SB 510 prohibits West Virginia licensing authorities from denying initial professional licenses based solely on prior criminal convictions, unless the conviction directly and specifically relates to the profession and poses a direct public safety risk. It requires authorities to apply a strict "direct relation" test when evaluating convictions, explicitly banning the use of "good moral character" or "crimes of moral turpitude" as disqualifiers. Applicants with criminal records can petition licensing authorities for a determination of eligibility, and the bill mandates updates to licensing forms and public materials. The law applies only to initial license applications, not disciplinary actions against current license holders or license reinstatement.
SB 535 imposes a one-year moratorium (July 1, 2026 - June 30, 2027) on the Public Service Commission of West Virginia approving new electric, natural gas, and water utility rate increases for residential, commercial, and industrial customers. The moratorium does not apply to rate decreases, refunds, or rates required by federal mandates with written commission justification. The bill also mandates a comprehensive study examining utility cost structures (including capital spending and executive pay), ratemaking practices (like riders and return on equity), and fuel procurement methods to identify ways to reduce customer rates. This study must produce findings and recommendations for the legislature.
SB 491, the West Virginia Volunteer State Guard Act, creates a new state military force separate from the West Virginia National Guard. It establishes a maximum of 400 eligible members who must be West Virginia residents and U.S. citizens with no felony convictions, excluding active military or National Guard members. The Guard can only be activated by the Governor during state emergencies or when the National Guard is in federal service, and must provide training equivalent to the National Guard. The Adjutant General will manage recruitment, training, and equipment, with all members operating exclusively within West Virginia under the Governor's command.
Senate Bill 480 establishes an Underground Facilities Damage Prevention Board to prevent damage to underground utility lines during excavation work. The bill defines key terms like "excavator" (anyone performing digging or demolition) and "underground facility" (including gas, water, electrical, and telecom lines), and mandates a one-call notification system before digging begins. It authorizes the board to investigate damage incidents, impose civil penalties, require training, and retain collected penalties directly for its operations instead of returning them to the state budget. This bill directly affects construction workers, utility companies, and anyone performing excavation work in West Virginia.
Senate Bill 475 establishes rules for West Virginia state agencies regulating "chemicals of emerging concern" (like PFAS, microplastics, and nanomaterials). It prevents state rules from being stricter than existing federal standards for these chemicals, and requires any new state rules (where no federal standard exists) to be based on "best available science" and "weight of scientific evidence." The bill defines key terms like "best available science" to ensure regulations rely on reliable, peer-reviewed studies showing a direct link between chemical exposure and actual health harm. This directly affects state environmental and health agencies responsible for setting limits on water quality, air pollution, and hazardous materials.
This bill establishes statewide standards for outdoor wood- and coal-burning heaters (like those used in rural homes or farms). It requires new installations to be at least 150 feet from property lines and 300 feet from occupied homes, mandates 18-foot stacks, and restricts fuel use to "clean" wood (under 20% moisture), untreated pellets, or manufacturer-approved fuels. Rural property owners with 10+ acres may operate year-round without seasonal limits, provided setbacks are met. The West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection enforces these rules, and local governments cannot create stricter requirements without DEP approval.
This bill establishes a behavior-based regulatory system for e-bikes and other trail devices across West Virginia. It creates three operational classes: Class A (traditional pedal bikes), Class B (limited motor-assist bikes), and Class C (motor-propelled devices like throttled e-bikes), classifying devices based on how they're used rather than technical specs. The law requires all users to yield to equestrians and pedestrians, sets default speed limits (12-15 mph on natural trails, 20 mph on paved paths), and prohibits exceeding posted speeds. It applies to all public trails statewide, directly affecting cyclists, e-bike riders, pedestrians, equestrians, and trail managers.
SB 482 creates West Virginia's Driver Safety Modernization Act to improve road safety by establishing a system for reviewing drivers whose medical conditions, age, or behavior may affect driving ability. It requires periodic medical certification for certain drivers (not solely based on age), creates a medical review unit for fair assessments, and mandates reporting of wrong-way driving incidents. The bill also provides immunity for doctors reporting medical concerns, offers senior driver safety courses and mobility planning resources, and requires the state to review highway interchanges where wrong-way crashes occurred. This law directly affects drivers over a certain age, medical professionals, law enforcement, and the Division of Motor Vehicles.
SB 497 modifies West Virginia's vehicle registration fee exemption law to expand eligibility for veterans. Currently, veterans must have a 100% service-connected disability to qualify for fee exemption (subsection 15-16). This bill lowers the required disability percentage to 50% or greater, as certified by the state Department of Veterans' Affairs. The change applies to veterans with qualifying disabilities who own one non-commercial vehicle, maintaining existing restrictions on vehicle type and use. This directly affects veterans with service-connected disabilities between 50% and 99% who previously did not qualify for the exemption.
SB 444 amends West Virginia law to improve how the Industrial Access Road Fund is managed and used. It allows counties to retain unobligated funds for three years (instead of reverting immediately) and enables counties within regional economic development organizations to pool funds for shared industrial road projects across county lines. The bill also waives surety bond requirements for federally funded projects and clarifies that funds can cover signage, safety upgrades, and matching federal infrastructure projects. This directly affects counties, municipalities, and industrial developers seeking to build or improve roads connecting to manufacturing, distribution, or economic development sites.
SB 458 provides a $5,000 salary increase for all employees of the West Virginia Division of Highways, effective July 1, 2026. This direct pay raise applies to current road maintenance and highway workers employed by the state. The bill amends existing law to implement this specific salary adjustment without altering other existing provisions like scholarship programs. The change is effective immediately upon enactment for all eligible employees as of the specified date.
SB 447 amends West Virginia's Industrial Access Road Fund to clarify spending rules and raise monetary limits. It increases the annual county allocation cap for unmatched funds from $400,000 to $800,000 and sets a $300,000 cap for matched funds. The fund can only finance roads to existing or planned industrial sites (e.g., manufacturing, distribution, or West Virginia Business Ready Sites Program locations), not schools, shopping centers, or private property. Counties must provide surety bonds if sites aren't built on time, and projects require Division of Highways approval within 90 days.
