HB 5384 authorizes West Virginia's Higher Education Policy Commission (HEPC) to annually adjust the required composite ACT/SAT scores for the PROMISE scholarship program. This change directly affects West Virginia students applying for PROMISE scholarships, which cover tuition costs at state colleges and universities. The bill allows HEPC to modify the minimum test score thresholds each year to maximize the number of eligible students, without altering the $4,750 award cap or other eligibility requirements like GPA or citizenship. The goal is to ensure scholarship funds are distributed to the highest number of qualifying students based on annual testing data.
SB 842 is a supplemental funding bill that increases the 2026 budget allocation for the West Virginia Spay Neuter Assistance Fund (Fund 1481) by $200,000. This additional funding directly supports the state's existing spay/neuter program for companion animals, managed under the Department of Agriculture. The bill amends the current budget line for "Current Expenses" to raise the total appropriation to $330,000 for fiscal year 2026, using unappropriated funds already designated for this program. It does not create new services or change eligibility - it simply provides extra resources for the established program.
HB 5322 prohibits sexual abuse of animals, defined as touching an animal's mouth, anus, or sex organs for sexual gratification, and bans related activities like selling animals for this purpose or allowing it on one's property. It imposes penalties ranging from up to 12 months in jail or a $2,000 fine for basic violations to up to 10 years in prison and a $10,000 fine for aggravated cases involving children or animal harm. Convicted individuals must surrender all animals, cover their care costs, and face a 5-year ban on owning animals for misdemeanors or a 15-year ban for felonies. Additionally, courts must require a psychiatric evaluation (paid by the defendant unless indigent) before granting probation for these offenses.
HB 5375, the Truancy Reform Act, changes West Virginia's truancy laws to prioritize support over punishment. It removes criminal penalties for students aged 18 or older who miss school, replaces fines with school attendance requirements for first offenses, and creates a pretrial diversion program for parents/guardians of children under 18. This allows families to avoid conviction by addressing truancy causes within 60 days, with courts able to delay sentences and refer families to Department of Human Services for home-based support. The bill also modifies penalties for repeat offenses, including conditional school enrollment after a third violation for 18+ students. It directly affects parents, guardians, custodians, and students aged 18+ in truancy cases.
This bill requires political committees in West Virginia to include the full contact information (name, address, phone, email) of the committee chair in their registration forms. It amends the existing statement of organization process by adding the chair's details as a mandatory field alongside treasurer and committee contact information. The requirement applies to all political committees supporting candidates for state, county, or district offices (including legislative and judicial races). Committees must also acknowledge in their registration that they will comply with West Virginia's campaign finance reporting rules.
HB 5329 would allow West Virginia counties to use up to 25% of impact fees (fees charged to developers for new construction) for operational costs, such as maintaining roads and public services, instead of only for specific infrastructure projects. The bill creates an "operational sinking fund" that can cover all county operations except schools, and existing impact fees already collected can be redirected to this fund. It takes effect immediately upon passage. This change directly affects counties managing development fees and developers paying those fees.
HB 5331 amends West Virginia law to allow municipalities with paid firefighters to join the Municipal Police Officers & Firefighters Retirement System (MPFRS) without requiring prior approval. This directly affects cities and towns that currently cannot participate in MPFRS for their full-time firefighters. The bill removes existing barriers by revising eligibility rules in the retirement system statutes, enabling these municipalities to enroll their paid firefighters in the existing retirement program. The change provides a structured pathway for local governments to offer retirement benefits to municipal firefighters under MPFRS, which currently serves some fire departments but not all.
HB 5374 prohibits telemarketers from using auto-dialing systems (robo-calls) to make unsolicited sales calls for Medicare benefits, auto insurance, warranties, or charitable donations in West Virginia. The bill directly affects consumers who receive these unwanted calls and telemarketers who currently make such solicitations. It bans all phone calls using auto-dialing technology to sell insurance-related products, warranties, or solicit donations for charities. The law would apply to all locations, including workplaces, and aims to reduce nuisance calls without exempting political or non-commercial communications. The bill is currently in the House Judiciary Committee after being introduced on February 9, 2026.
HB 5343 establishes a three-year medical adult day care pilot program in Fayette County for older adults and adults with disabilities who need daytime medical supervision but don’t qualify for nursing home care. The program, funded with $750,000-$1.25 million, provides licensed medical oversight, health monitoring, therapeutic activities, and daily support during weekday hours at a community facility. It targets individuals with chronic conditions, cognitive impairments, or those at risk of needing long-term care, aiming to reduce hospital visits, ease caregiver burden, and delay nursing home placement. If successful, the program could expand statewide after evaluation of outcomes like health stability and cost-effectiveness.
HB 5368 would create a public registry for West Virginia domestic violence offenders with at least two qualifying convictions. It requires individuals convicted of two domestic violence offenses (such as domestic battery, assault, or strangulation against an intimate partner) to register with local state police, providing their name, address, and other identifying details. The registry would make this information publicly available to help community members protect themselves and their children, while the bill explicitly states it is for safety purposes, not punishment. The law applies retroactively to existing offenders and defines "domestic violence" under specific state statutes.
SB 859 transfers the responsibility for hearing appeals of law enforcement certification decisions from the Deputy Cabinet Secretary to the Office of Administrative Hearings. It directly affects law enforcement officers, trainees, and applicants who have been denied entry into certification programs, reactivation of certification, or had certification suspended or decertified. The bill amends two sections of West Virginia law to clarify that the Office of Administrative Hearings must handle all appeals from the Governor’s Committee on Crime, Delinquency, and Correction subcommittees. This change streamlines the appeals process by shifting it from a department official to a dedicated administrative office.
HB 5378 would allow parents to exempt their children from required school vaccinations based on religious or philosophical beliefs, expanding beyond the current medical exemption only. This bill directly affects school-aged children and their families in West Virginia who seek to opt out of mandatory immunizations. Key provisions include requiring schools to track and report the number of exempt students, clarifying that medical exemptions remain available for health reasons, and specifying that physicians must provide written statements for exemptions. The bill does not change the list of required vaccines but modifies the exemption process and reporting requirements for schools.
