HB 4461 requires internet and telecommunications providers in West Virginia to automatically provide prorated bill credits to customers when service is interrupted for five or more consecutive days (120 hours) due to the provider's fault. It directly affects subscribers who lose service for extended periods, ensuring they aren't charged for unavailable service. The bill mandates credits proportional to the outage duration, excludes outages caused by customers, cyberattacks, or force majeure, and sets civil penalties up to $1,000 per violation. Providers must report outage data monthly to the Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division for oversight, though mobile service disruptions are excluded from these rules.
HB 4570 allows landlords to serve eviction notices on tenants by posting them conspicuously on rental property (secured where easily visible) when personal service isn't possible. This method requires a neutral third party (not the landlord) to post the notice and provide a notarized affidavit detailing the date, time, location, and photographic proof of posting. The bill clarifies that landlords cannot post notices themselves and must submit this affidavit to the court with their eviction petition. It directly affects landlords seeking eviction and tenants receiving notice via this method. The change streamlines service for landlords while adding documentation requirements to ensure proper notice.
HB 5315 allocates additional federal funds to the West Virginia Department of Commerce, Division of Forestry, for fiscal year 2026. It increases the budget by $250,000 for employee salaries and benefits and $500,000 for operational expenses, using unspent federal funds already designated for forestry. The bill directly affects the Division of Forestry's ability to cover staffing and daily operations during the 2026 fiscal year. This is a routine budget adjustment to utilize existing federal resources, not a new policy or program.
HB 5302 reallocates $6,000,000 from unused state funds (unappropriated surplus) to the Department of Human Services' Foster Care program for fiscal year 2026. The funds are specifically directed to the "Bring Them Home Fund" under the Bureau for Social Services. This supplemental appropriation increases funding for foster care services without changing eligibility or program rules. It directly affects foster care programs and children in state custody served by the Department of Human Services.
HB 5291 transfers $21 million from the Premium Tax Savings Fund to the Public Entity Insurance Trust Fund for the 2026 fiscal year. This supplemental appropriation reallocates unspent state funds within the Department of Administration's budget, specifically moving money between two existing trust funds without changing public policy or affecting residents directly. The bill adjusts budget allocations but does not create new programs or requirements.
HB 5309 moves $15 million in unused funds from the Governor’s Office Civil Contingent Fund (FY2023) to the state’s General Revenue surplus for the 2026 fiscal year. It expires the remaining balance from the 2023 fund and creates a new appropriation line for the same fund in FY2026 to reflect this transfer. This is an administrative accounting adjustment - no new spending or policy changes are created, and it directly affects only state budget accounting systems, not citizens or programs.
This Senate Resolution (SR 29) symbolically designates February 6, 2026, as "Recovery Advocacy Day" at the West Virginia Legislature. It does not create new laws or allocate funding, but formally recognizes the work of addiction and recovery professionals. The resolution directs the Senate Clerk to send copies to organizations including the West Virginia Association of Addiction and Prevention Professionals and the West Virginia Alliance of Recovery Residences. Its purpose is to acknowledge ongoing efforts in addiction prevention and recovery support across the state.
HB 5304 increases funding for payments to individuals and entities filing claims against the West Virginia state government. It amends Section 8 of the 2026 state budget (HB 2026) by raising the total appropriation from $864,750 to $2,314,750, adding $1,100,000 from general revenue funds and $250,000 from special revenue funds to the existing $964,750 from state road funds. This adjustment addresses increased claim volumes resulting from prior legislation (HB 3152 and HB 3157) that expedited claim processing. The bill directly affects claimants who have filed lawsuits against the state seeking compensation. It does not change eligibility rules but ensures sufficient funds are available for payments during fiscal year 2026.
HB 5296 transfers $10 million from West Virginia's unappropriated surplus balance (unused state funds) to the Flood Resiliency Trust Fund (fund 1070). This supplemental appropriation adds a new funding line under the Governor’s Office Civil Contingent Fund specifically for flood resiliency projects during fiscal year 2026. The bill reallocates existing state funds rather than creating new revenue or policy changes. It directly affects state budget allocations for flood prevention and mitigation efforts.
HB 5283 increases funding for West Virginia's state travel program by reallocating $167,400 from unused general revenue funds. It supplements an existing budget line (Fund 0615) under the Department of Administration's Travel Management for the 2026 fiscal year. The bill uses leftover money identified in the Governor's budget document that had not been previously allocated to specific spending. This directly affects how state employees' travel expenses are covered under the Department of Administration's travel program.
HB 5295 adds $266,879 to the Bureau of Senior Services' budget for fiscal year 2026, using unappropriated funds from the State Fund, General Revenue. It directly affects senior services programs by providing supplemental funding for current operational expenses. The bill amends the existing appropriation by creating a new line item under "Current Expenses" for the Bureau of Senior Services (Fund 0420, Org 0508) without creating new taxes or policies. This allocation stems from an unappropriated balance identified in the Governor's January 2026 budget document.
HB 5303 adds $1.8 million in supplemental funding to the Department of Veterans’ Assistance' Veterans’ Facilities Support Fund (Fund 6703) for fiscal year 2026. This appropriation uses unspent money from the original budget to support veterans' facilities operations and maintenance. The bill directly affects the Department of Veterans’ Assistance and the facilities it manages, providing additional resources without creating new policies or programs.
