State Senate

Wednesday, January 21, 2026 – 8th Day of Session

The Senate will convene at 11 a.m.

UNFINISHED BUSINESS

• SR 8: Congratulating Anthony “Tony” Deal on being named Agent of Year

THIRD READING

There are no bills on Third Reading for Wednesday, January 21, 2026.

SECOND READING

There are no bills on Second Reading for Wednesday, January 21, 2026.

FIRST READING

• Com. Sub. for SB 15: Protecting coal and gas minerals from carbon capture practices
• SB 66: Modifying classes of state of preparedness declared by Governor or Legislature
• Com. Sub. for SB 137: Modifying parole eligibility for crime of second degree murder and voluntary manslaughter
• Com. Sub. for SB 207: Clarifying sheriff's compensation for collection of taxes

Scheduled Committee Meetings

2 p.m.: Banking and Insurance (451M)

• Com. Sub. for SB 151: Exempting life insurance cash value from Medicaid eligibility calculations
• SB 427: Relating to Loan Form

2 p.m.: Agriculture (208W)

• SB 226: Relating to WV Commercial Feed Law

3 p.m.: Finance (451M)

Budget Presentation: West Virginia Public Service Commission

Budget Presentation: West Virginia Consumer Advocate Division

Budget Presentation: West Virginia Lottery Commission

Budget Presentation: West Virginia School Building Authority

3 p.m.: Judiciary (208W)

• Com. Sub. for SB 281: Governor's Committee on Crime, Delinquency, and Correction rule relating to law-enforcement training and certification standards

• Includes: 149 CSR 02, Law Enforcement Training and Certification; 87 CSR 01, Fire Code; 55 CSR 01, Emergency Planning and Community Right-To-Know; 81 CSR 03, West Virginia State Police Career Progression System; 81 CSR 05, Contracted Police or Security Services; 81 CSR 08, West Virginia State Police Member Grievance Procedure

• Com. Sub. for SB 309: DMV rule relating to motor vehicle equipment

• Includes: 91 CSR 11, Motor Vehicle Equipment; 91 CSR 13, Compulsory Motor Vehicle Liability Insurance; 91 CSR 25, Special Purpose Vehicles

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

Senate Bills to be Introduced Wednesday, January 21, 2026

• SB 549: Raising pay for jurors from $40 per day to $100 per day (Hamilton, Azinger, Deeds, Fuller, Garcia, Oliverio, Phillips, Takubo, Thorne, Weld, Woelfel, Woodrum; Finance)
• SB 550: Providing for nonpartisan election of commission members (Woelfel; Judiciary)
• SB 551: Restoring voting rights to faculty, student, and employee members of institutional boards of governors (Woelfel; Education then Judiciary)
• SB 552: Authorizing county boards of education to designate schools as rural anchor schools (FN) (Woelfel; Education then Finance)
• SB 553: Providing for transfer of license to contractor’s qualifying immediate family member (Woelfel; Workforce)
• SB 554: Establishing enrollment stabilizer mechanism within public school support plan (Woelfel; Education then Finance)
• SB 555: Establishing Essential Personnel Bridge Grant Program (FN) (Woelfel; Education then Finance)
• SB 556: Modifying priority of insurance coverage for drivers of certain vehicles to make consistent with federal law (FN) (Martin; Finance)
• SB 557: Requiring Child Protective Services workers to wear body-worn cameras (FN) (Chapman; Health and Human Resources then Finance)
• SB 558: Regarding penalties related to school bus safety (Taylor; Judiciary)
• SB 559: Protecting Children from Illegal Vapes Act (FN) (Taylor; Judiciary then Finance)
• SB 560: Relating to financing and state payments (Helton; Banking and Insurance then Finance)
• SB 561: Relating to disaffiliation from religious denominations (Azinger; Judiciary)
• SB 562: Establishing Food Is Medicine Program under Medicaid (FN) (Chapman, Deeds; Health and Human Resources then Finance)
• SB 563: Repealing exemptions from Division of Personnel (Rucker; Government Organization)
• SB 564: Modifying requirements for volunteer firefighters to qualify for volunteer firefighter tax credit (FN) (Willis; Finance)
• SB565: Requiring PEIA and other health insurance providers to provide payment parity for certain services (Chapman; Health and Human Resources then Finance)
• SB 566: Imposing limit of three terms on elected public officials in state (Chapman; Judiciary)
• SB 567: Prohibiting charging Hope Scholarship students fees for extracurricular program-related services (Rucker; School Choice)
• SB 568: Creating Oral Health and Cancer Rights Act (Takubo, Oliverio, Deeds, Hamilton; Health and Human Resources then Finance)
• SB 569: Transparency In Financial Services Act (FN) (Azinger; Judiciary then Finance)
• SB 570: [By Request of the Executive] Supplemental Appropriation to Department of Health, Fund 8802 (Smith, Woelfel; Finance)
• SB 571: [By Request of the Executive] Relating to WV Rural Health Transformation Program (Smith, Woelfel; Health and Human Resources then Government Organization)
• SB 572: Allowing election official trainees to be appointed as election officials (Thorne; Judiciary)
• SJR 16: Constitutional Officer Term Limit Amendment (Takubo; Judiciary then Finance)
• SR 9: Designating January 22, 2026, Tucker County Day at Legislature (Smith)
• SR 10: Recognizing Day of the Bible at Capitol (Grady)
• SR 11: Congratulating State Government Affairs Council on its 50th anniversary (Rucker)

* (FN) indicates the bill has a Fiscal Note

* (IB) indicates the bill is an Interim Bill

Committee Action on Bills from Tuesday, January 20, 2026

9:30 a.m.: Education

• SB 166: Relating to eligibility for WV Invests Grant Program
• Bill reported to the full Senate with the recommendation it do pass; second reference to Finance

• SB 428: Creating three separate job titles for school bus operators
• Committee substitute reported to the full Senate with the recommendation it do pass; second reference to Finance

9:30 a.m.: Government Organization

• Com. Sub. for SB 207: Clarifying sheriff's compensation for collection of taxes
• Committee substitute reported to the full Senate with the recommendation it do pass

• SB 66: Modifying classes of state of preparedness declared by Governor or Legislature
• Bill reported to the full Senate with the recommendation it do pass

1 p.m.: Health and Human Resources

• SB 446: Including certain mental health disorders in existing public health programs
• Bill reported to the full Senate with the recommendation it do pass; second reference to Finance

• SB 436: Relating to statewide prevention plan
• Bill reported to the full Senate with the recommendation it do pass; second reference to Finance

• SB 228: Relating to use of technology in child abuse and neglect investigations
• Bill reported to the full Senate with the recommendation it do pass; second reference to Finance

3 p.m.: Judiciary

• Com. Sub. for SB 84: Prohibiting law enforcement from placing surveillance cameras on private property
• Bill laid over to future meeting

• SB 55: Establishing criminal offense for crimes against public justice workers
• Bill, as amended, reported to the full Senate with the recommendation it do pass

Action on House Bills in the Senate as of Tuesday, January 20, 2026 (2)

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

Action on House Resolutions in the Senate as of Tuesday, January 20, 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 Tuesday, January 20, 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.