HB 5515 modernizes West Virginia's workers' compensation laws by updating outdated statutes and procedures. It revises key provisions for reporting workplace injuries, requiring employees to notify employers in writing within a specified timeframe and employers to report injuries to insurers within five days. The bill removes obsolete sections from 2005-2006 revisions, standardizes references to government agencies, updates statutory citations, and changes the Board of Review membership from five to a minimum of three but no more than five members. These changes directly affect workers, employers, and insurers by clarifying reporting requirements and streamlining administrative processes under the current workers' compensation system.
HB 5484 creates a new felony crime in West Virginia for conspiring to deny medical care to victims of sexual exploitation, assault, incest, or abuse. It directly affects individuals who work together (conspire) to block victims from accessing licensed medical treatment for injuries or conditions caused by these crimes. The bill establishes penalties of 5-10 years in prison, a $50,000 fine, or both for violations. This law specifically targets efforts to prevent victims from receiving necessary medical care following sexual offenses, without altering existing abortion laws.
HB 5466 renames and clarifies the "Batterer Intervention and Prevention Abuse Intervention Program" (now simply called a "batterer intervention program") within West Virginia's domestic violence laws. The bill updates definitions to specify that these programs must offer in-person options alongside virtual classes and require licensed providers to teach nonviolent strategies for intimate partners. It also revises the Family Protection Services Board's membership to include specific representatives from domestic violence programs, the West Virginia Coalition Against Domestic Violence, and batterer intervention programs, while adjusting funding distribution to allocate 15% of the Family Protection Fund for board administration and splitting remaining funds between domestic violence programs. This bill directly affects licensed domestic violence programs, batterer intervention providers, and the board managing these services.
HB 5227 modifies West Virginia's business reporting fees and adds a new logotype for veteran-owned businesses. It sets an annual report fee at $25 (or $50 biennially) for corporations, limited partnerships, and LLCs required to file reports with the Secretary of State. The bill also grants the Secretary authority to waive late fees for these filings. Additionally, it establishes a new official logotype (a special mark or symbol) that qualified veteran-owned businesses - defined as those at least 51% owned by veterans or their spouses - may use on their materials. This bill directly affects businesses required to file annual/biennial reports and veteran-owned entities seeking the new logotype.
HB 5327, the West Virginia ALS Care Services Act, establishes a state program to provide targeted support for residents living with ALS and their caregivers. The bill requires the Department of Human Services to fund three key services: care coordination and education to help navigate healthcare systems, loan programs for assistive technology and reusable ramps (addressing a common financial barrier as ramps aren't typically covered by insurance), and access to multidisciplinary ALS clinics. These clinics consolidate specialized care, reduce the need for repeated specialist visits and emergency care, and aim to improve patient outcomes while lowering long-term healthcare costs. The program directly affects West Virginia ALS patients and their families by enabling them to remain safely at home longer, reducing reliance on costly institutional care.
HB 5528 requires West Virginia state agencies, counties, municipalities, and political subdivisions to remove or redact personal residential information - including home addresses, personal phone numbers, and personal cell numbers - from public records upon written request by certain public officials. It directly affects elected/appointed officials (like judges, prosecutors, law enforcement officers, and legislators), their immediate family members living with them, and their employers. The bill mandates immediate removal of such information from publicly accessible databases or websites after a valid written request, with civil penalties including attorney fees for non-compliance. Permitted disclosures include those required by federal law, court orders, law enforcement needs, or voter registration purposes, but not general public access.
HB 5527 creates a licensing framework for wellness reimbursement programs in West Virginia. It requires administrators of these programs - which reimburse qualified medical expenses under federal tax rules - to obtain a license from the Insurance Commissioner, pay a $5,000 initial fee, and meet financial and character standards. The bill mandates annual financial reporting, surety bonds, and compliance with federal ERISA laws, while clarifying that these programs do not cover underlying health insurance. It directly affects companies managing wellness reimbursement plans, ensuring they operate under state oversight. The law does not change how individuals access medical expense reimbursements but regulates the businesses providing these services.
HB 5088 amends West Virginia's Natural Resource Police Officer Retirement System to adjust retirement benefit calculations based on retirement date. It specifies that officers retiring after July 1, 2029, will receive 2.75% of their final average salary multiplied by years of service (up from 2.5% for those retiring between 2025-2029). The bill also requires additional funding for the retirement system to support these changes. This directly affects current and future Natural Resource Police Officers in West Virginia who retire on or after July 1, 2029. The changes are part of a broader adjustment to retirement benefits under the system's funding structure.
HB 5401 expands absentee voting eligibility in West Virginia to citizens temporarily residing overseas. To qualify, voters must have been residents of West Virginia before leaving, hold a U.S. passport, not have established permanent residency abroad, and intend to return. They must also be registered or eligible to vote in another U.S. jurisdiction. The bill updates both mail-in and electronic absentee ballot rules to include this group, aligning with federal voting protections for overseas citizens.
HB 5063 permits county commissions in West Virginia to appoint a county commissioner as a voting member on their local convention and visitor’s bureau board. This applies to both single-county bureaus and multi-county bureaus, where each participating county commission may choose to appoint a commissioner to a voting seat. The bill amends existing law to remove any prohibition against such appointments, ensuring county commissioners can actively participate in bureau governance. This change directly affects county commissions and existing convention and visitor’s bureaus by altering their board composition rules.
HB 5458 creates a new Genetic Counselors Practice Act under West Virginia law, directly affecting individuals seeking to practice genetic counseling in the state. The bill requires criminal background checks for all new genetic counseling license applicants, mandates that practitioners hold a valid license before providing services, and defines the scope of genetic counseling practice. It prohibits genetic counselors from representing themselves as licensed physicians and establishes penalties including up to two years in prison or a $2,000 fine for violations. The bill also sets continuing education requirements, licensure renewal processes, and disciplinary procedures specific to genetic counselors.
HB 5089 requires West Virginia public schools to accept transcripts from all types of schools (including homeschools, charter schools, private schools, and Hope Scholarship programs) when students enroll or re-enroll. It mandates that public schools record the class, grade, and source (e.g., "homeschool" or "charter school") directly on the student's public school transcript. Schools must also submit annual demographic reports to the Legislative Oversight Commission on Education Accountability (LOCEA) detailing re-enrolling students' backgrounds and prior educational settings. This bill directly affects students transferring between different school types and public schools receiving those students.
