This Senate Resolution (SR 46) designates February 24, 2026, as "West Virginia Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation Day" at the Legislature. It recognizes the work of employees across the Division’s facilities - including correctional officers, parole officers, medical staff, and support personnel - who manage correctional facilities, promote public safety, and support offender rehabilitation. The resolution was adopted by the Senate on February 24, 2026, via voice vote. It has no policy impact beyond this ceremonial recognition.
HB 5105 creates a legal cause of action for vulnerable individuals - including those in recovery, elderly persons (65+), protected persons, and incapacitated adults - who suffer financial exploitation. The bill defines "financial exploitation" as the intentional misuse of funds or assets through undue influence (excluding good-faith financial assistance) and prohibits defenses based solely on a legal relationship (e.g., being a guardian or attorney). Courts can issue protective orders, freeze assets, award increased damages, and impose stricter criminal penalties for violations - especially for repeat offenses or losses of $1,000+ - without requiring proof of criminal intent.
Senate Resolution 48 memorializes the late Sarah Abigail (Mullennex) Minear, a former West Virginia State Senator (1994-2006) and community leader, by formally honoring her life and public service. The resolution recognizes her roles as a philanthropist, founding president of the Tucker Community Foundation and West Virginia Grantmakers Association, and her decades of volunteer work across West Virginia. It extends the Senate’s condolences to her family and directs the Clerk to send a copy of the resolution to her loved ones. This is a ceremonial resolution with no policy or financial impact, solely commemorating her legacy.
HB 5198 amends West Virginia's hate crime law to explicitly include "disability" as a protected class alongside race, sex, and other characteristics. It increases penalties for crimes motivated by disability bias - such as violence or intimidation - by classifying such acts as felonies punishable by fines up to $5,000 or 10 years in prison. The bill applies to all individuals with disabilities as defined under state law (§16B-17-3), directly affecting victims of disability-targeted crimes and holding perpetrators accountable under existing hate crime provisions.
SB 718 increases the annual salary for magistrates in West Virginia to $70,000, effective July 1, 2026. This bill amends West Virginia Code §50-1-3, which sets magistrate compensation, building on previous increases from $60,375 (2021) to $63,250 (2022). The measure directly affects all magistrates serving in West Virginia courts. The change is a straightforward salary adjustment with no additional mechanisms or eligibility requirements specified in the bill text.
HB 5164 transfers the Office of the State Fire Marshal from the Fire Commission to the Department of Homeland Security, changing how the position is appointed and managed. It requires the State Fire Marshal to have a bachelor's degree plus six years of fire safety experience (including two years supervisory), and clarifies that deputy fire marshals are law enforcement officers with specific training requirements. The bill also establishes new qualifications for deputy fire marshals and details their supervisory responsibilities within the Office. This directly affects the State Fire Marshal, deputies, and fire safety personnel under the Office of the State Fire Marshal.
SB 939 creates a tax credit for West Virginia businesses that replace imported goods with locally manufactured products. Eligible businesses - those purchasing goods for resale or use in WV - can claim a nonrefundable credit equal to 10% of the verified value of imported goods they stop buying and replace with goods from qualified WV manufacturers. The credit requires verification by an independent CPA through an "reshoring activity verification report" to confirm the value of goods replaced and ongoing purchases. This program aims to reduce reliance on foreign imports (noted as $4.8 billion in 2024) by incentivizing local manufacturing, workforce growth, and economic activity within the state.
SB 1006 adds a 1% tax on fire and casualty insurance premiums in West Virginia. Insurance companies pay this tax, and the revenue is allocated as follows: 10% to the Teachers Retirement System Reserve Fund, 25% to volunteer and part-volunteer fire departments via the Fire Protection Fund, and 65% to municipal police and fire pension funds. The bill requires annual reporting by municipalities and the State Treasurer to distribute funds according to these percentages. This policy directly affects insurance providers (through the tax) and the specific state funds supporting teachers, fire departments, and municipal pension systems.
This bill creates three regional pediatric mental health hubs (Northern, Southern, and Central) in West Virginia to improve access to care for children under 12. Each hub must maintain real-time service directories, live wait-time maps for counselors, and provide parents with a behavioral health coach within 48 hours during waitlists. It also establishes secure telehealth kiosks in county health departments for families without high-speed internet. The bill redirects 5% of current "Out-of-State Residential Placement" funds to cover these in-home services, prioritizing community support over removing children from their homes due to unavailable local resources.
SB 1080 requires West Virginia to redirect any reduction in state education funding from the previous fiscal year to support specific school districts. It targets the 10 lowest-enrollment county school districts with maximum local tax levies (excess levies), plus extremely remote schools within those districts. Funding is distributed proportionally based on kindergarten through fifth-grade student enrollment, with students counted twice in certain cases to ensure adequate support. This policy change ensures that state aid cuts directly benefit the most vulnerable school districts rather than reducing overall funding.
SB 893 creates a state tax credit equal to 10% of the federal carbon storage credit (under IRS Section 45Q) earned by businesses operating new biochar manufacturing facilities in West Virginia that began operations after July 1, 2025. It directly affects eligible businesses that qualify for the federal credit, allowing them to reduce their state corporation income tax by up to 50% of their tax liability for the year. The credit lasts up to 12 years and requires verification through IRS certification and documentation proving biochar production occurred in the state. Businesses must submit federal tax return copies and evidence of carbon sequestration meeting nationally recognized standards to claim the credit.
SB 762 comprehensively reforms West Virginia's water infrastructure systems by updating laws governing public water and wastewater utilities. It grants the Department of Environmental Protection authority over state water infrastructure funds, prioritizes public utilities for low-interest loans (while allowing private utilities to apply), and requires struggling utilities to address issues through a mandatory improvement period after being placed on a "watch list." The bill creates a voluntary Early Intervention Program for 6-10 utilities to resolve problems before reaching crisis status, mandates training for local officials overseeing utilities, and establishes regional cooperation agreements to share resources. It also sets new eligibility rules for state funding, including requirements for financial audits and guidelines for funding projects like line extensions.
