SB 582 allows current campus police officers at West Virginia state universities to join the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources (DNR) Police Officer Retirement System. It requires all new campus police hires starting January 1, 2026, to participate in this same retirement system. Current officers cannot transfer existing retirement credits or funds into the DNR system. The bill specifically affects campus police officers employed by state institutions, changing their retirement plan options without altering their current benefits or compensation. This policy change is limited to retirement system enrollment, not other employment terms.
SB 571 requires financial institutions, dealers, and any entity recording five or more liens on vehicles in a calendar year to use West Virginia’s electronic lien and title system instead of paper records. It mandates electronic transmission of liens and lien satisfactions to the Division of Motor Vehicles, eliminating the need for physical title certificates until the final lien is satisfied. The bill creates digital titles for vehicle transactions, meaning electronic records will replace paper titles for high-volume lien recorders. This directly affects businesses that frequently place liens on vehicles, such as banks, auto dealers, and financing companies.
SB 580 increases penalties for distributing Schedule I or II controlled substances classified as narcotics or methamphetamine. For these drugs, the bill raises the maximum prison sentence from 15 to 40 years if fentanyl is involved (with a minimum of 3 years), and adds a 5-year parole ineligibility period for convictions. It also adjusts penalties for counterfeit versions of these high-risk substances. The bill directly affects individuals distributing these specific drugs, particularly in cases involving fentanyl. These changes apply to both actual and counterfeit drugs classified in Schedules I, II, or III.
SB 584, known as "Lauren's Law," amends West Virginia law to increase penalties for delivering controlled substances that cause death. It mandates a fixed life sentence (with no possibility of suspension) for anyone convicted of knowingly delivering drugs that directly result in a fatal overdose. This law specifically targets individuals who supply illicit drugs leading to overdose deaths, affecting those convicted under this provision. The bill changes the existing penalty from 3-15 years to a mandatory life sentence for this offense.
SB 563 modifies West Virginia's State Teachers Retirement System rules to treat teachers serving as officers in statewide professional teaching associations as "absent from service" during that role. This means their time in such leadership positions counts toward retirement credit, but they must pay double their regular retirement contributions during the absence. The policy applies only to those serving as officers before January 1, 2024, and limits the credited absence period to a maximum of 10 years. It ensures retired members who held these roles while employed retain credit for that time without losing retirement benefits.
This bill makes it a felony to operate a methadone clinic that is not part of a comprehensive primary care clinic. It directly affects clinics, businesses, or individuals running standalone methadone treatment programs without integrating them into broader primary care services. Violators face penalties of up to $1,000 in fines, one year in prison, or both for each offense, with each day of continued operation counted as a separate violation. The law specifically targets standalone operations, not methadone services provided within full-scope medical clinics.
SB 515 establishes a new legal process for involuntary hospitalization of adults with substance use disorder in West Virginia. It requires a court to find, based on evidence, that a person poses an immediate danger to themselves or others due to substance use and could benefit from treatment. Petitions must be filed by family, friends, or guardians, include proof of danger, and guarantee payment for care. The bill allows for up to 60 days of treatment initially (with a possible 360-day extension) or 72-hour emergency holds, with strict court oversight including medical examinations and hearings within 14 days.
SCR 11 is a concurrent resolution requesting the West Virginia Division of Highways to rename Fields Creek Bridge No. 4.44 (bridge number 20-077/01-004.44) in Winifrede, Kanawha County, as the "Charlie Lee Jordan Memorial Bridge." It directly affects this specific bridge, which carries CR 77/01 over Fields Creek, by changing its official name to honor Charlie Lee Jordan, a lifelong local coal miner and resident who died in 2009. The resolution requires the Division of Highways to install signage identifying the bridge with this new name. As a commemorative resolution, it involves no policy changes or funding.
This Senate Concurrent Resolution (SCR 7) requests that West Virginia's Division of Highways name a 2.9-mile segment of Riverside Drive in Boone County - the portion between 5th and 4th Avenues in front of Madison Middle School - as "Cohen Wade Craddock Memorial Road." It commemorates Cohen Wade Craddock, a Madison Middle School student who died in 2024 after sustaining injuries during football practice. The resolution directs the Division of Highways to install signs marking the designated road segment. As a commemorative measure, it does not create new law but formally honors Cohen Wade Craddock.
SB 510, the "Creating Stable Energy Rates Protection Act," prohibits West Virginia's Public Service Commission from including costs for wind or solar energy facilities in utility rate increases. Specifically, the Commission cannot approve rate hikes based on construction, operation, maintenance, or decommissioning costs for new wind or solar projects. Existing contracts signed before the law's effective date are exempt, but no future rate increases can use costs from new commitments under those contracts. The Commission must annually report to the Legislature on the policy's impact on energy rates and reliability. The bill takes effect immediately upon passage.
SB 468, the "WV Defend the Guard Act," would require the U.S. Congress to officially declare war or take a specific constitutional action (such as calling the militia to repel invasion or suppress insurrection) before the West Virginia National Guard can be deployed for active combat. The bill defines "active combat" as participation in armed conflict, hazardous foreign service, or war-related duties, and mandates that the Guard remain under state control until Congress meets these requirements. The Governor of West Virginia would be required to enforce this rule, preventing National Guard deployment to combat without a formal war declaration or specific congressional authorization.
SB 437 creates the West Virginia Coal Marketing Program, administered by the Governor, to protect and expand the state's coal markets and facilities while addressing economic impacts on coal-dependent communities. It allocates $1 million from the general fund for the program, requiring the Governor to spend funds only on projects benefiting coal markets or mitigating community impacts from market changes. The bill mandates annual reports to the Joint Committee on Government and Finance detailing funded projects, recipients, and amounts, and requires Attorney General certification for all transactions. The program is funded through a dedicated account with continuous appropriations, effective 90 days after enactment.
