HB 3017 requires county commissions to inspect all precinct voting machines one week before in-person voting to verify they are disconnected from the internet (no modems or SIM cards) and properly sealed. The Secretary of State must then conduct a random pre-election audit of 10% of machines across at least five counties, with public reports detailing compliance. This directly affects county election officials and the Secretary of State, mandating specific verification steps and reporting. The bill aims to ensure voting equipment remains physically isolated from internet connectivity as required by state law.
SB 730 establishes a Forest Carbon Registry managed by West Virginia's Division of Forestry to track carbon offset agreements and projects on state forestlands. It requires landowners, developers, and purchasers to register projects within 60 days of agreement, including GIS shapefiles showing property boundaries, and to file existing agreements by July 2027. Non-compliance incurs civil penalties ($2,500 for first offense, $5,000 for second, and business license suspension for repeat violations). The law directly affects entities involved in forest carbon projects, ensuring transparency in land use and carbon credit transactions.
HB 3154 amends West Virginia law to clarify advertising rules for licensed limited video lottery retailers and operators. The bill requires all advertising and promotional activities to receive prior written approval from the Lottery Commission Director before publication or release. It explicitly states that previous legislative rules restricting such advertising "shall have no effect" upon this bill's enactment, meaning the new approval process overrides prior restrictions. The law does not change what can be advertised, only the process for getting approval. This directly affects businesses operating video lottery machines across the state.
SB 916 (2025) gives West Virginia's Agriculture Commissioner the authority to override local rules that conflict with state laws protecting agritourism - such as farm stays, harvest festivals, or educational farm visits. It directly affects agritourism businesses and local governments (counties, municipalities, health departments) by revoking any local ordinances, licenses, or rules that are stricter than state agricultural regulations. The bill requires the Commissioner to intervene when local actions harm agritourism and mandates an annual report to the Legislature on this authority's use. This ensures state-level consistency for farm-based tourism operations without local restrictions that exceed state law.
HB 3173 would temporarily cap electricity rates for all West Virginia utility customers at current levels until July 1, 2026. The bill requires the Public Service Commission to set these rates immediately upon passage and prohibits increases except for adjustments related to fuel and purchased power costs. This directly affects all residential and business electricity users, particularly lower-income households and elderly residents who face high energy costs as their largest expense. The cap aims to provide immediate relief from rapid rate hikes that have outpaced other states, though rates will return to standard regulatory processes after July 2026.
SB 763, the "Creating Public Electrical Savings Act," establishes rules for solar power agreements between utility customers and third-party providers. It directly affects residential, commercial, and industrial customers installing solar systems, as well as public entities (like schools or government buildings) entering into power purchase agreements (PPAs) for onsite solar. Key provisions include limiting total PPAs to 3% of a utility’s peak demand, setting size caps (50kW for homes, 1,000kW for businesses), requiring 48-hour backup power during outages, and mandating that public entity PPAs offer rates cheaper than the utility’s standard rate for the full agreement term. The bill also requires utilities to notify customers if caps are reached within 30 days or allow agreements to proceed if they don’t respond.
HB 2007 repeals West Virginia's certificate of need (CON) program, which previously required health care facilities to obtain state approval before expanding services or building new facilities. This directly affects hospitals, clinics, and health care providers that would have needed CON approval for new services or infrastructure. The bill terminates the West Virginia Health Care Authority's CON program and transfers its remaining powers, assets, and employees to the Secretary of the Department of Health, while establishing a summary review process for behavioral health services to meet federal Medicaid requirements. Funds previously tied to the CON program will be redirected to the general revenue fund.
HB 3387 creates a pilot program allowing West Virginia's State Board of Education to establish regional school districts that combine neighboring county school districts. It directly affects county districts facing shared challenges like funding gaps, rural population issues, and geographic barriers. The bill authorizes regional districts to consolidate schools, make financial decisions, and supersede county boards within their area, starting July 1, 2025. It also permits the State Board to develop rules for a smooth transition during consolidation. The program aims to address operational inefficiencies through regional planning while maintaining the same powers as current county boards.
HB 2688 would exempt overtime pay from West Virginia's personal income tax. The bill directly affects workers who earn overtime wages by removing the tax on that specific income. It adds a new provision (§11-21-12o) to the tax code stating "Overtime pay shall be exempt from the tax imposed by this article." This changes the tax treatment of overtime earnings without altering other tax rules or affecting non-overtime income.
HB 2876 increases the Natural Resources Commission from seven to eleven members by adding four new positions. These additional members must be Division of Natural Resources staff wildlife biologists, each specializing in a specific wildlife area: deer, bears, turkeys, or fisheries. The bill directly affects the commission's structure and operations, requiring specialized expertise in key species management. This change takes effect with appointments in 2025, expanding the commission's capacity to address species-specific conservation needs.
SB 460 amends West Virginia's school immunization law to allow religious and philosophical exemptions for required vaccines (including measles, chickenpox, and polio), in addition to existing medical exemptions. It removes the requirement for schools to report unvaccinated students to health officials and eliminates the position of a state immunization officer. The bill prohibits schools and child care centers from excluding students from extracurricular activities or school events due to using an exemption, and permits civil lawsuits for violations of these rules. These changes directly affect students, parents, and schools in West Virginia.
This bill updates West Virginia's campaign finance rules by allowing corporations and membership organizations (including nonprofits and LLCs) to directly contribute to candidates, candidate committees, or political action committees. It clarifies reporting requirements for these contributions and defines key terms like "corporation" and "contribution" to improve transparency. The changes affect candidates, their committees, and corporate donors by streamlining disclosure rules for campaign spending. The bill focuses on modernizing reporting standards rather than restricting contributions.
