Criminal Justice

in committee · West Virginia · House of Delegates Jan 29, 2026

HB 4908: To require a guilty verdict, before any property of any type are taken from an individual

HB 4908 requires a criminal conviction before any property can be taken through asset forfeiture in West Virginia. This bill directly affects individuals whose property might otherwise be seized under civil forfeiture laws without a criminal conviction. Key provisions include eliminating civil asset forfeiture, mandating a guilty verdict for property seizure, requiring notice to all owners, and protecting innocent owners who didn't know their property was used in crime. The bill replaces current civil forfeiture procedures with a criminal conviction requirement for all property seizures.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeRequires criminal conviction for property seizure, protecting civil rights and reforming asset forfeiture practices to prevent abuse of civil forfeiture laws.95% confidence

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signed · West Virginia · House of Delegates Aug 13, 2026

HB 4755: Adding Aggravated Vehicular Homicide to the list of qualifying offenses

HB 4755 adds "aggravated vehicular homicide" (defined in §17C-5-1(c)) to West Virginia's list of offenses that trigger enhanced sentencing for repeat offenders. This change directly affects individuals convicted of aggravated vehicular homicide who have prior qualifying offenses under the state's recidivism laws. The bill amends Section 61-11-18 of the West Virginia Code to include this offense, meaning a second or third conviction for this crime could result in harsher penalties if the offender has previous serious convictions. The law focuses on increasing penalties for repeat offenders in cases involving severe DUI-related fatalities.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeAdds aggravated vehicular homicide to enhanced sentencing list, increasing penalties for repeat offenders under recidivism laws.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Sentencing Violent Crime

in committee · West Virginia · Senate Jan 14, 2026

SB 117: Creating program to reward citizens for information on drug trafficking

SB 117 creates a reward program for West Virginia residents who provide information leading to arrests for drug trafficking. The program is funded by a one-cent excise tax on each purchase of opioid antagonists (like naloxone) and fentanyl test strips, with revenue directed to a special account managed by the West Virginia State Police. Citizens reporting drug trafficking information will receive rewards paid from this account, and the rewards are exempt from taxation. The bill also includes privacy protections for informants and defines key terms like "opioid antagonist kits" and "test strips."

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesCreates one-cent excise tax on opioid meds to fund drug trafficking reward program, explicitly using taxation to fund a state program.95% confidence ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeCreates law enforcement reward program for drug trafficking, directly supporting enforcement efforts under Criminal Justice through citizen reporting incentives.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Sales Tax Drug Policy Policing

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signed · West Virginia · House of Delegates Jun 29, 2026

HB 4999: Relating to crimes against athletic officials

HB 4999 expands legal protections for both athletic officials (like referees) and participants (players) in West Virginia by making assault or battery against them a misdemeanor. It increases penalties: assault fines of $250-$500 with up to six months in jail, and battery fines of $500-$1,000 with up to one year in jail. The bill also allows school boards to ban convicted offenders from all school sports events for at least one year, with violating this ban treated as trespassing. However, it explicitly exempts normal sports actions - such as hard fouls within game rules - from prosecution.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeBill increases penalties for assault/battery against officials (misdemeanor with fines/jail), expanding criminalization and mandatory sentencing, aligning with 'oppose' indicators.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections Violent Crime

signed · West Virginia · Senate Jun 25, 2026

SB 84: Prohibiting law enforcement from placing surveillance cameras on private property

SB 84 prohibits West Virginia law enforcement officers from installing surveillance cameras on private property without either the property owner's consent or a valid search warrant. This directly affects police departments and private landowners by requiring legal authorization before placing cameras on fenced, posted, or cultivated land owned by non-government entities. Exceptions allow installation in areas visible to the public without authorization or during emergencies where obtaining consent/warrant isn't feasible. The bill defines "surveillance camera" to exclude police vehicle dash or body cameras but explicitly covers devices like game cameras used for observation. It applies to all law enforcement officers, including state natural resources agents, under West Virginia law.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeRequires warrants/consent for police surveillance on private property, protecting civil rights and enhancing law enforcement accountability per criminal justice reform indicators.95% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyRestricts unauthorized surveillance tech use, protecting property owners' privacy rights per data privacy indicators.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Law Enforcement Policing

in committee · West Virginia · House of Delegates Jan 21, 2026

HB 4661: Allowing death penalty for intentionally killing law-enforcement officer or first responder in line of duty

HB 4661 would allow the death penalty for individuals convicted of intentionally killing a law enforcement officer or first responder (including firefighters, EMTs, and correctional staff) while they are performing their duties. The bill amends West Virginia's murder sentencing code to add this scenario as an aggravating circumstance requiring physical evidence like DNA or a confession, rather than circumstantial proof. If this aggravating circumstance is proven beyond reasonable doubt and no mitigating factors outweigh it, a jury may impose the death penalty; otherwise, the sentence is life without parole. This directly affects defendants convicted of first-degree murder in these specific cases.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeBill expands death penalty for intentionally killing officers, increasing sentencing severity per indicators.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Law Enforcement Probation & Parole Sentencing

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in committee · West Virginia · Senate Jan 14, 2026

SB 190: Relating to assault and battery on emergency service personnel, law-enforcement officers, and correctional employees

SB 190 strengthens penalties for assaulting specific public safety and service workers in West Virginia. It clarifies that intentionally causing injury to law-enforcement officers, correctional employees, emergency medical personnel, health care workers, or utility workers while they are performing official duties constitutes a felony. The bill establishes three penalty tiers: malicious assault (3-15 years imprisonment), unlawful assault (2-5 years), and battery (misdemeanor with up to 1 year jail or $500 fine). It directly affects anyone who targets these workers during their duties, with the law requiring the perpetrator to know the victim was acting officially. The bill amends existing criminal code sections to define these protections and specify the enhanced penalties.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill increases penalties for assaulting law enforcement and correctional workers, strengthening criminal justice protections for public safety personnel.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections Violent Crime

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in committee · West Virginia · House of Delegates Jan 14, 2026

HB 4230: Relating to to authorizing the Governor’s Committee on Crime, Delinquency, and Correction to promulgate a legislative rule relating to law enforcement training and certification standards.

HB 4230 authorizes West Virginia's Governor's Committee on Crime, Delinquency, and Correction to establish legislative rules for law enforcement training and certification standards, specifically referencing the existing "149 CSR 02" rule. The bill modifies a previously filed rule (originally submitted in July 2025) that was adjusted to address objections from the Legislative Rule-Making Review Committee and refiled in September 2025. This rule would set uniform standards for officer training and certification across the state. The bill does not create new standards itself but formally authorizes the Committee to finalize and implement the modified rule. This affects all law enforcement agencies and officers subject to state certification requirements.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeAuthorizes uniform law enforcement training standards, enhancing officer accountability and professionalism per criminal justice reform indicators.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Juvenile Justice Law Enforcement

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in committee · West Virginia · House of Delegates Jan 22, 2026

HB 4758: Raise the Penalties for Murder and attempted Murder

HB 4758 modifies parole eligibility for individuals convicted of first-degree murder or attempted first-degree murder in West Virginia. It increases the minimum prison term for attempted first-degree murder from 3 to 10 years and requires inmates convicted of these offenses to serve a longer portion of their sentence before becoming parole-eligible. Specifically, these individuals must serve at least three years or the maximum sentence imposed (whichever is less) before parole consideration, rather than the previous standard terms. The bill directly affects inmates serving sentences for murder or attempted murder of the first degree.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeIncreases mandatory sentences (10-year minimum for attempted murder) and extends parole ineligibility, reducing defendant rights and strengthening harsh sentencing.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections Probation & Parole

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in committee · West Virginia · House of Delegates Jan 21, 2026

HB 4628: Protecting Everyone from Excessive Police Surveillance (PEEPS) Act

HB 4628, the PEEPS Act, requires West Virginia law enforcement agencies to obtain a warrant before accessing historical location data (such as license plate records, cell tower logs, or traffic camera footage) about people or vehicles. Exceptions include when a vehicle owner reports a theft, for traffic enforcement, toll collection, or in immediate emergencies where a warrant cannot be secured. The bill mandates that agencies encrypt this data, prohibit sharing or selling it to private companies, and maintain detailed records of all access requests with supervisor approval. This law directly affects police departments and government entities that collect location information, aiming to limit unwarranted surveillance while allowing specific public safety uses.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeRequires warrants for police access to location data, enhancing accountability and protecting civil rights in law enforcement, aligning with criminal justice reform indicators.95% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyRequires warrants for location data access, mandates encryption, prohibits sharing with private companies - directly protects data privacy under technology policy.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Law Enforcement Policing Telecommunications Tags Public Safety

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