SB 268 authorizes the West Virginia Department of Health to implement a rule (64 CSR 48) that sets standards for emergency medical services. This rule, developed and revised after addressing legislative committee feedback, will govern how ambulance services, paramedics, and emergency medical personnel operate. The rule directly affects emergency medical service providers by establishing their required practices and safety protocols. The bill itself does not change the rule's content but formally approves its adoption as a binding regulation.
HB 4086 would allow teachers who first joined West Virginia's Teachers Retirement System on or after July 1, 2015, to convert their accrued annual and sick leave into additional retirement service credit. Specifically, each day of accrued leave would count as one day of service toward their retirement benefits. This would increase the amount of retirement benefits these teachers receive based on their total credited service. The bill amends existing law to extend this benefit to newer members of the Teachers Retirement System, rather than just those who joined before 2015. The bill was introduced in the House on January 14, 2026, and referred to the Committee on Education.
HB 4192 establishes the West Virginia Tri-Share Child-Care Assistance Program, which provides state-funded matching support for child-care costs for working families who do not qualify for existing state child-care subsidies. The program requires employers (with at least 20 employees working in WV for 20+ weeks annually) to contribute to employee child-care costs, with the state matching that contribution up to 100% using funds from a dedicated state fund. Eligible employees must have household income at or below the state median, and the Department of Commerce administers the program, verifying eligibility and distributing state matches directly to approved child-care facilities. This program is designed to supplement, not replace, the current state child-care subsidy system.
HB 4485 allows public school and higher education employees in West Virginia to voluntarily donate accrued sick leave to coworkers taking maternity leave. The bill establishes a formal leave donation program where employees can transfer personal leave days to colleagues experiencing maternity leave or a catastrophic medical emergency, with specific rules: donors may transfer unlimited days to spouses but face limits for others, and unused donated days revert to the donor after the leave period ends. It prohibits using donated leave for retirement credit or insurance extensions and requires voluntary participation without coercion. This policy directly affects educators in K-12 schools and colleges who qualify for personal leave under state law.
HB 4978 requires Workforce West Virginia to proactively match unemployment claimants with job openings from private employers based on their prior job history and salary range. This affects individuals receiving unemployment benefits in West Virginia, who will now receive tailored job referrals instead of only general job listings. The bill mandates that claimants apply for referred jobs within one week and accept suitable offers, while employers must report rejections or job acceptances to the state. It also ensures claimants accepting part-time work below their benefit rate retain full unemployment payments without reduction. The policy changes eligibility requirements to prioritize job matching as part of active job search efforts.
HB 4535 would protect certain assets from being taken by creditors in West Virginia for unpaid consumer debts. It applies to permanent residents and specifically shields: minimum-wage earnings (up to 40 hours/week), homesteads valued at $5,000 or less, retirement accounts (like IRAs and 401ks), disability/death benefits, prepaid college funds, life insurance proceeds, and Social Security income. These assets cannot be seized through wage garnishment, judgment collection, or other creditor actions. The bill directly affects West Virginia residents facing debt collection efforts, particularly those relying on these specific income sources or assets. It creates clear, concrete exemptions without altering existing debt collection laws beyond these defined protections.
HB 4152, the Workforce-Education Partnership Act, allows West Virginia business owners to contract employees to vocational programs or high school classes while the employees retain full-time status and benefits. Businesses receive a 100% tax credit on wages paid during participation, capped at $50,000 per business annually and $5 million statewide yearly. Employees must meet program qualifications and cannot replace certified teachers in core subjects, but may provide specialized training in fields like trade skills or healthcare. The law ensures fiscal responsibility through strict caps and uses existing state resources to minimize administrative costs.
HB 4657 would allow West Virginia public employees to count unused sick leave toward their retirement benefits. Currently, members who joined the West Virginia Public Employees Retirement System after July 1, 2015, cannot use sick leave for retirement credit; this bill would remove that restriction for all members. The bill specifies that each unused sick leave day would count as two workdays toward retirement credit, with credit calculated in monthly increments (20 workdays per month, and 10 or more additional workdays counting as a full month). It directly affects public employees with unused sick leave who are members of the retirement system.
HB 4199 amends West Virginia's minimum wage law to ensure employees who receive gratuities (like tips) earn at least the state minimum wage per hour. It allows employers to take a credit of up to 70% of the minimum wage for gratuities received by tipped employees, but only if the employee's total earnings (base wage plus tips) meet or exceed the minimum wage for each hour worked. Employers must maintain records proving this total meets the minimum wage and provide documentation to the state upon request. The bill directly affects tipped workers and their employers in West Virginia, clarifying that tip credits cannot reduce total pay below the minimum wage.
HB 4347 would exclude overtime pay (hours worked over 40 in a week) and all tips/gratuities from West Virginia's taxable income for full-time hourly employees. This change modifies the state's adjusted gross income calculation by removing these specific income sources from taxation. The bill directly affects hourly workers in jobs requiring overtime, such as retail, hospitality, and manufacturing, as well as service industry workers relying on tips. It does not create new tax exemptions but removes existing taxable income for these specific categories. The policy change would reduce income tax liability for affected workers on their overtime and tip earnings.
