HB 4782, the Sustainable Child-serving Workforce and Foster Care Modernization Act, updates foster care payment rates in West Virginia to better reflect current costs. The bill requires the state to reset base rates for basic, special, and therapeutic foster care using current cost data, with automatic annual adjustments based on recognized cost indexes like the Employment Cost Index for health care. It also mandates that therapeutic foster care and child-placing agency administrative rates be adjusted to current costs and include new incentive payments to support provider retention and stable placements. This bill directly affects foster care providers, child-placing agencies, and the Department of Human Services by changing how foster care payments are calculated and adjusted.
HB 4501 establishes the Dietitian Licensure Compact, allowing West Virginia-licensed dietitians to practice in other participating states without obtaining separate licenses. It requires applicants seeking to practice in a "remote state" (a state other than their home state) to complete a national and state criminal background check with fingerprinting, pay associated costs, and authorize the West Virginia Board of Dietitians to share results with state and federal agencies. Background check results are kept private - only shared with the applicant, with their written consent, or by court order - and are not considered public records. The bill creates a commission to manage the compact, set uniform requirements for interstate practice, and handle disciplinary actions across member states. This directly affects dietitians seeking to provide services across state lines and reduces administrative burdens for both professionals and states.
This bill extends the expiration date of West Virginia's Alzheimer's Disease and Other Dementia Advisory Council, preventing it from sunsetting (ending) as originally scheduled. The council, composed of voting members including people with dementia, caregivers, healthcare providers, and advocacy representatives, reviews state dementia care services, assesses healthcare system capacity, and makes recommendations on policies and resources. The extension maintains the existing council structure and responsibilities without altering its duties or creating new policies. It directly affects the council's continued operation to address dementia care needs across the state. (100 words)
SB 633 modernizes West Virginia's Commission on Holocaust Education by updating its membership structure and governance. The bill replaces outdated provisions relying on Holocaust survivors (many now deceased) with a new framework allowing commission-appointed voting members and non-voting student advisory members, while explicitly requiring Holocaust education to remain the commission's sole purpose. It strengthens safeguards to protect historical accuracy and ensures the commission continues providing centralized educational resources for schools, churches, and communities studying the Holocaust. These changes aim to maintain the commission's mission as a permanent statewide resource for Holocaust education amid evolving circumstances.
HB 4767 requires West Virginia's Bureau of Medical Services to file its complete Medicaid policy manual as a legislative rule by July 1, 2026, and to update all future policy changes through the same formal process. This applies directly to the Bureau, mandating that its internal guidance lasting over 180 days must be incorporated into the official rule-making procedure. The bill does not change Medicaid benefits or services but standardizes how the Bureau documents and updates its policies. It affects administrative procedures, not Medicaid recipients or providers.
This bill increases compensation rates for panel attorneys who provide court-appointed legal services to eligible clients in West Virginia. It directly affects public defense attorneys by requiring updated payment rates and mandating detailed time-tracking records (in tenths of hours) for case work. Key provisions include setting 45-day payment timelines after voucher submission, establishing clear appeal processes for rejected or reduced payments, and requiring Public Defender Services to annually report legal services data to oversight bodies like the Legislative Oversight Commission and Supreme Court. The bill also adds new requirements for electronic voucher processing and court review of payment disputes.
SB 30 (West Virginia) removes the requirement for 18- to 20-year-olds to obtain a permit to carry a concealed weapon. The bill repeals prior restrictions that mandated permits for this age group and explicitly states that individuals aged 18-20 may carry concealed deadly weapons without a license, except when prohibited by other laws. Key exceptions remain in place, such as for carrying on personal property, transporting unloaded firearms from purchase to home, or during lawful hunting. The law clarifies that 18-20-year-olds are not subject to the "carrying without a license" crime under specific circumstances. This directly affects young adults in West Virginia who wish to carry concealed weapons without state-issued permits.
HB 4426 creates a special State Road Construction Account within the State Road Fund to provide dedicated highway construction and maintenance funding for 10 specific West Virginia counties: Raleigh, Fayette, Wyoming, Mercer, Kanawha, Greenbrier, Monroe, Summers, McDowell, and Nicholas. The bill explicitly requires that funds from this new account must be in addition to, not reduce, existing highway funding those counties receive from the general State Road Fund. It ensures counties listed in the bill will not lose their regular highway funding simply because they receive money from this new account. The account will be used for highway projects in these counties as defined in specific transportation plans from 2017.
This Senate Resolution (SR 33) designates February 11, 2026, as "West Virginia Arts Day" at the Legislature. It symbolically recognizes the importance of arts and culture across the state, acknowledging support from the West Virginia Department of Tourism, State Arts Office, and Commission on the Arts. The resolution encourages all citizens to celebrate arts and culture and directs the Senate Clerk to forward a copy to the Department of Tourism. As a ceremonial resolution, it has no binding policy impact or funding changes - it serves solely to honor the arts' role in West Virginia's communities, economy, and education.
HB 5455 directs all mandatory fees from special license plates in West Virginia to the State Road Fund for road maintenance. It adds a voluntary donation option at registration or renewal, allowing drivers to contribute to programs related to their plate's theme (e.g., military, education, or environmental causes). Donations must be clearly marked as optional, separate from fees, and distributed only to the designated program. The bill requires the DMV to disclose these details to applicants and report annual fee and donation totals to the legislature. This affects all drivers purchasing special license plates and ensures road funding remains primary while offering optional support for themed causes.
HB 5440 would allow healthcare workers - including doctors, nurses, therapists, and pharmacists - to refuse to perform or assist with medical procedures related to gender transition (such as hormone therapy or surgeries) based on religious or moral objections. It protects these providers from workplace discrimination, retaliation, or penalties for such refusals. The bill defines "healthcare provider" broadly to cover all medical staff and institutions, and specifies that refusal to provide gender transition-related care cannot be considered discrimination if based on conscience. The law aims to shield healthcare professionals from being forced to participate in procedures conflicting with their beliefs. This bill is currently in the introduction stage, referred to the Health and Human Resources committee.
HB 5433 requires all state-regulated health insurance plans to cover hearing aids and annual audiological evaluations for insured individuals with hearing impairment. The bill mandates coverage for initial and replacement hearing aids (every 36 months), necessary adjustments, and at least one yearly hearing evaluation. It limits coverage to $1,400 per hearing-impaired ear every 36 months for standard hearing aids, while allowing individuals to pay extra for more expensive options without penalties. The law applies to policies issued or renewed after January 1, 2026, and excludes batteries and cords from coverage.
