This House Resolution (HR 16) designates November 7, 2026, and every subsequent year as "Victims of Communism Memorial Day." It is a symbolic, commemorative resolution with no legal effect or direct impact on specific individuals or policies. The resolution honors victims of communist regimes globally, referencing historical events like the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution and the work of the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation. It requires the House Clerk to notify the Foundation and post the designation online, but does not create new laws or funding.
HB 5667 directs $20 million from the Division of Economic Development to the West Virginia Division of Highways (Region 2) for accelerating road repairs in Wayne and Mingo Counties, effective July 1, 2026. It also directs $20 million from the Water Development Authority - $10 million to Wayne County Commission and $10 million to Mingo County Commission - for water infrastructure projects in those counties, effective the same date. The bill specifies these funds must be used for public road repairs and water system improvements, respectively. It does not create new taxes or alter existing programs but reallocates existing state funds to targeted local infrastructure needs.
HB 5656 would provide West Virginia county clerks with an annual $15,000 supplement for expanded election-related duties. The bill requires clerks to perform specific new responsibilities, including administering municipal elections (since 2024), maintaining voter registration rolls, meeting cybersecurity standards for voting systems, and fulfilling federal HAVA grant reporting requirements. County commissions must pay this supplement only after the Secretary of State verifies clerks met all performance benchmarks annually. This applies to clerks handling duties transferred from circuit clerks in 2002 and expanded under recent state laws. The bill does not change existing compensation structures but adds this specific supplement for defined election administration responsibilities.
HB 5096 removes the requirement for state approval (a "certificate of need") for two specific healthcare services in West Virginia: personal care services and intellectual developmental disabilities (IDD) services. This means healthcare providers offering these services no longer need prior state permission before expanding or establishing them. The bill amends existing law (§16-2D-10) to explicitly exempt these services from the certificate of need process, which previously applied to many healthcare expansions and facility changes. This change directly affects providers of personal care (like assistance with daily living activities) and IDD services (such as support for individuals with developmental disabilities), streamlining their ability to operate without state review.
HB 5053 establishes a 90-day waiting period during which families involved in active truancy cases or pre-petition processes cannot withdraw their child for homeschooling. The bill directly affects families navigating school attendance disputes, aiming to prevent short-term homeschooling as a way to bypass academic accountability, such as reading proficiency requirements under the Third Grade Success Act. Key provisions include a legislative finding that current processes allow "easy outs" without oversight for at-risk youth, and a recommendation for the state education department to survey families who choose homeschooling to understand systemic reasons for the decision. The bill does not change homeschooling rules generally but targets specific situations involving truancy proceedings.
HJR 40 proposes adding Article XV to the West Virginia Constitution, granting voters the power to directly propose new laws or constitutional amendments (initiative) and reject laws passed by the legislature (referendum). To use these powers, voters would need to gather signatures equal to 10% of the votes cast for Governor in their district or county, with statewide initiatives requiring signatures in two-thirds of counties. The bill specifies that initiative and referendum measures cannot propose laws the legislature couldn't enact, name specific individuals for office, or amend Article XV itself, and limits statewide initiatives to five per election. This would directly affect registered voters by creating new tools for direct participation in lawmaking, subject to the outlined procedural requirements.
HB 5674, titled "Prohibiting civil rights violations based on disability, gender identity or sexual orientation," makes it a felony to commit violence or intimidation against someone because of their disability, gender identity, or sexual orientation. It establishes criminal penalties of up to $5,000 fines or 10 years in prison for such bias-motivated acts, while requiring judges to consider alternative sentencing like community corrections. The bill explicitly excludes protected speech or labor union activities from being used as evidence in prosecutions, and prohibits using constitutionally protected associations as grounds for conviction unless directly tied to the crime. This law directly affects individuals targeted by bias-based violence, those committing such acts, and the criminal justice system through revised sentencing guidelines.
HB 5679 modifies West Virginia's school board operations by limiting assistant superintendent positions to one per 200 teachers (or fraction) and requiring professional educators in these roles (with teaching certificates) to substitute teach at least three days each school year. It clarifies that employment for these positions is at the county board's discretion and authorizes incentives for counties to share treasurers. The bill directly affects county school boards and educational staff, including assistant superintendents and directors of instruction, without changing attendance policies or other unrelated provisions.
HB 5662 allows the children and grandchildren of West Virginia landowners to hunt and fish on their own private property without a license or permit, regardless of their residency status. The bill amends existing law to remove the license requirement for these individuals when they present valid photo identification, such as a state-issued ID card. This applies only during official hunting and fishing seasons and under existing wildlife regulations. The change specifically targets landowners' descendants using their own land, not public or leased property.
HB 5655 amends West Virginia's certification rules for water and wastewater system operators by changing how work experience is counted toward qualifications. Specifically, it states that an operator's first 2,000 hours of experience in a Class II system (as defined by the state) will count as 4,000 hours toward certification requirements for higher classes (II, III, or IV). This change directly affects individuals seeking or renewing certification for operating public water and wastewater systems in the state. The bill does not alter other certification elements like education, exams, or system-specific requirements.
HB 5670 would update West Virginia's animal cruelty law by establishing specific care standards for animal owners. It requires providing food meeting National Research Council standards, water every four hours, and shelter with detailed specifications (e.g., four-sided structures with proper insulation). The bill also sets strict tethering rules - like using non-choke harnesses and limiting tether length - and creates a public registry for repeat offenders (second violation), barring them from adopting or purchasing animals. This bill directly affects pet owners, caretakers, and animal shelters statewide.
HB 5668 establishes the Central West Virginia Economic Development and Rural Revitalization Program to address economic challenges in eight specific counties: Webster, Clay, Braxton, Roane, Calhoun, Wirt, Lewis, and Gilmer. The bill creates a state program within the Department of Commerce that provides grants, loans, and technical assistance for projects like business development, infrastructure improvements, broadband expansion, and tourism initiatives. It also introduces a 25% tax credit for businesses making qualified investments in the region that create or retain full-time jobs. Projects must be located in the designated counties and prioritize job creation, private funding leverage, and support for economically distressed communities.
