Finance

HB 5682 redirects $72 million in unused funds from previous fiscal years to support biomedical research at West Virginia medical schools. It expires $37 million from the 2023 Governor’s Civil Contingent Fund and $35 million from the 2017 fund, adding these to the General Revenue surplus for the 2026 fiscal year. The funds are specifically allocated to: $30 million for Marshall University School of Medicine, $5 million for West Virginia University Dental School, $32 million for West Virginia University School of Medicine, and $5 million for the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine. This supplemental appropriation expands biomedical research capacity without creating new taxes or spending.

HB 4354 establishes requirements for clothing and essential item allowances for children in foster care in West Virginia. It mandates that foster care providers assess a child's clothing and necessity needs at placement, with the state providing an initial allowance of at least $375 if items are missing. The allowance can be paid via a reloadable card (issued within 48 hours), a child welfare worker's purchasing card, or reimbursement to the provider. The bill requires an inventory of the child's wardrobe and necessities that must be updated and follow the child through all placements. This directly affects foster children, placement providers, and the Department of Human Services.

HB 5353 requires virtual currency kiosks (machines for buying/selling digital currencies like Bitcoin) to obtain a money transmission license, bringing them under the same regulatory framework as traditional money transfer services. The bill sets daily transaction limits for all customers and mandates clear disclosures about terms, risks, and fees before transactions occur. It also clarifies that kiosks operate as delegates of licensed money transmitters and resolves conflicts between state and federal money transmission laws. This law directly affects kiosk operators and their customers in West Virginia.

HB 4191 increases the tax credit available to West Virginia employers who provide on-site child care for their employees. The bill expands the credit to cover costs of building, improving, or operating qualifying child care facilities, including furniture and equipment. Employers can claim this credit for five years after the facility is first used, provided the facility primarily serves employees' children and meets ownership requirements. This directly affects West Virginia employers operating on-site child care programs, reducing their state tax burden for these expenses.

HB 5685 authorizes up to $150 million in bonds to fund improvements at the West Virginia Science and Culture Center and other state historical sites acquired for preserving West Virginia history. The bill creates a dedicated "Cultural Center Improvements Revenue Debt Service Fund" to be financed annually by $12 million from the State Excess Lottery Revenue Fund (starting fiscal year 2026), with bonds maturing within 20 years. The Economic Development Authority must issue these bonds to cover capital improvements, and the fund will prioritize debt service payments. This directly affects the Science and Culture Center, other historical sites, and taxpayers through lottery revenue allocations.