HB 5637 adds 50% weighted funding to West Virginia's school aid formula for students with unique learning needs, including students with disabilities and English language learners. This means schools serving these students will receive additional state funding based on counting each such student as 1.5 full-time students in enrollment calculations. The bill requires county school boards to apply to the state superintendent for this supplemental funding, which is distributed based on student proficiency levels and county capacity. It directly affects public schools and students with disabilities or limited English proficiency by increasing their funding allocation.
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 4575 transfers $8 million from the State Fund's unappropriated surplus balance to the State Board of Education's Temporary Shortfall Supplement Fund for County Boards of Education. This supplemental appropriation directly affects county school districts in West Virginia by providing funds to address budget shortfalls, as authorized under W. Va. Code §18-2E-5b. The bill amends the fiscal year 2026 appropriations for the State Board of Education (Fund 0313) by adding a new line item for this specific purpose. It does not create new policy but reallocates existing state funds to support local school district budgets.
HB 4027 is West Virginia's proposed budget bill for fiscal year 2027 (July 1, 2026 - June 30, 2027), appropriating state funds for agency operations. It establishes funding categories like "personal services" (salaries), "employee benefits," and "current expenses" to cover routine state operations, while defining how agencies must manage and report these funds. The bill requires agencies to collect specific revenue amounts ("from collections") to avoid budget shortfalls and outlines procedures for handling insurance premiums and other costs through designated funds. As a routine appropriations measure, it directly affects all state agencies and departments that rely on state funding for their annual operations.
This bill requires West Virginia's Treasurer to transfer 50% of unused funds in special revenue accounts (like those set aside for specific projects) into the main state budget within 30 days. It applies to all such accounts except where federal law, repayment obligations, or bond security would be jeopardized. The Treasurer cannot make new transfers from these accounts until the initial 50% transfer is completed. This changes how the state handles leftover funds from targeted revenue sources, directing them toward general state spending.
This bill (SB 570) allocates $199,476,099 in unspent federal funds to the West Virginia Department of Health's "Rural Health Transformation Program" for fiscal year 2026. It adds a new funding line (Fund 8802, Org 0506) under the Department's Central Office to support this specific program. The funds are designated for rural health initiatives and directly affect the Department of Health's ability to implement these programs. This is a procedural funding measure, not a policy change, using existing federal funds without new tax implications.
HB 4145 would create a school choice office within the Governor's Office, funded by legislative appropriation, to assist students and parents navigating school options in West Virginia. The office would coordinate with the Department of Education to provide information about public schools, private/parochial schools, virtual learning, homeschooling, learning pods, and micropods. It would specifically use the existing statewide homeschool online portal as a primary tool to share these options with families. The bill focuses on administrative coordination rather than altering funding or enrollment rules.
HB 4717 adds $199.48 million in federal funds to West Virginia's Rural Health Transformation Program for fiscal year 2026. This supplemental appropriation directly affects the Department of Health's Central Office (fund 8802, org 0506) by providing additional funding for the program. The bill supplements existing appropriations using unspent federal moneys remaining for the 2026 fiscal year, specifically to support rural health initiatives as outlined in the program's purpose.
HB 4404 increases the annual funding allowance for volunteer and part-volunteer fire departments in West Virginia from $500 to $5,000 specifically for educational/training supplies and fire prevention promotional materials. This change directly affects local fire companies that rely on state funds for operational needs, allowing them to better support firefighter training and community safety outreach. The bill amends Section 8-15-8b of West Virginia Code to adjust this specific budget line item, maintaining all other authorized uses of funds unchanged. The proposed increase aims to provide greater flexibility for fire departments to invest in critical safety education resources. The bill was introduced on January 16, 2026, and referred to the House Finance Committee.
