Healthcare

signed · West Virginia · Senate Jun 25, 2026

SB 742: Modifying requirements for involuntary hospitalization

SB 742 modifies West Virginia's involuntary hospitalization process by allowing an authorized hospital physician to place a person under a 72-hour hold without first contacting specific officials (like mental hygiene commissioners). It removes the previous 24-hour deadline for filing a formal petition to extend the hold, instead requiring this petition to be filed within 72 hours. The bill also ensures hospitals and physicians are paid standard rates for these services and are protected from liability when acting in good faith. This directly affects individuals facing involuntary hospitalization for mental illness or addiction and the healthcare providers managing their care.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareStreamlines involuntary mental health hospitalization process, improving timely care access and ensuring provider payment/protection for services.92% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · West Virginia · Senate Jun 25, 2026

SB 897: Relating to licensure and certification of alcohol and drug counselors

SB 897 establishes licensing and certification requirements for alcohol and drug counselors in West Virginia. It defines key terms like "substance use disorder" and "practice of alcohol and drug counseling," which includes evaluating addiction issues, developing treatment plans, and providing trauma-informed care. The bill sets eligibility criteria, application fees, renewal fees, and grandfathering provisions for existing counselors based on education or experience. It also creates disciplinary actions for violations and specifies exceptions for healthcare providers, state employees, and self-help groups. This bill directly affects counselors seeking to provide substance use disorder treatment services in the state.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareEstablishes licensing standards for substance use disorder counselors, enhancing mental health service quality and patient access through defined practice requirements and trauma-informed care protocols.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · West Virginia · Senate Jun 25, 2026

SB 741: Expanding pilot program to implement involuntary commitment process

SB 741 expands the pilot program for involuntary commitment processes to include additional counties: Cabell, Berkeley, Hampshire, Morgan, Ohio, and Wood. The bill requires mental health centers in these counties to provide timely evaluations (in-person or via video) for potential commitment and explain the process to affected individuals. It also mandates quarterly audits of commitment applications to ensure clinical justification, with findings kept confidential. This bill directly affects mental health centers, courts, law enforcement, and individuals subject to involuntary commitment in the expanded counties.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExpands mental health commitment pilot with timely evaluations and clinical audits, strengthening patient access and rights in mental healthcare services.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · West Virginia · Senate Jun 25, 2026

SB 906: Permitting lawful prescription of crystalline polymorph psilocybin under FDA recommendations

This bill allows doctors in West Virginia to legally prescribe, distribute, and market specific forms of psilocybin once the FDA approves it and the DEA reschedules it. It amends state pharmacy laws to remove barriers for FDA-approved crystalline polymorph psilocybin products, aligning state regulations with federal decisions. The law applies only to pharmaceutical compositions of psilocybin that meet federal approval standards, not to raw or unapproved forms of the substance. Healthcare providers and pharmacies would be able to handle these medications under existing prescription drug frameworks once federal requirements are met.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill expands patient access to psilocybin treatments by removing state barriers and aligning with federal approvals, supporting mental health services.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · West Virginia · Senate Jun 25, 2026

SB 231: Relating to value-based payment requirements

This bill establishes a value-based payment system for West Virginia's Medicaid addiction care services, shifting from fee-for-service to rewarding providers based on patient recovery outcomes. It directly affects Medicaid providers treating substance use disorders by requiring them to use standardized billing codes starting in 2027 and report on five specific outcome metrics: housing stability, sobriety, avoidance of criminal justice involvement, self-sufficiency (employment/education), and provider transition plans. The bill mandates data collection and analysis by the Bureau for Medical Services to develop these metrics, with value-based payments requiring implementation by 2028. The goal is to create a coordinated care system focused on long-term recovery success rather than fragmented service volume.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill requires tracking 'avoidance of criminal justice involvement' as a key outcome metric, directly aligning with recidivism reduction goals in criminal justice reform.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareShifts Medicaid addiction care to value-based payments focused on recovery outcomes, improving patient care quality and aligning with mental health service support.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · West Virginia · Senate Jun 25, 2026

SB 650: Designating psychiatric hospital that treats exclusively civil and forensic patients

SB 650 amends West Virginia law to define a psychiatric hospital treating exclusively civil and forensic patients (with over 95% of its inpatient census being court-ordered forensic or civil involuntary commitments from state custody) as a "state-designated facility" for tax purposes. This change excludes such hospitals from the category of "eligible acute care hospitals" subject to a 0.75% tax on gross receipts, exempting them from this tax. The bill directly affects psychiatric hospitals in West Virginia meeting this specific patient mix requirement by altering their tax classification under the Medicaid funding structure.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesExempts psychiatric hospitals from 0.75% tax on gross receipts, providing tax relief for designated facilities.95% confidence ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeExempts forensic psychiatric facilities from tax, supporting infrastructure for court-ordered patients in criminal justice system.85% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExempts psychiatric hospitals from 0.75% tax, reducing operational costs to support mental health services for civil/forensic patients.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · West Virginia · Senate Jun 25, 2026

SB 645: Prohibiting surprise billing of ground emergency medical services by nonparticipating providers

West Virginia Senate Bill 645 prohibits non-network ambulance services from charging patients extra fees beyond standard insurance cost-sharing. It requires insurers to pay non-participating ambulance providers directly at 400% of the Medicare rate (or the provider’s billed amount, whichever is lower) within 30 days of a clean claim. Patients cannot be billed for amounts beyond their standard copayments, coinsurance, or deductibles, and insurers must provide written denial notices with specific reasons. This applies to ground ambulance services covered under health insurance policies issued on or after January 1, 2027.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcarePrevents surprise billing for emergency ambulance services, protecting patients from extra charges and requiring insurers to pay at 400% Medicare rate.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · West Virginia · Senate Jun 24, 2026

SB 570: Supplemental Appropriation to Department of Health, fund 8802

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.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAllocates $199M in federal funds to rural health program, directly increasing budget allocation for essential public health services.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareAllocates $199M to Rural Health Transformation Program, directly funding healthcare services per bill summary.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

vetoed · West Virginia · House of Delegates Apr 2, 2026

HB 5074: Relating to changing the allocation of proceeds in the Medical Cannabis Program Fund.

HB 5074 changes how revenue from West Virginia's medical cannabis program is allocated. For fiscal year 2026, it directs $3 million to the Supreme Court for a child protection pilot, $10 million each to West Virginia University and Marshall University for ibogaine research, and $5 million to homelessness services, with remaining funds reverting to general revenue. Starting July 1, 2026, annual allocations will be: 15% to the Medical Cannabis Bureau for administration, 15% to the Department of Agriculture for cannabis testing, and 45% split among the Fight Substance Abuse Fund (20%), university research (10% each to Marshall and WVU), a Child Protection Commission (10%), and law enforcement training programs (40%). These changes apply to ongoing revenue from medical cannabis taxes, not new taxes or fees.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAllocates cannabis program revenue to child protection, university research, and homelessness services, advancing funding for public programs and fiscal management.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareAllocates $10M to universities for ibogaine research (addiction treatment), directly funding mental health services within healthcare.85% confidence ✓ HousingSupports HousingBill allocates $5 million to homelessness services, directly addressing housing needs through funding for housing-related support programs.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

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vetoed · West Virginia · House of Delegates Apr 2, 2026

HB 4626: Relating to the establishment of a grant program to fund the United States Food and Drug Administration’s drug development trials with ibogaine

HB 4626 establishes a West Virginia grant program to fund U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) drug development trials using ibogaine, a substance being studied for treating opioid use disorder and other neurological/mental health conditions. The program requires applicants (e.g., pharmaceutical companies or research organizations) to demonstrate capacity to conduct FDA trials, secure approval for ibogaine as a medication, and commit to establishing a state presence, securing insurance coverage, and ensuring treatment access for uninsured patients. Applicants must submit detailed trial designs, safety protocols, and plans for intellectual property rights and post-approval implementation, with grants administered through a state selection committee. The bill does not approve ibogaine but aims to accelerate its development pathway through state-funded trials.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareFunds FDA trials for ibogaine treatment of opioid/mind health conditions, advancing healthcare research and access through grant program.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

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