Criminal Justice

in committee · West Virginia · House of Delegates Feb 16, 2026

HB 5596: Revising the statute to add costs for misdemeanor and felony convictions to be deposited into the West Virginia State Police Forensic Laboratory Fund

HB 5596 amends West Virginia law to redirect certain court costs from criminal convictions into the West Virginia State Police Forensic Laboratory Fund. Specifically, it adds $20 for misdemeanor convictions and $20 for felony convictions to be deposited into the fund, plus an additional $50 for any conviction where the forensic lab's resources were used. These costs, which would otherwise go to other funds like courthouse improvements, are now directed to support the forensic lab's operations. The bill affects individuals convicted of misdemeanors or felonies in West Virginia court proceedings.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeRedirects court costs to fund forensic lab operations, strengthening forensic capacity within criminal justice system.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Courts Policing

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in committee · West Virginia · House of Delegates Feb 6, 2026

HB 5282: Supplemental Appropriation to the Department of Administration-Public Defender Services from the Unappropriated Surplus Balance

HB 5282 provides a supplemental appropriation of $2.6 million for Public Defender Corporations and $15 million for Appointed Counsel Fees from the unappropriated surplus balance in the State Fund, General Revenue, to the Public Defender Services budget for fiscal year 2026. This funding directly supports West Virginia's public defense system by allocating unused state funds to cover essential legal services for indigent defendants. The bill does not change existing laws but supplements the budget with specific, targeted amounts to ensure public defender operations continue without additional tax revenue.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill allocates $17.6M supplemental funding from unappropriated surplus to public defense services, directly increasing state budget support for essential legal services without tax changes.95% confidence ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeFunds public defender services for indigent defendants, strengthening legal representation and civil rights in criminal justice system without altering laws.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Appropriations Revenue State Budget

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in committee · West Virginia · Senate Feb 21, 2026

SB 1047: Establishing Community Well-Being, Recovery Housing, and Family Stabilization Act

SB 1047 creates a non-criminal system to address homelessness, addiction, and mental health challenges by requiring law enforcement to issue verbal warnings, then written warnings, and finally refer individuals to community behavioral health centers after three encounters - replacing arrests or citations. The bill sets standards for recovery housing to be substance-free, trauma-informed, and long-term, with specific provisions for family recovery housing supporting pregnant women and mothers with children. It prohibits criminalizing homelessness or addiction, integrates community behavioral health centers with recovery housing services, and mandates an annual report from a state advisory team, all using existing state resources without new funding. The law takes effect on July 1, 2026.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeReplaces arrests for homelessness/addiction with behavioral health referrals, reducing criminalization and promoting treatment-based reform per bill's core mechanism.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRedirects individuals from law enforcement to behavioral health centers, establishing community-based mental health services and recovery housing standards.95% confidence ✓ HousingSupports HousingBill establishes recovery housing standards for homelessness, focusing on trauma-informed, substance-free housing and family stabilization, advancing housing stability through behavioral health referrals.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Law Enforcement Mental Health Substance Abuse Homelessness

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in committee · West Virginia · House of Delegates Feb 13, 2026

HB 5488: Relating to establishing the offense of assault upon or injury to a service animal; and providing for penalties.

HB 5488 creates a new criminal offense in West Virginia for recklessly harming or interfering with service animals. It directly affects service animal handlers (including people with disabilities who rely on service animals) and anyone who harms these animals while they are assisting a person with a disability or when the offender knows the animal is a service animal. The bill prohibits actions like taunting, throwing objects, or obstructing a service animal’s work, with penalties including up to one year in jail, a $500 fine, or both. It also requires offenders to pay full restitution for damages, such as the animal’s value, replacement costs, veterinary bills, and lost wages for the handler. The bill is currently pending before the House Judiciary Committee after being introduced on February 13, 2026.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeProtects service animal handlers' rights by criminalizing harm to service animals, aligning with civil rights protections in criminal justice.92% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections Victims' Rights Violent Crime

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passed · West Virginia · Senate Feb 26, 2026

SB 888: Creating Judicial Deference Reform Act

SB 888, the Judicial Deference Reform Act, prohibits West Virginia state courts and administrative hearing officers from deferring to state agency interpretations of statutes, regulations, or informal guidance documents (like agency memos). Instead, courts must independently review these materials using standard legal analysis ("de novo") and resolve any remaining ambiguities by limiting agency power and prioritizing individual liberty. The law applies to all state court cases and administrative proceedings starting July 1, 2026, but does not affect federal law or cases involving federal agencies. It directly affects how state courts interpret and apply West Virginia laws and agency guidance.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill limits agency deference in court reviews, prioritizing individual liberty to protect civil rights in criminal justice cases.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Courts

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in committee · West Virginia · House of Delegates Feb 3, 2026

HB 5117: Remove felonies from reason to disqualify from voting

HB 5117 would restore voting rights for West Virginia residents who have completed their prison sentence for a felony. Currently, individuals convicted of felonies are barred from voting until they finish all aspects of their sentence, including probation or parole. This bill removes that barrier by making them eligible to register as soon as they are released from prison, without waiting for probation or parole to end. It also requires the state's Division of Corrections to notify people of their voting rights upon release and the Division of Probation to do the same upon discharge.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeRestores voting rights for felony offenders post-prison release, promoting reintegration and civil rights - core criminal justice reform principles.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Civil Rights Corrections Probation & Parole

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in committee · West Virginia · House of Delegates Feb 3, 2026

HB 5082: Related to menstrual products in correctional facilities

HB 5082 requires West Virginia correctional facilities, regional jails, and juvenile detention centers to provide free feminine hygiene products (tampons and sanitary napkins) to female inmates and female juveniles upon request, with delivery within eight hours. The bill amends existing laws to explicitly mandate this provision, ensuring no cost to individuals who menstruate while incarcerated. This policy change applies directly to all female individuals in state custody who require these products, addressing a basic health need without financial burden.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeMandates free menstrual products in correctional facilities, advancing humane treatment and aligning with criminal justice reform goals of dignity and basic needs for incarcerated women.90% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill mandates free menstrual products in correctional facilities, ensuring access to essential health hygiene for incarcerated women, directly improving health access and public health outcomes.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections Juvenile Justice

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signed · West Virginia · House of Delegates Jun 25, 2026

HB 5067: Relating to the powers and duties of the director of the Division of Administrative Services

HB 5067 clarifies the Division of Administrative Services' role in managing federal grants for law enforcement. It allows the Director to directly partner with law enforcement agencies (like the State Police) to apply for and administer federal grants restricted to such agencies. The bill also removes a previous requirement for the Deputy Secretary to hear certain appeals, instead directing the Office of Administrative Hearings to handle appeals from the Governor’s Committee on Crime subcommittees. This affects how state agencies coordinate federal grant funding and process appeals related to law enforcement certification decisions. The changes streamline grant administration but do not create new law enforcement powers.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill streamlines federal grant access for law enforcement agencies, enabling funding for criminal justice programs through direct administrative partnerships.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Law Enforcement Policing

in committee · West Virginia · House of Delegates Feb 16, 2026

HB 5589: Relating to cooperation with federal immigration authorities.

HB 5589 (West Virginia) prohibits state law enforcement agencies from entering new or continuing existing 287(g) agreements with federal immigration authorities (like ICE). It requires judicial warrants for ICE to enter nonpublic areas of government facilities or conduct enforcement in sensitive locations (schools, hospitals, places of worship). The bill bans detaining individuals solely based on ICE detainers and prohibits transferring people to ICE without a warrant. It directly affects all West Virginia law enforcement agencies and state facilities by restricting cooperation with federal immigration enforcement absent court authorization. The bill repeals previous state laws governing immigration cooperation and establishes new requirements for warrant-based enforcement.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill restricts ICE access without warrants and bans detainers, protecting civil rights in law enforcement interactions, aligning with criminal justice reform principles.85% confidence ✓ ImmigrationSupports ImmigrationProhibits 287(g) agreements, requires warrants for ICE access to sensitive locations, bans detainer-based detentions - limits state cooperation with federal immigration enforcement.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Courts Law Enforcement Detention Enforcement Sanctuary Policies

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in committee · West Virginia · House of Delegates Feb 12, 2026

HB 5479: Relating to prohibiting concealment of a law-enforcement officer’s identity or authority.

HB 5479 prohibits law enforcement officers from concealing their identity (e.g., by wearing masks or face coverings) during routine, warrantless stops where a person is not under arrest and there is no probable cause for a crime. This applies to non-custodial investigative stops, such as when officers briefly question individuals in public without evidence of wrongdoing. Exceptions include undercover operations, safety risks to officers, emergencies, or when authorized by law. The bill aims to increase transparency and prevent intimidation during such encounters, but does not apply to arrests or stops supported by probable cause.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeRequires officers to identify during routine stops, promoting transparency and accountability in law enforcement interactions.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Law Enforcement Policing

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