State Senate

Tuesday, January 20, 2026 – 7th Day of Session

The Senate will convene at 11 a.m.

UNFINISHED BUSINESS

• SCR 2: Supporting practices of freedom of religion in public spaces
• SR 6: Recognizing invaluable service of WV school custodians
• SR 7: Proposing approval for Ohio River Restoration Program Act

THIRD READING

There are no bills on Third Reading for Tuesday, January 20, 2026.

SECOND READING

There are no bills on Second Reading for Tuesday, January 20, 2026.

FIRST READING

There are no bills on First Reading for Tuesday, January 20, 2026.

Scheduled Committee Meetings

9:30 a.m.: Education (451M)

• Presentation: Charter School Update, Tom Franta, Founding Executive Director, Mountaineer Charter School Alliance
• SB 166: Relating to eligibility for WV Invests Grant Program
• SB 171: Creating WV Released Time Education Act
• SB 428: Creating three separate job titles for school bus operators

9:30 a.m.: Government Organization (208W)

• Com. Sub. for SB 207: Clarifying sheriff's compensation for collection of taxes
• SB 66: Modifying classes of state of preparedness declared by Governor or Legislature

1 p.m.: Health and Human Resources (451M)

• SB 446: Including certain mental health disorders in existing public health programs
• SB 436: Relating to statewide prevention plan
• SB 228: Relating to use of technology in child abuse and neglect investigations
• SB 455: Ensuring equal financial support to kinship parents and fictive kin

3 p.m.: Finance (451M)

Budget Presentation: West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection

Budget Presentation: West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals

3 p.m.: Judiciary (208W)

• Com. Sub. for SB 84: Prohibiting law enforcement from placing surveillance cameras on private property
• SB 55: Establishing criminal offense for crimes against public justice workers

** Committee times and agendas are subject to change **

Senate Bills to be Introduced Tuesday, January 20, 2026

• SB 510: Using criminal records as disqualification from practicing particular professions (Chapman; Workforce then Judiciary)
• SB 511: Imposing time limitations on disposition decisions in abuse and neglect proceedings (Deeds; Judiciary)
• SB 512: Relating to cost-sharing calculations on behalf of insured persons (Chapman; Finance)
• SB 513: Requiring courts to interpret statutes and regulations (Chapman; Government Organization then Judiciary)
• SB 514: Prohibiting geoengineering activities (FN) (Rucker; Natural Resources then Finance)
• SB 515: Requiring drug testing for individuals receiving office-based medication-assisted treatment (FN) (Takubo; Health and Human Resources then Finance)
• SB 516: Increasing the state minimum salary for teachers (Takubo; Education then Finance)
• SB 517: Clarifying deadlines for autopsy reports (Weld; Health and Human Resources then Finance)
• SB 518: Relating to cost-sharing requirements for breast examinations (FN) (Chapman; Health and Human Resources then Finance)
• SB 519: Establishing insurance provisions requiring coverage for annual breast cancer screenings (FN) (Chapman; Banking and Insurance then Finance)
• SB 520: Preventing foreign financial contributions in domestic political processes (FN) (Rucker; Judiciary then Finance)
• SB 521: Developing and implementing statewide prevention plan (FN) (IB) (Deeds, Grady, M. Maynard, Roberts, Tarr; Health and Human Resources then Finance)
• SB 522: Creating WV Jobs Protection Act (FN) (Helton, Bartlett, Fuller, Rose, Thorne; Government Organization then Finance)
• SB 523: Increase circumstances where Department of Human Services is required to seek termination of parental rights (Deeds, Grady, M. Maynard, Roberts, Tarr; Judiciary)
• SB 524: Relating to monthly status meetings of county entities (FN) (IB) (Deeds, Grady, M. Maynard, Roberts, Tarr; Health and Human Resources then Finance)
• SB 525: Establishing pilot program for use of mobile devices in child abuse and neglect investigations (FN) (IB) (Deeds, Grady, M. Maynard, Roberts, Tarr; Health and Human Resources then Finance)
• SB 526: Relating to PEIA Cost Sharing Provisions (FN) (Oliverio, Deeds, Grady, Hamilton, Morris, Queen, Takubo, Weld, Woodrum; Banking and Insurance then Finance)
• SB 527: Creating process of obtaining and adjudicating pre-adjudicatory alternative disposition (IB) (Deeds, Grady, M. Maynard, Roberts, Tarr; Judiciary)
• SB 528: Designating permanent daylight saving time as the official time of the state (Rose, Hart, Helton, M. Maynard, Rucker; Government Organization)
• SB 529: Requiring Department of Human Services to establish pilot program to contract for supplemental caseworker aide services (FN) (IB) (Deeds, Grady, M. Maynard, Roberts, Tarr; Health and Human Resources then Finance)
• SB 530: Relating to Child Abuse and Neglect Investigations Unit (IB) (Deeds, Grady, M. Maynard, Roberts, Tarr; Judiciary)
• SB 531: Establishing First Amendment Preservation Act (Azinger, Phillips, Charnock, Rose, Helton, Rucker, Morris; Judiciary)
• SB 532: Relating to certified public accountants (Rucker, Deeds, Phillips, M. Maynard, Woodrum; Government Organization)
• SB 533: Relating to disaffiliation from religious denominations (Morris, Azinger, Bartlett; Judiciary)
• SB 534: Relating to Kratom Consumer Protection Act (FN) (Deeds; Judiciary then Finance)
• SB 535: Imposing one-year moratorium on approval of certain public utility rate increases (FN) (Chapman; Energy, Industry, and Mining then Finance)
• SB 536: Relating to qualifications for serving on certain academic boards (Rucker; School Choice)
• SB 537: Creating Closed Captioning Act (Deeds; Government Organization then Judiciary)
• SB 538: Increasing compensation for panel attorneys (FN) (IB) (Deeds, Grady, M. Maynard, Roberts, Tarr; Judiciary then Finance)
• SB 539: Increasing compensation of panel attorneys and guardians ad litem (IB) (Deeds, Grady, M. Maynard, Roberts, Tarr; Judiciary then Finance)
• SB 540: Relating to body-worn cameras for CPS workers (FN) (IB) (Deeds, Grady, M. Maynard, Roberts, Tarr; Judiciary then Finance)
• SB 541: Requiring circuit courts make certain findings of fact and conclusions of law as it relates to court's order (IB) (Deeds, Grady, M. Maynard, Roberts, Tarr; Judiciary)
• SB 542: Imposing time limitation on disposition decision in child abuse and neglect proceedings (IB) (Deeds, Grady, M. Maynard, Roberts, Tarr; Judiciary)
• SB 543: Requiring Bureau for Social Services to file legislative rule (IB) (Deeds, Grady, M. Maynard, Roberts, Tarr; Health and Human Resources then Judiciary)
• SB 544: Relating to temporary payment to kinship parent of subsidy equal to that of foster parent (IB) (Deeds, Grady, M. Maynard, Roberts, Tarr; Health and Human Resources then Finance)
• SB 545: Creating special revenue account to expand in-state residential treatment capacity for children (FN) (IB) (Deeds, Grady, M. Maynard, Roberts, Tarr; Finance)
• SB 546: Relating to clothing and necessity allowance (FN) (IB) (Deeds, Grady, M. Maynard, Roberts, Tarr; Health and Human Resources then Finance)
• SB 547: Creating Truth in Giving Act (Barrett; Judiciary then Finance)
• SB 548: Requiring transparency of dental health care insurance products (Barrett; Banking and Insurance then Finance)
• SR 8: Congratulating Anthony “Tony” Deal on being named Agent of Year (Oliverio)

* (FN) indicates the bill has a Fiscal Note

* (IB) indicates the bill is an Interim Bill

Committee Action on Bills from Monday, January 19, 2026

2 p.m.: Energy, Industry and Mining

• Com. Sub. for SB 15: Protecting coal and gas minerals from carbon capture practices
• Committee substitute reported to the full Senate with the recommendation it do pass

• Com. Sub. for SB 118: Establishing Forest Carbon Registry
• Committee substitute reported to the full Senate with the recommendation it do pass; second reference to Finance

• Com. Sub. for SB 76: Providing exemption from state severance tax for coal sold to coal-fired power plants located in WV
• Committee substitute reported to the full Senate with the recommendation it do pass; second reference to Finance

• Com. Sub. for SB 104: Providing state mine inspectors with raise
• Committee substitute reported to the full Senate with the recommendation it do pass; second reference to Finance

3 p.m.: Judiciary

• Com. Sub. for SB 137: Modifying parole eligibility for crime of second-degree murder
• Committee substitute reported to the full Senate with the recommendation it do pass

Action on House Bills in the Senate as of Monday, January 19, 2026 (2)

• HB 4574: Relating to providing for condition-based emergency funding for a financially distressed county (Pending Senate introduction)
• HB 4575: Making Supplemental Appropriation to State Board of Education (Pending Senate introduction)

Action on House Resolutions in the Senate as of Monday, January 19, 2026 (2)

• HCR 1: Extending an invitation to His Excellency, the Governor, to deliver an address to the Legislature and raising a Joint Assembly therefor (Adopted, 01-14)
• HCR 2: Amending Rule 31 of the Joint Rules of the Senate and House of Delegates (Adopted, 01-14)

Resolutions that Have Completed Legislation as of Monday, January 19, 2026 (2 – 2 House)

• HCR 1: Extending an invitation to His Excellency, the Governor, to deliver an address to the Legislature and raising a Joint Assembly therefor (Adopted, 01-14)
• HCR 2: Amending Rule 31 of the Joint Rules of the Senate and House of Delegates (Adopted, 01-14)

Committee times and agendas are subject to change. Follow @WVSenClerk on Twitter for updates.

All Senate Committee meetings and floor sessions are available for both live streaming and to watch again in our archives. The link to the Senate’s archived video page can be found here:http://sg001-harmony.sliq.net/00289/Harmony/en/View/UpcomingEvents.