SB 705 West Virginia Senate · 2025 Regular Session

Allowing Board of Education to promulgate rules for submission to Legislature

SB 705 requires the West Virginia State Board of Education to submit newly created or amended rules to the Legislature's Legislative Rule-Making Review Committee for review. The Legislature has 15 months to approve, amend, or reject each rule; if it does not act within that timeframe, the rule becomes effective automatically. This directly affects the State Board of Education (which must submit rules) and the Legislature (which must review them within the specified period). The bill adjusts existing processes to clarify that the Legislature retains ultimate authority over education rules, as established by state constitutional provisions.

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Mar 2025

Committee Review

Mar 2025

Senate Passage

Mar 2025

House of Delegates Passage

Governor

Introduced Mar 5, 2025 Last action Mar 26, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Introduced Version → Committee Substitute · 6 edits

MODERATE

The bill was converted from an introduced version to a committee substitute version, adding detailed legislative findings, expanding rule submission requirements to include a Legislative Rule-Making Review Committee, and establishing specific timelines for rule expiration and review. These changes strengthen legislative oversight of the State Board of Education's rule-making authority.

Scope change

The bill's scope expanded from a simple authorization for the Board of Education to submit rules to the Legislature, to a comprehensive framework requiring submission to both the Legislative Oversight Commission on Education Accountability and the Legislative Rule-Making Review Committee, with defined review procedures and expiration timelines.

REQUIREMENT

Added requirement that all new rules be submitted to the Legislative Rule-Making Review Committee for review before legislative approval.

Changed the submission process from direct submission to the Legislature to a two-step process involving the Legislative Oversight Commission and Legislative Rule-Making Review Committee.

TIMELINE

Established a 15-month review period for rules, after which they become effective if not rejected by the Legislature.

Set specific expiration dates for emergency rules, including 60-day and 180-day deadlines for filing public hearing notices and committee submissions.

DEFINITION

Added formal definitions for 'Commission' and 'board' to clarify the entities involved in the rule-making process.

ENFORCEMENT

Added provisions allowing courts to conduct de novo review of emergency rules and contesting rules that evade legislative review requirements.

Floor votes

How they voted

This bill passed the Senate by voice vote (no roll call recorded).

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Mar 26, 2025

Committee

To House Education

lower

Mar 26, 2025

Committee

To Education

lower

Mar 26, 2025

Introduced

Introduced in House

lower

Mar 26, 2025

Upper · Passed

Passed Senate (Roll No. 189)

upper

Mar 24, 2025

Upper · Passed

Committee substitute reported

upper

Mar 5, 2025

Introduced

Introduced in Senate

upper

Mar 5, 2025

Committee

To Judiciary

upper

0 primary · 4 co-sponsors