Healthcare

in committee · West Virginia · House of Delegates Feb 9, 2026

HB 5338: Health Freedom for Teachers and Students Act.

HB 5338, the Health Freedom for Teachers and Students Act, prohibits West Virginia public schools from requiring teachers, staff, or students to receive immunizations or medical treatments as a condition of employment or enrollment. The bill also bans school employees from coercing or intimidating others into receiving such treatments. It amends state law to establish these protections immediately upon passage, directly affecting all public school employees and students in West Virginia. The legislation removes mandatory vaccination or medical treatment requirements that previously applied to school settings.

Topics ✗ EducationOpposes EducationBill prohibits mandatory immunizations in schools, restricting a standard health policy requirement for K-12 institutions.95% confidence ✗ HealthcareOpposes HealthcareBans mandatory school immunizations, restricting a key public health measure that protects community health and school safety.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Student Health Public Health

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passed · West Virginia · Senate Mar 5, 2026

SB 1012: Permitting development of juvenile inpatient substance use disorder treatment beds

SB 1012 amends West Virginia law to permit the development of 60 additional inpatient substance use disorder treatment beds specifically for youth aged 17 or younger in Cabell County. The bill modifies certificate of need requirements that previously restricted new beds in counties with over 250 existing substance abuse treatment beds, making an exception for Cabell County's juvenile beds. This policy change directly affects minors in Cabell County seeking inpatient treatment for substance use disorders by removing a regulatory barrier to expanding specialized care. The provision is limited to inpatient treatment beds exclusively for individuals 17 years or younger.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcarePermits 60 additional juvenile substance use treatment beds, expanding access to mental health services for minors in Cabell County by modifying restrictive certificate of need rules.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Substance Abuse

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in committee · West Virginia · House of Delegates Mar 11, 2026

HB 5297: Supplemental Appropriation to the Department of Health Facilities - William R. Sharpe Hospital from the Unappropriated Surplus Balance.

HB 5297 adds $4,906,630 in funding from the state's unappropriated surplus balance to William R. Sharpe Jr. Hospital for current operating expenses during fiscal year 2026. This supplemental appropriation directly affects the hospital's budget by redirecting unused state funds that were identified in the Governor's 2026 budget document. The bill does not create new policies or alter existing laws - it simply allocates existing surplus revenue to cover the hospital's operational costs. This is a routine budget adjustment, not a policy change, and it specifically targets the hospital's designated fund (0413) for the 2026 fiscal year.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill allocates $4.9M surplus funds to hospital operations, directly funding a public service through budget reallocation without new taxes or policy changes.90% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareAllocates $4.9M from surplus to hospital operations, directly increasing funding for healthcare facility services without policy changes.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Appropriations State Budget Hospitals

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in committee · West Virginia · Senate Feb 19, 2026

SB 1014: Increasing Medicaid dental provider reimbursement rates

SB 1014 increases Medicaid dental reimbursement rates for providers in West Virginia to address rising costs, as noted in a 2024 state report showing current rates fail to cover service expenses. It expands dental coverage for adults 21+ to include diagnostic, preventative, and restorative services (excluding cosmetic procedures), with a $2,000 annual spending limit per beneficiary. The bill requires the state to implement a dental care system with quality oversight and submit annual cost reports to legislators starting in 2027. A 20% fee increase for dental services must be enacted by December 2028 to align with federal matching requirements.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExpands Medicaid dental coverage for adults 21+ to include diagnostic/preventative services, increases reimbursement rates to address cost gaps, and mandates quality oversight, directly advancing access and funding for dental healthcare.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Medicaid

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in committee · West Virginia · House of Delegates Feb 5, 2026

HB 5216: Relating to community paramedicine programs

HB 5216 authorizes West Virginia emergency medical services agencies to establish community paramedicine programs, allowing EMTs and paramedics to provide non-emergency medical services like chronic disease management, health assessments, home safety checks, medication assistance, and post-discharge care under a medical director's supervision. The bill requires agencies to define service protocols, establish training, and coordinate with healthcare providers for at-risk populations. Crucially, it mandates that all health insurers cover these services without prior authorization, aligning with existing emergency services coverage rules. This directly affects paramedics, emergency medical agencies, and patients in communities served by these programs, expanding access to non-emergency care.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareAuthorizes EMTs/paramedics to provide chronic disease management, post-discharge care, and home assessments - expanding non-emergency healthcare access for at-risk populations under medical supervision.95% confidence

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in committee · West Virginia · Senate Feb 11, 2026

SB 921: Prohibiting Medicaid from being used for abortions or gender reassignment surgery

SB 921 prohibits West Virginia Medicaid from funding abortions (except as allowed under existing law) or gender transition procedures. It disqualifies healthcare providers performing these services from participating in Medicaid and bans Medicaid payments for referrals related to them. The bill defines "public funds" broadly to include state and federal healthcare funds and allows lawsuits by affected individuals or the Attorney General to enforce these restrictions. It directly affects Medicaid recipients seeking these services and healthcare providers who perform them.

Topics ✗ HealthcareOpposes HealthcareRestricts Medicaid coverage for abortions and gender transition procedures, limiting access to healthcare services under public health programs.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Medicaid

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signed · West Virginia · House of Delegates Aug 21, 2026

HB 5682: Supplemental Appropriation to expire funds to surplus balance of General Revenue

HB 5682 redirects $72 million in unused funds from previous fiscal years to support biomedical research at West Virginia medical schools. It expires $37 million from the 2023 Governor’s Civil Contingent Fund and $35 million from the 2017 fund, adding these to the General Revenue surplus for the 2026 fiscal year. The funds are specifically allocated to: $30 million for Marshall University School of Medicine, $5 million for West Virginia University Dental School, $32 million for West Virginia University School of Medicine, and $5 million for the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine. This supplemental appropriation expands biomedical research capacity without creating new taxes or spending.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesRedirects $72M in unspent funds to biomedical research, promoting fiscal responsibility by utilizing surplus without new taxes or spending cuts.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationAllocates $72M to medical schools for biomedical research, directly funding higher education institutions as part of education topic.85% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRedirects $72M to biomedical research at WV medical schools, directly funding healthcare infrastructure and research per bill summary.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Appropriations Revenue State Budget Higher Education

in committee · West Virginia · House of Delegates Feb 9, 2026

HB 5378: Modifying the requirements for compulsory childhood immunizations to provide for exemptions based on religious and philosophical objections

HB 5378 would allow parents to exempt their children from required school vaccinations based on religious or philosophical beliefs, expanding beyond the current medical exemption only. This bill directly affects school-aged children and their families in West Virginia who seek to opt out of mandatory immunizations. Key provisions include requiring schools to track and report the number of exempt students, clarifying that medical exemptions remain available for health reasons, and specifying that physicians must provide written statements for exemptions. The bill does not change the list of required vaccines but modifies the exemption process and reporting requirements for schools.

Topics ✗ HealthcareOpposes HealthcareBill expands non-medical exemptions for school vaccinations, weakening public health mandate and reducing vaccination rates required for disease prevention.90% confidence

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

HB 5623: Youth Mental Health Protection Act

HB 5623, the Youth Mental Health Protection Act, prohibits licensed mental health providers in West Virginia from performing conversion therapy on anyone under 18. The bill specifically bans both direct conversion therapy and referrals to providers offering such services, covering clinical psychologists, social workers, school counselors, and other licensed professionals. Violations would be treated as unprofessional conduct, with first offenses resulting in written warnings and mandatory training, and repeat offenses leading to disciplinary action by licensing boards. This law directly affects minors under 18 and all mental health providers licensed in West Virginia who interact with youth clients.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBans conversion therapy by school counselors (directly impacting K-12 education), protecting student well-being in schools per topic description.90% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBans conversion therapy for minors, protecting youth mental health services and patient rights per bill's prohibition of harmful practices by licensed providers.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Mental Health

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in committee · West Virginia · House of Delegates Feb 19, 2026

HB 5476: Require monitoring of electronic records maintained by hospitals.

HB 5476 requires hospitals in West Virginia to maintain an unaltered audit trail for all electronic health care records, showing who made changes, when, and why. It directly affects hospitals (health care providers) and patients, granting patients the right to review their records, request corrections for inaccuracies within five days, and seek $2,000 minimum damages if records are altered without justification. The bill creates a rebuttable presumption that records were improperly altered if no audit trail exists and prohibits hospitals from retaliating against employees who report tampering. These provisions aim to increase transparency and accountability in medical record-keeping while protecting patient rights.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill protects patient rights by requiring unaltered audit trails, enabling record review/corrections, and awarding damages for improper alterations in healthcare records.95% confidence

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