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.
SB 447 amends West Virginia's Industrial Access Road Fund to clarify spending rules and raise monetary limits. It increases the annual county allocation cap for unmatched funds from $400,000 to $800,000 and sets a $300,000 cap for matched funds. The fund can only finance roads to existing or planned industrial sites (e.g., manufacturing, distribution, or West Virginia Business Ready Sites Program locations), not schools, shopping centers, or private property. Counties must provide surety bonds if sites aren't built on time, and projects require Division of Highways approval within 90 days.
HB 4426 creates a special State Road Construction Account within the State Road Fund to provide dedicated highway construction and maintenance funding for 10 specific West Virginia counties: Raleigh, Fayette, Wyoming, Mercer, Kanawha, Greenbrier, Monroe, Summers, McDowell, and Nicholas. The bill explicitly requires that funds from this new account must be in addition to, not reduce, existing highway funding those counties receive from the general State Road Fund. It ensures counties listed in the bill will not lose their regular highway funding simply because they receive money from this new account. The account will be used for highway projects in these counties as defined in specific transportation plans from 2017.
HB 4401 would lower the taxable wage base for unemployment insurance from $9,500 to $8,500 per employee per year. This means employers in West Virginia would pay unemployment taxes only on the first $8,500 of wages paid to each employee annually, rather than the current $9,500 threshold. The bill directly affects all West Virginia employers contributing to the state's unemployment insurance fund. It modifies the calculation method under West Virginia law for determining taxable wages, without changing unemployment benefit amounts or eligibility.
This bill provides a $5,000 salary increase to state mine inspectors, including electrical, underground, and surface mine inspectors, effective upon enactment. It directly affects these specific inspectors by adding a fixed monetary amount to their base salaries without altering their duties or qualifications. The provision applies uniformly to all inspectors covered under the relevant chapter of the state code.
HB 4021 creates the "Bring Them Home Fund" to finance renovating existing state properties for in-state residential treatment facilities serving children requiring acute psychiatric, neurodevelopmental, or trauma services. Managed by the West Virginia Department of Human Services, the fund will be funded through state appropriations, grants, donations, and investment income, with savings from reduced out-of-state placements reinvested into the fund. Key provisions authorize the department to renovate state properties, develop targeted treatment programs matching historically out-of-state placements, and partner with private entities to operate state-owned facilities. This aims to expand West Virginia’s child welfare provider network, keeping children closer to family support while lowering costs associated with out-of-state care.
HB 4057 authorizes West Virginia state secretaries to establish a central purchasing program for volunteer fire departments and emergency medical services (EMS) to reduce supply costs through bulk or discounted buying. The bill requires secretaries to promulgate rules for this program and conduct reviews of department operations to identify cost-saving opportunities, such as optimizing vehicle fleets and lease agreements. This policy directly benefits volunteer fire and EMS organizations by potentially lowering their expenses on essential equipment and supplies. The bill does not create new funding but leverages existing state purchasing authority to achieve cost reductions.
HB 4944 establishes a new system for setting maximum salaries for West Virginia's 55 county school superintendents, effective July 1, 2027. The bill requires the state Department of Education to create a formula based on each county's student population, ensuring maximum salaries are prorated so that the per-pupil maximum is equal across all counties. This replaces current salary structures with a population-based standard, aiming for equitable funding per student. The salary schedule must be reviewed and revised at least every five years.
SB 643 repeals all sections of West Virginia law (§3-12-1 through §3-12-16) that established the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals Public Campaign Financing Program. The bill directly discontinues a program that provided public funding to candidates running for the state Supreme Court. Key provisions include removing all legal references to this financing mechanism, effectively ending the program's operation. This is a procedural repeal with no new funding or requirements added.
HB 4127 repeals a provision in West Virginia law (§17A-10-3c) that allowed for extra registration fees on alternative fuel vehicles. This bill directly affects owners of vehicles using alternative fuels like electric, hybrid, or propane by removing the requirement to pay these additional fees. The key mechanism is the deletion of the specific code section authorizing the fees, meaning the standard registration fees will apply instead. The bill makes no other changes to vehicle registration rules or fees.
