HCR 83 is a memorial resolution naming a specific bridge in Kanawha County (WV 61 over Morris Creek, Bridge #20-061/00-000.32) the "Benny Filiaggi, III Memorial Bridge." It honors Benny Filiaggi III, a Montgomery Fire Department member for 49 years who served as Fire Chief and trained firefighters, requesting the Division of Highways install signs with this name. This is a procedural resolution with no policy changes, solely commemorating his service.
HCR 60 is a commemorative resolution naming Pleasant Valley Bridge (Bridge Number 25-079/00-135.62) in Marion County as the "Janice L. Cosco Memorial Bridge." It honors Janice L. Cosco, who served as Marion County Clerk for 39 years (1981-2020), making her the county’s longest-serving clerk. The resolution requests the Division of Highways install signage identifying the bridge with this name and a secondary sign stating "Marion County's Longest Serving Clerk." As a naming resolution, it has no substantive policy impact beyond memorializing her public service.
This concurrent resolution (HCR 47) requests that West Virginia's Division of Highways rename the Etam Bridge (Bridge Number 39-072/00-001.85) in Preston County as the "Clinton 'Randy' Dean 101st Airborne Vietnam Veterans Memorial Bridge." It honors Clinton "Randy" Dean, a West Virginia native and Vietnam War veteran who served with the 101st Airborne Division, received a Purple Heart, and later died from Agent Orange-related illness. The resolution specifically directs the Division of Highways to name the bridge and install prominent signage identifying it with this commemorative name. This is a ceremonial resolution, not a policy change affecting legislation or funding.
HB 2679 allows retired deputy sheriffs in West Virginia to seek reinstatement with their former departments within five years of resignation, extending the previous two-year window. To qualify, applicants must have served over six months before resigning, have no pending misconduct charges, reside in the same county, and pass medical and psychological exams. The sheriff retains full discretion to approve or deny reinstatement, and successful applicants would be placed at the lowest rank above probationers. This bill directly affects former deputy sheriffs who left their positions voluntarily and wish to return to law enforcement in their home county.
HB 2158 removes the expiration dates (sunset clauses) for additional registration fees on pet food in West Virginia. Specifically, it eliminates the temporary deadlines (June 30, 2027 for bulk pet food and June 1, 2027 for smaller packages) that currently require businesses to pay extra fees. These fees - $50 per product for bulk pet food and $35 per product for smaller packages - will now be permanently collected. The funds will continue flowing into the West Virginia Spay Neuter Assistance Fund, which supports spay/neuter services provided by licensed veterinarians statewide. This change directly affects pet food manufacturers and distributors who must register their products.
SCR 22 is a resolution requesting the Joint Committee on Government and Finance to study policies and incentives to promote beverage container recycling within West Virginia. The study will examine how to encourage recycling centers to locate in the state, focusing on materials to include, redemption center criteria, funding incentives, recycling rules, participation targets, and potential legislative changes. The committee must report its findings and recommendations to the 2026 legislative session. This resolution does not create new law but requests a study to inform future policy decisions about recycling infrastructure.
SB 450 allows West Virginia county school boards to hire retired law enforcement officers - such as former state troopers, deputies, or federal officers - as "West Virginia guardians" to provide security on public school grounds. These guardians must meet specific requirements, including U.S. citizenship, a high school diploma, concealed carry certification, and training in law enforcement standards, and must apply for a sheriff-issued permit with a $50 fee. Guardians wear identifiable uniforms but are not law enforcement officers and cannot make arrests; their role focuses on protecting students and staff from threats on school property. Participation by county boards is voluntary and depends on available funding, with the program exempt from standard purchasing rules.
This bill increases retirement benefits for West Virginia Natural Resources Police Officers who retire on or after January 1, 2028. It changes the calculation for "accrued benefit" from 2.5% to 2.75% of an officer's final average salary multiplied by years of service. This adjustment directly affects officers retiring after 2027, providing a slightly higher monthly pension amount compared to previous retirement dates. The change applies to the Natural Resources Police Officer Retirement System under existing code sections.
This bill modifies West Virginia's process for selling properties with unpaid taxes (delinquent tax liens). It changes deadlines for sheriff's annual delinquent lists (to June 1 and July 1), requires personal service of sale notices to property owners/occupants instead of just certified mail, and allows the State Auditor to hire private auctioneers. Under the bill, the highest bidder pays a 10% fee to the auctioneer, $50 to the Auditor, and the rest to the county sheriff. These changes directly affect property owners with delinquent taxes, county sheriffs, and the State Auditor in tax sale proceedings.
SB 733 amends the membership rules for West Virginia's Legislative Oversight Commission on Department of Transportation Accountability. It clarifies that if a legislative chamber (Senate or House) has fewer than three minority party members, vacancies on the commission may be filled with a majority party member from that chamber. The bill does not change the commission's duties but ensures it can maintain its required seven-member composition from each chamber under all party composition scenarios. This procedural change affects how the Senate President and House Speaker appoint members to the commission, which oversees Department of Transportation accountability.
HB 2856 allows broadband providers to install necessary equipment (like fiber lines) on land protected by conservation easements, without harming conservation values. It directly affects broadband companies and landowners with conservation easements by establishing three clear pathways to secure installation permission: modifying easement language, using a conservation plan detailing installation locations and depths, or seeking court approval for existing easements that block access. The bill preempts local ordinances and homeowner association rules that would otherwise prevent such installations, while clarifying that existing eminent domain rights for broadband providers remain unaffected. This policy change aims to expand broadband access in rural areas without compromising conservation protections.
HB 2835 creates the West Virginia Infrastructure Deployment Clearinghouse, a statewide map-based data hub managed by the West Virginia GIS Technical Center. This hub will centralize geospatial information to help state agencies, local governments, and businesses plan infrastructure projects like broadband networks more efficiently, reducing duplication and speeding up installations. The bill requires agencies to follow standardized protocols for sharing location data while protecting confidential information, and establishes a special fund for operations. It directly affects state and local government entities involved in infrastructure planning and project permitting.
