SB 460 would exempt tips and overtime compensation from West Virginia's personal income tax. This means workers earning tips (such as in restaurants) or overtime pay (for hours beyond 40 in a week) would not owe state income tax on those earnings. Employers would still be required to report these payments as part of their tax filings, but the state would not tax them. The bill directly affects all West Virginia workers who receive tips or overtime compensation, including service industry employees and hourly workers.
SB 109 clarifies that racial discrimination under West Virginia law includes discrimination based on hair textures and protective hairstyles historically associated with specific races. The bill explicitly adds these protections to the state's human rights code, defining "protective hairstyles" to include braids, locks, and twists. It directly affects all individuals covered by West Virginia's anti-discrimination laws in workplaces, schools, and public accommodations. This amendment expands existing protections to address bias against hair styles commonly linked to Black culture, without changing other aspects of discrimination law.
SB 138 amends West Virginia law to align retirement benefits for dependents of State Police officers who take disability retirement with those for officers who retire after 20 years without disability. Currently, disability retirees' dependents receive a flat $6,000 annual benefit, while regular retirees' dependents get either 5.5% of 25 years' average salary or 75% of the retiree's benefit (minimum $5,000). The bill changes this by requiring disability retirees' dependents to receive the same 75% benefit calculation as regular retirees, ensuring comparable support. This directly affects surviving spouses and children of State Police officers who retire due to disability.
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 4025 exempts new hires and promoted employees in West Virginia's Departments of Health Facilities, Human Services, and Health from the classified civil service system and state grievance procedures starting July 1, 2026. Current employees in these departments retain their existing civil service protections and grievance access. The bill grants department secretaries more flexibility in hiring, promotions, and compensation while maintaining prohibitions against nepotism, discrimination, and unethical practices. This change applies only to employees entering or moving within these departments after the effective date, not to current staff or governor-appointed positions.
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.
SB 401 would exempt new hires and promoted employees in West Virginia's Departments of Health Facilities, Human Services, and Health from the state civil service system and grievance process, starting July 1, 2026. Current employees in these departments will retain their existing civil service status and grievance rights in their current positions, while those who leave and return to the same departments will transition to the exempt system. The bill does not apply to Governor-appointed positions and does not affect existing laws against nepotism, discrimination, or unethical employment practices.
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.
