HB 4121 requires West Virginia county commissions to provide emergency ambulance service to all residents within their county, but only if the commission has specifically budgeted funds for this purpose in its annual budget. County commissions must also submit an annual report by September 1st to the Office of Emergency Medical Services detailing how ambulance services are provided and the exact amount of county funds spent on emergency ambulance services during the prior fiscal year. This bill does not create new funding but clarifies that counties must make an affirmative budgetary commitment to provide service before the duty applies, and it standardizes the reporting process for transparency.
HB 4896 would change West Virginia law to require the three members of the State Public Service Commission (PSC) to be elected by voters instead of appointed. Starting with the 2026 general election, these commissioners would appear on ballots as a separate office (listed under "State Ticket" per §3-5-13a), with elections held every four years. The bill also specifies that vacancies would be filled by the Governor, as currently required under §3-10-3. This directly affects West Virginians who vote in PSC elections and future commissioners who must now seek voter approval.
HB 4899 requires all West Virginia hospitals and medical offices to send a notice to patients who were under 18 during a medical or surgical procedure when they turn 18. The notice informs them that if they later experience negative or adverse effects from that childhood procedure, they should contact the original provider. This bill amends the West Virginia Medical Practice Act (§30-3-7) to mandate this notification process, directly affecting former pediatric patients turning 18. It establishes a specific mechanism for providers to proactively share this information without altering medical standards or creating new penalties.
SB 653 directs the West Virginia Department of Administration to place a statue honoring U.S. Army Specialist Sarah Beckstrom in a corner of the Capitol rotunda. The bill specifies that the statue must include her military awards, birth date, and death date, and authorizes using existing funds from the "capitol renovation and improvement fund" for the project. This is a commemorative measure with no policy changes or direct impact on citizens or legislation.
SB 642 clarifies the process for nominating county assessors to serve on West Virginia's Property Valuation Training and Procedures Commission. It requires the West Virginia Assessors Association to nominate only assessors who meet approved monitoring requirements, with preference given to those holding recognized certifications. The bill also mandates that nominations include no more than two assessors from the same political party and ensures no more than seven commission members belong to one party. This directly affects county assessors seeking commission appointments and aims to standardize nomination criteria.
HB 4903 provides a $6,000 pay equity salary adjustment over three years for specific correctional employees in West Virginia. It directly affects non-uniform administrative staff at the Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation (starting July 1, 2026), as well as all employees of the Division of Corrections, Division of Juvenile Services, and West Virginia Regional Jail Authority (with adjustments effective July 1, 2018-2020). The bill mandates annual $2,000 raises each July 1 for these employees, funded from general revenue for state divisions and a special jail fund for regional facilities. This policy aims to address recruitment and retention challenges by increasing base pay for these roles, without altering existing pay grade maximums.
HB 4885 would repeal West Virginia's state excise tax on gasoline, which is currently added to prices at the pump. The bill removes this tax by repealing the existing law (§11-14C-5) that imposed the motor fuel excise tax. This change would eliminate the state tax component from gasoline prices, directly affecting both consumers (who would no longer pay this tax) and retailers (who would no longer collect and remit it). The bill is pending in the House Finance Committee.
This bill authorizes West Virginia's Division of Forestry to create and enforce rules for certifying managed timberland. It specifically approves regulatory rules (22 CSR 06) that were revised after addressing legislative committee feedback. The certification process directly affects timberland owners and operators who manage forests under these standards. The bill does not change land use or create new taxes - only formalizes the Division's rulemaking authority for timberland certification.
This bill requires West Virginia county public school systems to conduct annual surveys of students to assess food access during non-school periods (like summers) and compile local resources for nutritious meals. It directs counties to share this information with students and community food providers, while enabling schools to develop local programs using existing resources (e.g., community partnerships or mentorship). The West Virginia Office of Child Nutrition will facilitate coordination and share successful approaches across counties. The law focuses on enabling local solutions to reduce student food insecurity during school breaks, rather than mandating specific statewide programs.
HB 4854 prohibits the State of West Virginia and any local government from providing financial subsidies to data centers operating within the state. It directly affects data center operators and state/local governments that might have considered offering tax breaks or other financial incentives. The bill's key provision, stated in Section (f), explicitly bans all state or political subdivision subsidies for data centers. This policy change removes the possibility of public funding support for data center development in West Virginia, regardless of the data centers' economic or national security arguments outlined in the bill's findings.
HB 4883 would exempt overtime pay from West Virginia's personal income tax. Currently, workers pay state income tax on overtime earnings, but this bill would remove that tax obligation. The provision applies directly to all West Virginia employees who earn overtime pay under state labor laws. This change would increase take-home pay for affected workers by eliminating the tax on overtime hours.
HB 4870 extends campaign finance report deadlines for West Virginia legislators during legislative sessions. It requires that reports due while the Legislature is in session (regular, extraordinary, or special) be filed seven days after the session ends, instead of the original statutory date. This applies only to legislators and ensures no late fees or penalties are applied for reports filed under this extension. The bill aims to align reporting requirements with legislators' session duties without reducing transparency.
