HB 5102 requires all health insurance plans in West Virginia to cover habilitative speech therapy for stuttering, effective July 1, 2026. It mandates that plans cover this treatment without annual visit limits, restrictions based on stuttering's cause (like developmental vs. acquired), or prior authorization requirements. The bill also requires coverage for both in-person and telehealth speech therapy services. This affects all health insurance policies sold in West Virginia that cover speech therapy, including employer-sponsored and individual plans.
SB 881 clarifies how child care subsidy payments are calculated for licensed providers in West Virginia. It requires the Department of Human Services to base payments on monthly enrollment instead of daily attendance, provided children attend at least 2.5 hours at the provider’s site on one day each month. The bill also mandates that providers submit attendance records electronically by July 1, 2026, to receive reimbursement. This directly affects child care and afterschool providers receiving state subsidies who currently track daily attendance.
SB 885 allows teachers who joined West Virginia's Teachers Retirement System on or after July 1, 2015 (Tier II members) to convert unused sick and annual leave into retirement benefits. Specifically, it permits them to count two days of accrued sick/annual leave as one day of additional retirement service credit. This change directly affects eligible Tier II teachers by increasing their retirement benefits based on unused leave balances. The bill amends existing retirement system rules to implement this conversion at a 2:1 ratio, providing a concrete policy change for affected educators.
HB 5108 creates a dedicated "Tobacco Cessation Initiative Program Special Revenue Account" managed by the Bureau for Public Health to fund tobacco use cessation programs. It mandates an annual transfer of $5 million from interest earned on the Revenue Shortfall Reserve Fund - Part B to this account, starting July 30, 2026. The funds are specifically designated for tobacco cessation initiatives and must be used as outlined in the bill, with balances carrying over annually. This directly affects the Bureau for Public Health, which administers the programs funded by these dedicated resources.
HB 5071, the "Oral Health and Cancer Rights Act," requires all health insurance plans in West Virginia (including public employee, medical, and group plans) issued or renewed after January 1, 2026, to cover oral health procedures necessary as side effects of cancer treatments. These procedures include evaluations, medications, dental devices, and rehabilitation services needed to restore functions like eating, swallowing, or speaking affected by cancer therapies such as chemotherapy or radiation. The bill mandates that insurers cover these services as part of cancer treatment, directly affecting cancer patients and their insurance providers. One year after implementation, the Public Employees Insurance Agency and Bureau of Medical Services must report the cost of these coverage changes to the Joint Committee on Government and Finance.
HB 5363 would allow West Virginia counties to establish public daycare facilities through a county-run "Daycare Authority." It requires counties to either collect signatures from 10% of registered voters (based on the last gubernatorial election) or have the county commission initiate a voter referendum to approve funding via local taxes, fees, or levies. The bill permits adjacent counties to jointly operate a daycare through a memorandum of understanding. This policy directly affects county residents seeking affordable childcare and county commissions responsible for funding and managing the facilities.
Senate Bill 855 (SB 855) expands eligibility for mail-in absentee voting in West Virginia by clarifying specific circumstances under which qualified voters may request an absentee ballot by mail. It directly affects voters who are medically unable to vote in person (due to disability, advanced age, or illness), temporarily absent due to work, education, or travel, incarcerated under certain conditions, military/overseas voters, or those with inaccessible polling places due to disability. The bill also adds electronic absentee ballot options for voters with disabilities, military/overseas voters, and qualified first responders on emergency duty. Additionally, it establishes procedures for emergency absentee ballots in cases like hospitalization, nursing home residence, or last-minute medical confinement requiring physician verification. The bill aims to increase voting access while maintaining specific eligibility criteria.
HB 5357 requires West Virginia state agencies to remove trees on state-owned or leased property threatening damage to nearby private structures within six months of a written request from the affected property owner. If the state fails to act, the private property owner may cut down the trees after providing seven days' written notice to the state, with no liability for doing so. Property owners can then file a claim against the state for costs incurred, limited to $10,000 under a streamlined process in §14-2-17b. This bill directly affects private property owners whose structures face tree-related risks on adjacent state land.
SB 870 proposes a $10,000 total pay increase for West Virginia teachers over five years, distributed through annual adjustments to the state minimum salary schedule based on experience and education level. It also mandates a 25% pay raise for school service personnel (such as aides and support staff) over the same five-year period. The bill amends existing law to establish new salary tiers, with specific pay amounts listed for different experience levels and qualifications (e.g., starting at $39,057 for teachers with zero experience and a master's degree). This policy directly affects all public school teachers and support staff in West Virginia, aiming to increase base compensation through structured, incremental raises.
SB 835 requires candidates for municipal office (e.g., city council, mayor) to file their campaign financial statements with the county clerk instead of the municipal officer. It mandates that all campaign finance reports for these offices be published online by the filing officer within 48 hours of the filing deadline. This change aims to increase transparency by centralizing access to campaign finance data for local elections through county clerks' offices. The bill does not alter filing requirements for state-level offices, which continue to report to the Secretary of State.
This bill (SB 847) redirects $70,099 from an unappropriated surplus balance in West Virginia’s General Revenue Fund to the Department of Human Services’ Foster Care program (fund 0489). The funds will be transferred to the "Bring Them Home Fund" for use during fiscal year 2026. It does not create new spending but reallocates existing unspent funds to support foster care services. The bill affects foster care programs administered by the Department of Human Services, ensuring funds are available for operational needs during the 2026 fiscal year.
SB 865 clarifies what constitutes "electioneering" in West Virginia, specifically defining prohibited activities near polling places. It bans displaying campaign signs, distributing literature, or verbally advocating for/against candidates or ballot questions within 100 feet of a polling place entrance during voting hours. The bill exempts news media conducting exit polls, vehicle bumper stickers while voting, and educational materials about ballot questions that don’t explicitly advocate. It also authorizes election officials and law enforcement to enforce these rules and maintain order in the 100-foot zone, with violations punishable by fines up to $1,000 or jail time.
