HB 5194 prohibits the use of calculators and math computational devices (like graphing calculators or digital math tools) in all K-8 public and charter school classrooms across West Virginia. The bill directly affects students in kindergarten through eighth grade and their teachers, requiring classrooms to operate without these devices for math instruction. Key provisions explicitly ban such devices in all public school settings, removing their use from math lessons for this age group. The law aims to ensure students develop foundational math skills without technological assistance during early education.
This bill repeals a law that paused Certificate of Need (CON) requirements for opioid treatment facilities. By removing the moratorium, it ends the temporary exemption allowing these facilities to bypass state approval for expansion. Now, opioid treatment centers in West Virginia would need to obtain a Certificate of Need before expanding services or opening new locations. This directly affects opioid treatment facilities seeking to grow or add services within the state.
This bill requires West Virginia public schools hosting paid athletic events to sell tickets at the school gate, accept cash payments, and offer online ticket purchases. It directly affects all public secondary schools in the state that charge admission for athletic events. The law mandates these three specific ticketing methods to ensure accessibility for all attendees. This amendment updates existing education code without altering eligibility rules or other school activity requirements.
HB 5184 would prohibit adding new licensed substance abuse treatment beds in any West Virginia county that already has more than 250 such beds. This directly affects counties meeting that bed threshold by restricting the expansion of drug and alcohol treatment facilities. The bill amends existing law to specifically bar new bed additions in these high-capacity counties, while exempting certain approved clinical trials for opioid treatment programs. It does not change rules for counties with fewer than 250 beds or affect existing facilities. The change creates a clear threshold limiting new treatment capacity in areas already serving high demand.
This bill allows West Virginia county school boards to hire or accept certified chaplains as volunteers to provide support services for students, staff, and parents. Chaplains selected by school boards do not need state certification or licensing, but must pass background checks (similar to child care facilities) and cannot be registered sex offenders. The bill also limits legal liability for chaplains unless their actions were maliciously intended to harm or harass others. It directly affects school boards, chaplains, and the school community by creating a formal pathway for chaplain services.
HB 5192 clarifies that the School Access Safety Fund's per-pupil funding calculation must use the higher of either the last three-year average enrollment or the current year's enrollment. This change ensures funding levels remain stable during temporary enrollment declines, preventing reductions in allocated funds. County school boards receiving these safety-related funds will use this method to determine their per-pupil allocation. The bill specifically amends existing law for the School Access Safety Fund, which supports school safety projects.
HB 5193 would abolish West Virginia's legal doctrine of adverse possession, which previously allowed individuals to gain ownership of land by occupying it continuously for a set period without the owner's permission. The bill amends Section 55-2-1 of the state code to explicitly state that "the doctrine and law of adverse possession is abolished" and repeals Section 55-2-3, which previously governed land claims under this doctrine. This change directly affects property owners, who would no longer face claims of ownership by long-term occupants, and occupants who might have sought title through this method. The bill removes a specific legal pathway for acquiring land title, replacing it with a straightforward rule that all land claims must follow standard ownership and transfer processes.
SB 232 establishes a five-year program to place licensed athletic trainers in all West Virginia public secondary schools by 2032, requiring each school to have a trainer on staff or contracted through the county board. It expands existing career and technical education (CTE) sports medicine programs to ensure all high school students have access to accredited training aligned with higher education requirements. The bill mandates annual state funding for trainer recruitment and retention, including using the Underwood-Smith Loan Repayment Program to incentivize trainers who also teach. This directly affects public high schools, student-athletes (through enhanced safety resources), and CTE program participants.
SB 176 amends West Virginia law to increase the number of non-traditional instruction days that count toward the required 180 instructional days from five to ten days per school year. This change directly affects West Virginia school districts and teachers, allowing counties to use up to five days for alternative instruction during closures (e.g., weather-related school shutdowns) and up to five additional days for teacher-led instructional improvement activities without students present. The bill specifies that these days count as full instructional days for both student calendar requirements and teacher employment terms. It does not change the total instructional time needed but provides greater flexibility in scheduling closures and professional development.
SB 450 establishes a 25% state income tax credit for property owners who rehabilitate certified historic buildings in West Virginia. It directly affects residential and non-residential property owners who work on structures listed on the National Register of Historic Places or within designated historic districts, after review by the West Virginia Division of Culture and History. The credit applies to "qualified rehabilitation expenditures" meeting specific criteria, including a requirement that rehabilitation costs equal at least 20% of the building's assessed value. The bill reorganizes existing historic preservation tax rules into a new centralized article (§11-13NN) with defined terms and procedures for claiming the credit.
HB 4994 requires utilities (like power and gas companies) to move or adjust their lines from state highway rights-of-way when needed for road construction projects. It mandates the state’s Highway Division to provide utilities with up to 18 months’ written notice and specific procedures for submitting relocation plans and work schedules. The bill also requires the state to reimburse utilities for work they must redo if highway project plans change after construction begins. Utilities are not held liable for delays caused by state schedule changes, incomplete right-of-way acquisitions, or extreme weather, as outlined in the bill.
HB 4601 expands West Virginia's Child Abuse and Neglect Investigations Unit from a minimum of six to at least 21 members, requiring each of the 21 State Police districts to contribute at least one retired officer. The bill establishes unit offices in every State Police district (located within Human Services offices) and allows honorably retired State Police officers to rejoin under specific conditions - without accruing pension rights and after completing required training in areas like firearms and child abuse investigation protocols. The unit must coordinate with Child Protective Services, maintain statewide statistical data on child abuse/neglect convictions (without identifying individuals), and submit annual reports to the legislature. This directly affects Child Protective Services offices, law enforcement agencies, and retired State Police officers who may rejoin the unit.
