HB 5183 directs West Virginia’s Supreme Court of Appeals to establish a single pilot domestic violence court in Kanawha County. This specialized court would handle specific misdemeanor domestic violence cases involving family or household members, including violations of laws related to assault, protective orders, and related offenses. The Supreme Court must collect data on the court’s effectiveness and report findings to lawmakers by 2027 and 2028. The pilot is limited to Kanawha County and applies only to misdemeanor cases (felony cases require a circuit judge).
HB 5336 updates West Virginia's domestic violence law to explicitly include "coercive control" as a defined form of abuse. The bill defines coercive control as a pattern of behavior meant to dominate and isolate a partner, such as controlling finances, monitoring communications, threatening harm, or restricting contact with friends and family. This change ensures non-physical tactics like emotional manipulation and isolation are legally recognized under domestic violence statutes. The bill directly affects victims of such abuse and legal proceedings by expanding the scope of what qualifies as domestic violence in court and law enforcement responses.
SB 984 allows individuals petitioning to restore their right to possess firearms to also request restoration of their right to serve on a jury in the same application. It automatically restores both firearms possession and jury service rights for certain nonviolent felons without requiring a separate petition. The bill clarifies eligibility for these petitions, specifies court authority to grant these rights, and mandates the Attorney General to publish public guidance on the process. This law directly affects West Virginia residents with prior felony convictions who seek to regain civil rights related to firearms and jury service.
HB 5400 increases criminal penalties for child neglect resulting in death in West Virginia. It raises the minimum prison sentence from 3 to 10 years for offenders convicted of causing a child's death through neglect when both a fine and imprisonment are imposed. The bill also clarifies that religious healing methods meeting IRS criteria for medical expenses do not count as neglect (but this exception does not apply to professionals like teachers or doctors responsible for a child's health). Additionally, it specifies that interfering with court-ordered medical treatment is considered neglect under this law. The bill directly affects parents, guardians, custodians, and others in positions of trust responsible for a child's well-being.
HB 5361 would prevent state and local law enforcement officers in West Virginia from conducting immigration-related arrests, detentions, or surveillance in sensitive locations like schools, places of worship, hospitals, courthouses, and facilities serving vulnerable populations (e.g., victims of abuse or individuals with disabilities). The bill defines these "sensitive locations" and prohibits immigration enforcement actions there, except when a court orders entry or an imminent public safety threat requires intervention. This directly affects how state/local officers interact with immigration enforcement in these settings. The law does not restrict federal immigration enforcement actions but limits state/local cooperation in protected locations.
HB 5443 increases compensation rates for panel attorneys and guardian ad litem professionals working in West Virginia's public defender and child welfare cases. It requires the Public Defender Services to pay approved vouchers within 45 business days, establishes clearer rules for submitting and reviewing billing records, and creates a formal process for resolving payment disputes. The bill also adds new definitions related to child abuse cases and expands when courts may skip "reasonable efforts" to keep families together. These changes directly affect legal professionals appointed in public defender cases and child welfare proceedings. The bill focuses on streamlining payment processes and clarifying requirements for court-appointed legal services.
HB 5341 creates a public registry of domestic violence offenders in West Virginia, maintained by the State Police and accessible online. Individuals convicted of domestic violence against an intimate partner (with at least one prior conviction) or of sexual assault, abuse, or causing serious bodily injury must register and pay a $150 fee, with $50 funding family court services and $100 supporting domestic violence legal aid. The registry includes basic identifying details like name, date of birth, and conviction dates but excludes sensitive information such as addresses or Social Security numbers. Removal from the registry occurs after 5 years for one prior conviction, 10 years for two prior convictions or severe offenses, or for life with three or more prior convictions, applying to offenses occurring on or after July 1, 2026.
HB 5473 creates a civil remedy in West Virginia for individuals harmed when a federal officer or employee violates constitutional rights while acting outside their official duties. It allows residents to sue such federal personnel in state court for constitutional violations (like free speech or due process) that exceed their lawful authority, but only when federal courts would not handle the case under 28 U.S.C. § 2679(d). The bill explicitly states it does not waive federal immunity or replace existing federal lawsuits, and applies only to conduct deemed "outside the scope of employment" under federal law. This policy change provides a state-level legal avenue for constitutional claims against federal actors in specific circumstances.
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HB 5471 increases annual salaries for West Virginia judges and magistrates, effective July 1, 2026. It raises magistrates' pay to $75,880 (from $63,250), Supreme Court justices to $154,600 (from $149,600), circuit judges to $143,600 (from $138,600), and family court judges to $126,424 (from $103,950). The bill also clarifies retirement contribution rules for judicial positions. These changes directly affect all active state judges and magistrates, with no county-level funding required for these salary adjustments.
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.
