Criminal Justice (Juvenile Justice)

HB 5020 prohibits individuals on the state sex offender registry, convicted of sexual assault, or convicted of juvenile abuse from entering public school property or attending school events. It directly affects these individuals and requires schools to hold parent-teacher conferences with them via phone or virtual meeting instead of on-site. Violating this ban is a misdemeanor for a first offense (up to six months in jail) and a felony for repeat offenses (one to five years in prison). The bill also allows the State Board of Education to create implementing rules.

HB 4966 increases penalties for adults who purchase tobacco products (including vapes and cartridges) for minors under 21. It directly affects adults who buy these products for underage children, not the minors themselves. The bill imposes a $500 fine for a first offense, with higher fines ($1,500-$5,000) for repeat violations within specific timeframes, and allows for jail time (up to 60 days) for third offenses. Retail employees who violate the law face non-criminal penalties like education programs instead of fines, while employers may terminate employees who sell to minors after prior written warnings.

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.