HB 5511 allows county school board employees' estates to receive a lump sum payment for unused accrued personal leave if the employee dies before retirement. The payment, capped at $6,000, is based on the employee's final pay rate and must be paid to the estate's personal representative within one month of request. It excludes deductions for retirement contributions and does not count toward final salary calculations. The bill directly affects county school employees who die while still employed and their beneficiaries.
HB 5524 would allow paid county emergency medical services (EMS) workers to join West Virginia's Emergency Medical Services Retirement System. Currently, this system only covers certain EMS personnel, but the bill expands eligibility to include paid county EMS employees under specific circumstances. Key provisions amend retirement code sections to define eligibility, require participating employers to cover related costs proportionally, and address asset transfers. The bill does not change existing retirement benefits but enables new members to participate in the system. This is a policy change affecting county EMS workers' retirement options, not a procedural or commemorative measure.
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Public Safety
HB 5539 would allow West Virginia employers (both public and private) to give hiring preference to unemployed coal miners who meet specific criteria. To qualify, a miner must have worked in coal mining for at least five years, been unemployed as a coal miner for over one year, not be retired, and not have been fired for cause (like safety violations). Employers could prioritize these miners only if they meet all job-specific knowledge, skills, and eligibility requirements. The bill aims to support coal miners displaced by industry changes by creating a legal pathway for targeted hiring. This is a proposed policy change, not yet enacted.
HB 5095 provides tax credits to help low-income workers access reliable vehicles by supporting charitable programs. It allows individual donors who give vehicles to qualified charities to claim up to $6,000 per vehicle (based on fair market value), and licensed auto dealers who sell/donate eligible vehicles through these programs to claim up to $6,000 per vehicle (based on price reductions). Vehicles must meet strict safety standards (no salvage titles, no open recalls, 90-day warranty) and be certified by nonprofits that provide affordable financing, financial counseling, and vehicle safety checks for households earning at or below 150% of the federal poverty level. The program is capped at $300,000 annually for 2026-2027 and $1 million thereafter, with the Tax Commissioner tracking credit usage and allocating funds among qualifying charities.
HB 5083 creates a paid parental leave pilot program for West Virginia state employees. It provides up to 12 weeks of paid leave (at 90% of average weekly wage, capped at $1,000 weekly) for birth or adoption of a child under age 12, during the period July 2026-July 2028. Employees must have worked 12 consecutive weeks for state government and submit documentation (birth/adoption records). The program expires December 31, 2029, and requires employers to maintain health coverage and benefits during leave. It does not cover part-time, elected, or certain vocational rehabilitation employees.
HB 5586 establishes a new minimum salary schedule for classroom teachers in West Virginia, effective for the 2024-2025 school year and continuing thereafter. The bill sets specific minimum salary amounts based on teachers' years of experience (0-26+ years) and educational qualifications (Bachelor's, Master's, or Doctorate degrees). This policy change directly affects all public school classroom teachers in West Virginia by creating a standardized pay structure with different rates for various experience levels and education levels. The bill amends §18A-4-2 of the Code of West Virginia to implement this new salary framework.
HB 5542 would repeal West Virginia's right-to-work law (specifically sections §21-5G-1 through §21-5G-7) that prohibited requiring union membership as a condition of employment in workplaces where a union is the bargaining representative. This bill directly affects workers and labor unions in West Virginia workplaces covered by collective bargaining agreements, removing barriers to fair cost allocation for representation. The key provision eliminates legal restrictions that forced unions to represent non-members without charging fees, allowing voluntary agreements where employees who benefit from union representation may be required to pay dues. The change aims to restore the ability for unions and employees to negotiate fair cost-sharing arrangements under existing labor law.
HB 5077 requires all health insurance policies in West Virginia (including group plans, public employee coverage, and hospital plans) issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2027, to cover medically necessary mental health and substance use disorder treatment. It defines "medically necessary" as care meeting established clinical standards, being appropriate in type/duration, and not primarily benefiting insurers. The law prohibits insurers from using arbitrary "discretionary clauses" to deny such coverage. This directly affects all West Virginians with health insurance by mandating comprehensive coverage for these conditions.
HB 5391 amends West Virginia's Emergency Medical Services Retirement System (EMSRS) to benefit current and future EMS personnel. It changes retirement benefit calculations to use a member's five highest-earning years instead of the current method, exempts all EMSRS pension income from West Virginia personal income tax (removing a previous $2,000 tax cap), and eliminates the 1,040-hour annual work limit for retired EMS workers returning to service in areas with staffing shortages. These changes directly affect emergency medical services workers enrolled in the EMSRS, providing tax relief and greater workforce flexibility. The bill creates the "EMS Retirement Equity, Tax Relief, and Workforce Support Act" as part of these policy updates.
HB 5315 allocates additional federal funds to the West Virginia Department of Commerce, Division of Forestry, for fiscal year 2026. It increases the budget by $250,000 for employee salaries and benefits and $500,000 for operational expenses, using unspent federal funds already designated for forestry. The bill directly affects the Division of Forestry's ability to cover staffing and daily operations during the 2026 fiscal year. This is a routine budget adjustment to utilize existing federal resources, not a new policy or program.
