HB 4671 requires West Virginia law enforcement to immediately transfer individuals determined to be in the country without legal immigration status to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for deportation. For a second offense (if the same person is again found without legal status), the bill classifies it as a felony, mandating 3 to 5 years in state prison before deportation. The bill also prohibits state and local law enforcement from interfering with this process or overriding federal immigration policy. It directly affects individuals without legal immigration status who are apprehended by law enforcement in the state.
HB 4519 requires full cash bail for individuals rearrested for violent or gun-related crimes while already out on bail for a previous violent or gun-related offense. It also mandates that if convicted of these subsequent crimes, sentences must run consecutively (one after another) rather than concurrently. This bill directly affects defendants charged with violent or gun-related offenses who are already on bail for similar crimes when re-arrested. The key provisions replace standard bail procedures with mandatory cash bail requirements for these specific re-arrests and alter sentencing structure for repeat offenses. The bill does not change general bail rules but targets repeat offenders in these categories.
Senate Bill 590 makes it a crime for performers to host adult cabaret shows - defined as performances featuring topless, go-go, exotic, or stripper dancers that appeal to prurient interest - where minors could view them, whether on public property or in accessible locations. Violating this law carries penalties: a first offense is a misdemeanor, while repeat offenses become felonies punishable by up to $25,000 fines, five years in prison, or both. The bill explicitly overrides any existing local ordinances about such performances. It directly affects venues and performers hosting these shows in public or viewable areas, ensuring uniform state-level enforcement.
Senate Bill 36 makes syringe exchange programs illegal in West Virginia, prohibiting any program where individuals can access sterile needles without a prescription. It requires all existing syringe exchange programs to cease operations by the bill's effective date, with a 120-day transition period allowed only for referrals to treatment - no syringes may be exchanged during this time. Harm reduction services like overdose prevention education, wound care, and opioid antagonist distribution remain permitted, provided they do not include syringe exchanges. Violators face civil penalties of up to $2,500 per day, and the state health office can seek court orders to enforce the law.
HB 4041 proposes amending West Virginia law to establish mandatory minimum sentences for assaults on specific professionals acting in their official capacity. The bill would require a minimum 3-year prison term (up to 15 years) for malicious assaults on law enforcement officers, health care workers, emergency personnel, utility workers, or correctional employees, and a minimum 2-year term (up to 5 years) for unlawful assaults on these same groups. The bill's title incorrectly references "animal" and a 25-year sentence; the actual proposed penalties are 3-15 years for malicious assault and 2-5 years for unlawful assault. This is a proposed amendment (introduced January 14, 2026, to the Judiciary Committee) to West Virginia Code §61-2-10b, not yet enacted law.
HB 4365 modifies West Virginia's accessory-to-crime laws. It removes the legal protection previously granted to domestic partners of felony offenders, meaning they can now be charged as accessories after the fact (unlike spouses or family members). The bill also eliminates the prior restriction preventing servants from being considered accessories. Additionally, it specifies that close relatives (siblings, parents, children, or grandparents) who act as accessories to a felony commit a misdemeanor, not a felony, and clarifies that accessories to misdemeanors face misdemeanor penalties. These changes directly affect domestic partners, servants, and close family members who assist felony or misdemeanor offenders.
SB 183 amends West Virginia law to remove bona fide schools, public libraries, and museums from exemptions that previously protected them from criminal prosecution when distributing or displaying obscene material to minors. Under the current law, these entities were exempt if material was part of curriculum (schools), displayed with a parent present (libraries/museums), or met other specific conditions. The bill eliminates these specific exemptions, meaning schools, libraries, and museums would no longer automatically qualify for protection under this provision. This change would directly affect those institutions by subjecting them to the same criminal liability as other entities distributing obscene material to minors, unless they meet other existing exemptions (e.g., reasonable age verification). The bill is currently in the Senate Judiciary Committee after being introduced on January 14, 2026.
HB 4528 would require that juveniles accused of assaulting law enforcement officers, reserve deputies, court security officers, or first responders be held in custody without being released to parents or guardians. This change means that for these specific offenses, juveniles cannot be released even if other conditions for release (like no immediate danger) would otherwise apply. The bill does not alter the existing requirement for a detention hearing within 24 hours. It directly affects juveniles charged with assaulting these public safety personnel in West Virginia.
HB 4466 expands West Virginia's public intoxication law to include impairment from narcotics. It amends §60-6-9 to define "intoxicated" as covering impairment from controlled substances (narcotics), not just alcohol, when appearing in public. This makes it a misdemeanor for individuals to be publicly impaired by narcotics, punishable by fines ($5-$100) or mandatory education programs for first offenses. The law directly affects people appearing in public while impaired by narcotics, with penalties increasing for repeat violations. The change clarifies enforcement standards for law enforcement and judicial officers.
HB 4434 increases criminal penalties for bribery and corrupt practices in West Virginia. It upgrades violations of bribery provisions (Section 3) to a felony punishable by 1-10 years in prison or fines up to $250,000 for corporations, while misdemeanor violations (Sections 4-5) carry up to 1 year in jail or $105,000 in fines. All convicted individuals face permanent disqualification from holding any state office or government position. The bill also extends the statute of limitations for misdemeanor corruption cases to six years. This directly affects public officials, contractors, and others engaging in bribery or corrupt acts under state law.
