 2 days per month). It directly affects all county sheriff's deputies employed across West Virginia, allowing them to retain more accrued vacation time when transitioning between years. The change does not alter how vacation time is earned or the requirement that deputies must work over half their normal monthly hours to qualify for that time.
HB 5087 establishes the Interstate Cosmetology Licensure Compact, allowing cosmetologists licensed in West Virginia to practice in other participating states with a single multistate license. It creates the Interstate Cosmetology Licensure Compact Commission to administer the agreement and requires applicants for interstate practice to undergo state and national criminal history checks. The bill directly affects cosmetologists seeking to work across state lines, particularly military members and their spouses, by reducing licensing barriers. Key provisions include standardized background checks, enforcement by the West Virginia Board of Barbers and Cosmetologists, and mechanisms for states to share disciplinary information to protect public safety.
HB 5101, the Joanna Phillips Domestic Violence Prevention Act, increases penalties for specific domestic violence offenses in West Virginia. It raises the minimum prison sentence for strangulation, suffocation, or asphyxiation of a family or household member (causing injury or loss of consciousness) from one year to two years, and for repeat offenders from one year to three years. For second offenses of domestic battery or assault, the bill sets a minimum jail term of 60 days and increases the maximum fine from $500 to $4,000. The bill also alters bail requirements for domestic violence cases to enhance victim safety protections.
HB 5182 authorizes security personnel employed by West Virginia's State Treasurer to carry concealed firearms while performing official duties. To qualify, staff must obtain the Treasurer's written approval, hold a valid concealed handgun license, pass firearms training equivalent to police academy standards, and maintain annual requalification. The State Treasurer may reimburse staff for training costs, and the state assumes liability for security personnel acting in good faith during official duties. This bill directly affects the Treasurer's security team and establishes specific safety requirements for firearm use.
HB 5212 revises West Virginia's higher education financial aid programs to improve access and align with workforce development goals. It allows part-time enrollment for the higher education grant, combines the adult part-time grant into a new workforce-focused program, and updates medical/health sciences loan repayment programs to require direct payments to federal loan providers. The bill also adjusts eligibility for the PROMISE scholarship and WV Invests grant programs. These changes aim to better connect financial aid with employer needs as outlined in the bill's legislative findings.
HB 5430 regulates pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) for West Virginia's Public Employees Insurance Agency (PEIA), directly affecting state employees covered by PEIA, PBMs, and pharmacies providing services to them. The bill requires PBMs to submit detailed quarterly reports on claim payments, including costs charged to PEIA versus amounts paid to pharmacies, and prohibits certain PBM contracts that limit transparency. It also mandates PBMs to implement a cost containment tool and requires a study on pharmacy pricing. The law aims to increase transparency in pharmacy billing and control costs for state health insurance programs.
