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Public Comments

2026 Regular Session HB4433 (Judiciary)
Comment by: Jenna Newsome on January 18, 2026 20:43
HB 4433 raises serious concerns about cost and liability for our state and local governments. Expanding enforcement roles usually means higher expenses, more lawsuits, and more risk for taxpayers. West Virginia already has real needs like schools, healthcare, infrastructure. We shouldn’t be pouring money into policies that create legal exposure instead of real solutions. For these reasons, I strongly oppose HB 4433.
2026 Regular Session HB4433 (Judiciary)
Comment by: Toby Welch on January 18, 2026 20:41
Thank you for your service. I would like to suggest that no West Virginia tax dollars should be awarded to any firm or individual that hires illegal immigrants. In fact I’d like any business found knowingly hiring these people that they lose their right to conduct business in the state. We have to protect jobs for West Virginians, and put West Virginia first. This would also help protect first responders.  Thank you. Mountaineers are always free!
2026 Regular Session HB4433 (Judiciary)
Comment by: Jennifer on January 18, 2026 20:38

I oppose HB 4433 because it goes against values manv West Virginians share. It goes against our dignity, fairness, and compassion.

Our laws should protect families respect human rights, and build communitv trust. This bill does none of those things.

I urge lawmakers to reject HB 4433 and pursue policies that reflect our shared values.

Thank you.
2026 Regular Session HB4433 (Judiciary)
Comment by: Jessica Campbell on January 18, 2026 20:38
I strongly oppose HB 4433 because it undermines justice, safety, and compassion in West Virginia. By denying undocumented victims of trafficking the right to seek restitution and criminalizing those who offer help, even something as simple as providing a ride, this bill punishes victims while protecting traffickers. It erodes trust between communities and law enforcement, making it harder for people to come forward, report crimes, and seek safety. As a person of faith and community member, I believe we are called to help those in need, not criminalize acts of mercy. Congregations, nonprofits, and neighbors who serve vulnerable populations should be supported, not threatened with prosecution. Compassion should never be treated as a crime. Beyond its moral failures, HB 4433 would be costly, ineffective, and damaging to our collective well-being. It increases the risk of lawsuits, strains local budgets, and diverts resources from the real issues that matter — education, healthcare, and infrastructure. West Virginians value fairness, dignity, and community. We are stronger when families feel safe to show up, report abuse, and contribute without fear. I urge lawmakers to reject HB 4433 and instead pursue policies that protect victims, respect constitutional rights, and reflect the compassion that defines our state.
2026 Regular Session HB4433 (Judiciary)
Comment by: Jean Mullins on January 18, 2026 20:37
Please support any and all anti ICE bills in our state, we need to abolish ICE due to their on-going violence and abuse and ignorance  of law enforcement regular operations such as putting themselves in front of vehicles! Regular law enforcement is trained properly,  ICE is not, and they are not vetted properly! Please abolish ICE from our state and government! Thank you
2026 Regular Session HB4433 (Judiciary)
Comment by: Caitlin McQuown on January 18, 2026 20:30

I oppose HB 4433 because it goes against values many West Virginians share. It goes against our dignity, fairness, and compassion.

Our laws should protect families, respect human rights, and build community trust. This bill does none of those things.

I urge lawmakers to reject HB 4433 and pursue policies that reflect our shared values.

  Thank you.
2026 Regular Session HB4433 (Judiciary)
Comment by: Maddy on January 18, 2026 20:29
As a West Virginian, I care about the safety and stability of my community HB 4433 would create fear and uncertainty for families who work, live and contribute here every single day. Punitive, surveillance based policies will never solve complex issues. They erode trust and make our communities weaker, not stronger at all. Please oppose HB 4433 and support solutions that actually bring peace of mind and people together.
2026 Regular Session HB4433 (Judiciary)
Comment by: Charity Norton on January 18, 2026 20:28
As a WV taxpayer, I oppose HB 4433.  It does not relate to real issues facing our state, and is tailored to one politically-popular topic of the moment.  Criminalizing helping the poor puts our faith communities and non-profits at risk.  Limiting avenues to report human trafficking encourages people to hide crime instead of report it.  Stop wasting tax paper dollars on these irrelevant topics!
2026 Regular Session HB4433 (Judiciary)
Comment by: Tylah Cline on January 18, 2026 20:26

I oppose HB 4433 because it raises real- life concerns about due process and constitutional rights of all who live in West Virginia.

It shows concerns about cost and liability for our state and local governments. Expanding enforcement roles usually means higher expenses, more lawsuits, and more risk for taxpayers.

HB 4433 also weakens trust between communities and local government. West Virginia is stronger when families and friends feel safe showing up for their communities, no matter their immigration status. This bill sows fear within West Virginia communities instead of creating safety.

Public policy should bring people together, not push them apart. Your job should be to suggest and pass laws that bring West Virginians together, not separate them further  

There is no need for this bill to be heard in this state’s house. It is a disgusting abuse of power and it should be opposed by all lawmakers in the West Virginia house, on both sides of the aisle.

For these reasons, I urge lawmakers to reject HB 4433.

2026 Regular Session HB4433 (Judiciary)
Comment by: Jamie martin on January 18, 2026 20:24
This bill is unnecessary and out of touch with the real issues West Virginians are facing. HB 4433 doesn’t address affordability, healthcare, or community safety and it creates more problems instead.   Lawmakers should focus on real solutions, not policies that divide communities and waste time and resources. I strongly oppose HB 4433.
2026 Regular Session HB4433 (Judiciary)
Comment by: Jessica Lawrence on January 18, 2026 20:24
I reject this bill. Human rights should be considered.  Every single person should have a right to live free and exist in peace.  Please reconsider passing this bill. This affects our hard working neighbors who have families *just like us) to feed and care for. Look deep down and vote for humanity.
2026 Regular Session HB4433 (Judiciary)
Comment by: Jack Pritt on January 18, 2026 20:23
1) I oppose HB 4433 because it weakens trust between communities and local government. When people are afraid to report crimes, ask for help, or use public services, everyone loses.   West Virginia is stronger when families feel safe showing up for their communities, no matter their immigration status. This bill does the opposite by creating fear instead of safety.   Public policy should bring people together, not push them apart. I urge lawmakers to oppose HB 4433.  
2026 Regular Session HB4433 (Judiciary)
Comment by: PAUL HUDOCK on January 18, 2026 20:13
Everyone can agree that we should have good laws to prevent any type of servitude, and all heinous forms of human trafficking.   We need to be careful not to write laws that make if impossible for faith congregations to assist marginalized people.  Specifically, by giving transportation to medical appointments, schooling, shopping or other forms of assistance that allow people to access basic services.   Poor people in WV need help with transportation.    Please do not criminalize charitable works.
2026 Regular Session HB4433 (Judiciary)
Comment by: Cindy Briggs-Biondi on January 18, 2026 20:12

I am writing to oppose HB 4433. This bill does not make West Virginia safer. Instead, it weakens trust between communities and local government by turning everyday acts of care into something suspicious or punishable. When people fear that asking for help could lead to arrest, separation from their loved ones, or public humiliation, they stop reporting crimes, stop cooperating with investigations, and avoid public services, and ultimately, that harms everyone.

As a pastor, I have been with families in moments of crisis - when they need medical care, when they are escaping violence, when they are simply trying to get a child to school or get to work. HB 4433 would force communities to choose between compassion and criminal liability, and it would pressure neighbors to treat one another as threats instead of fellow human beings.

I believe West Virginia is stronger when families feel safe showing up for their communities, no matter their immigration status. We are stronger when people can seek help from neighbors without hesitation, seek care without fear, and participate in public life without having to look over their shoulder. This bill does the opposite. It creates fear, isolation, and instability, all of which are conditions that make communities less safe.

Public policy should bring people together rather than push them apart. HB 4433 moves us toward suspicion and separation, rather than toward shared safety and belonging. I urge lawmakers to oppose HB 4433.

2026 Regular Session HB4433 (Judiciary)
Comment by: Jessica on January 18, 2026 19:59
This bill is unnecessary and out of touch with the real issues West Virginians are facing. HB 4433 doesn’t address affordability, healthcare, or community safety and it creates more problems instead. Lawmakers should focus on real solutions, not policies that divide communities and waste time and resources. I strongly oppose HB 4433.
2026 Regular Session HB4433 (Judiciary)
Comment by: Michelle Mechail on January 18, 2026 19:55
I wanted to express my strong opposition to House Bill 4433. While the intention behind the bill, to combat human trafficking and smuggling, is understandable and important, it is vital for everyone to be aware of the significant risks and consequences that this bill could bring. If this legislation had been in place during my own immigration journey, I would not be where I am today. It’s deeply concerning and heartbreaking to think that those who extended kindness, support, and guidance to me and others could face penalties simply for trying to help. This bill risks criminalizing compassionate actions and could discourage the very help that so many, including myself, depended on during times of need. It’s crucial for lawmakers and the public to recognize these risks and understand that, rather than protecting vulnerable individuals, this bill could inadvertently harm the very people who are trying to make a positive difference. I urge everyone to consider these implications and ensure that compassion and empathy remain at the forefront of our community values.
2026 Regular Session HB4433 (Judiciary)
Comment by: Curtis Robinson on January 18, 2026 19:53
This bill is not just unnecessary, but cruel.  I think there are more important issues in West Virginia than stoking fear of 'immigrants'.
2026 Regular Session HB4412 (Judiciary)
Comment by: Brian Allen on January 18, 2026 19:51
I strongly support this bill.  Children need protection from pornography.
2026 Regular Session HB4433 (Judiciary)
Comment by: Alaina Schwechler on January 18, 2026 19:50
I vehemently disagree with the proposal and implementation of this bill. This directly causes harm to marginalized communities in WV.
2026 Regular Session HB4433 (Judiciary)
Comment by: Richard Stonestreet on January 18, 2026 19:48
I strongly oppose HB 4433 and urge its rejection by the Legislature. Were it to become law, it would substantially burden my right to exercise my religion. As a Catholic, I must welcome the stranger, as stated by Jesus in Matthew 25:35 and 25:43. He makes no distinction between strangers who are “legal” and those who are “illegal.”
2026 Regular Session HB4433 (Judiciary)
Comment by: Jessica Strickland on January 18, 2026 19:46
This is bill does not support my beliefs and heart of who we are in WV. We protect those that need protect and lend a hand when we can. I am against this bill and urge you to vote against it!
2026 Regular Session HB4433 (Judiciary)
Comment by: Emma Casale on January 18, 2026 19:33
Get rid of this bill. This bill protects the criminals who illegally traffic vulnerable people.  The victims of trafficking deserve all the victim support possible including the right to sue for restitution regardless of citizenship status. A law like this makes me wonder which people in WV government are actively involved in human trafficking or who are beneficiaries of such, because that is the ONLY reason anyone would propose such a measure.  And I will be urging journalists to start digging. I’m increasingly disgusted by this state’s government and will be actively supporting the replacement by election of everyone who supports this blll.
2026 Regular Session HB4433 (Judiciary)
Comment by: Jackie Lozano on January 18, 2026 19:33

As a West Virginian, I care about the safety and stability of my community. HB 4433 would create fear and uncertainty for families who live, work, and contribute here every day.

Punitive, surveillance-based policies don’t solve complex issues. They erode trust and make communities weaker, not stronger.

This bill expands government power in ways that would hurt everyday West Virginians, especially immigrant families and mixed-status households who already live, work, and contribute here.

Policies that lead to over-policing without clear safeguards break trust between people and local institutions. When trust disappears, communities become less safe, not more.

Lawmakers should reject HB 4433 and focus on policies that protect civil liberties, due process, and the well-being of our communities.

2026 Regular Session HB4433 (Judiciary)
Comment by: Ruth Zika on January 18, 2026 19:31
All human beings deserve protection.  Brown skin is not an exception.
2026 Regular Session HB4433 (Judiciary)
Comment by: Breanne Meadows on January 18, 2026 19:15
The ACLU of West Virginia said it best: “Victims of trafficking deserve justice regardless of their status. Empathy is not a crime.” I think that everyone needs to employ a more empathetic approach to their everyday lives, and this bill is no different. I say “NO” to HB 4433, and I hope my representatives agree.
2026 Regular Session HB4433 (Judiciary)
Comment by: Abigail on January 18, 2026 19:05
This is cruel and disgusting. You are treating undocumented immigrants like animals-not people. Please vote NO for this bill. It will only damage West Virginia and its residents further and prove right the many people who think this state is awful.
2026 Regular Session HB4433 (Judiciary)
Comment by: Andrea on January 18, 2026 18:57
Empathy is not a crime. Victims of human trafficking are not here of their own volition. Why would you vote to further harm these people? Do you not have anyone in your life that, if this happened to them (and it could), that you wouldn’t want whatever country’s government to help protect them? Statistically speaking, women and girls are the most vulnerable to human trafficking and, more times than not, it’s sex trafficking. Think of your daughters, mothers, your sisters, your wives who are already vulnerable to assault in their own country. And then think of “the least of these” , the frightened victims who are here by no choice of their own. Thank you for your time.
2026 Regular Session HB4433 (Judiciary)
Comment by: Linda Davis on January 18, 2026 18:39
I wish to submit a public comment. VOTE NO. Immigrants are the problem. We need jobs, Healthcare, education.
2026 Regular Session HB4433 (Judiciary)
Comment by: Mary Rinard on January 18, 2026 18:14
I want to keep up with the craziness
2026 Regular Session HB4079 (Health and Human Resources)
Comment by: Brian Allen on January 18, 2026 17:50
I strongly support this bill.  There are two biological sexes. Natural born men and women should be recognized and respected, and protected when necessary.  Only biological women birth children. It’s a shame this needs to be codified.
2026 Regular Session HB4041 (Judiciary)
Comment by: Brian Allen on January 18, 2026 17:38
I agree with the concept, but 25 years is too long. Punishment should be in proportion to the severity of the assault. A mandatory sentence should perhaps begin at 30 days and increase as appropriate.
2026 Regular Session HB4433 (Judiciary)
Comment by: Lisa on January 18, 2026 17:30
This bill I feel should not be passed. Every individual has the right to have legal assistance as any individual would expect to be supported!
2026 Regular Session HB4433 (Judiciary)
Comment by: Annette Yurkovich Brichford on January 18, 2026 17:25
Please vote NO on advancing this bill. Undocumented immigrants are human beings like all of us. If they are also victims of human trafficking, they should have the same protections and recourses as everyone else.
2026 Regular Session HB4034 (Education)
Comment by: Brian Allen on January 18, 2026 17:22
I absolutely support this bill. Children need to understand the basis of law comes from a higher power than government and are not the result of popular opinion.  The Ten Commandments don’t establish a religion, but promote respect for God and others.
2026 Regular Session HB4433 (Judiciary)
Comment by: Jamie Lukhmanov on January 18, 2026 17:22
To the Members of the West Virginia House Judiciary Committee and My State Representatives:   I am writing as a constituent to strongly oppose House Bill 4433 — a measure that would prohibit undocumented victims of human trafficking from seeking restitution and create new criminal penalties for anyone who provides assistance to people based solely on their immigration status. This bill is harmful, unjust, and counterproductive to public safety, victim recovery, and fair treatment under the law. 1. Victims of human trafficking deserve justice regardless of immigration status. Human trafficking is modern-day slavery that can occur anywhere in West Virginia and affects people of all ages, genders, nationalities, and legal statuses. According to the National Human Trafficking Hotline, West Virginia has had 339 confirmed trafficking cases involving 710 victims since 2007 — and in 2024 alone, 38 cases and 57 victims were reported to the hotline. These figures understate the problem because trafficking is widely underreported due to lack of awareness, coercion, and fear of authorities. 2. Denying restitution to a subset of victims undermines justice and recovery. Restitution — compensation for the harms victims have suffered — is a critical part of recovery and reintegration for trafficking survivors. Federal data show that in West Virginia, courts have never ordered restitution to trafficking victims in the past decade of federal prosecutions, despite convictions. Excluding undocumented victims from restitution would embed inequality into our response to exploitation and discourage reporting, making traffickers’ jobs easier. Victims who are undocumented are often among the most vulnerable; having been coerced, manipulated, or trapped by traffickers who exploit their legal status. Removing legal avenues to restitution sends a dangerous signal that some victims matter less than others. 3. Criminalizing assistance to undocumented people creates fear and erodes public safety. HB 4433’s provisions to punish individuals who “help” undocumented people — even for humanitarian acts — risk chilling essential support services. Faith-based organizations and nonprofits provide critical care for all victims of crime, regardless of status. Experts have warned that broadly defined terms like “transporting” or “harboring” could make ordinary acts of assistance (such as transporting someone to a medical appointment) subject to felony penalties. When victims fear law enforcement or penalties, they are less likely to come forward, report abuse, or seek services. This reduces our collective ability to identify traffickers and rescue those being exploited. 4. West Virginians have prioritized victim support and awareness initiatives. The state’s Human Trafficking Task Force, the West Virginia Fusion Center, and initiatives like “YOU CAN” encourage reporting and community involvement to combat trafficking. Since 2007, the hotline has generated hundreds of tips and identified hundreds of victims locally, showing that trafficking is a real concern that requires support, not punitive policy that erodes access to justice. Conclusion: House Bill 4433 is not the solution West Virginia needs. Instead of targeting victims and criminalizing compassion, our legislature should advance policies that: Protect all trafficking victims equally, regardless of legal status. Expand awareness, training, and resources for law enforcement and service providers. Ensure restitution and support services remain accessible to every survivor. Empathy is not a crime and justice should never be conditional on immigration status. I urge you to vote against HB 4433 and focus this session on meaningful public safety priorities that strengthen our communities. Thank you for your attention to this urgent matter. In solidarity, Jamie L
2026 Regular Session HB4433 (Judiciary)
Comment by: Tiffany Arnett on January 18, 2026 17:17
I’m opposed to victimizing further any victims of human trafficking. Additionally, I don’t believe that WV should create any laws that would prevent a person from getting documents or seeking asylum.  Nor should it be creating any laws that will prevent people from assisting undocumented immigrants in receiving help of any sort that makes their lives better.
2026 Regular Session HB4093 (Education)
Comment by: Jamie Y. on January 18, 2026 15:58
While I support rights involving that of guns, I do support this attempted action.
2026 Regular Session HB4033 (Local Governments)
Comment by: Jamie Y. on January 18, 2026 15:55
I support: If a public service board represents more than one community, there shall be one member from each such community on the service district board. While it may be hard to implement, community representation matters especially when it directly affects multiple communities.
2026 Regular Session HB4057 (Agriculture, Commerce, and Tourism)
Comment by: Jamie Y. on January 18, 2026 15:51
Regardless of the rest of the changes that are located in this proposal, I agree that the following should happen to help be able to keep a volunteer fire department and rescue personnel functioning:

reduce the cost of supplies by purchasing in bulk or in a discounted format for volunteer fire fighters and emergency medical services first responders.

2026 Regular Session HB4034 (Education)
Comment by: Jamie Y. on January 18, 2026 15:43
I do not agree with this wholeheartedly. This places an undue burden of practicing a religion. Secondly, what if someone has trauma relating to that of religion and thus the Ten Commandments? How are they supposed to in good conscience be able to achieve an education and/or work in a building where this is intended to be displayed.
2026 Regular Session HB4029 (Government Administration)
Comment by: Jamie Y. on January 18, 2026 15:32
Public contracts using all or in part funds from the public be it tax monies or otherwise should be available for viewing by the public.
2026 Regular Session HB4073 (Health and Human Resources)
Comment by: Cody Sturm on January 18, 2026 14:33

Something to think about.

Everyone was pro-vaccine until something horrible happened. Its impossible to get a doctor to say, yes, you're child's (issue) seizure, whatever happened, is because of the recent vaccine given.  Manufacturers aren't held accountable, (National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act of 1986).  If manufacturers would be held accountable by being sued, maybe we would get change.

Besides that,  our neighboring states, have  vaccine exemption for public schools. The unvaccinated isn't harming the vaccinated.  Theres alot of families forced to send their kids to other state's schools because of this. That has to hurt WV numbers. Lastly, but most importantly, Religious beliefs.  I thought we already won that battle. Someone's fear shouldn't outway someone else's religious convictions. Thank you for reading.  
2026 Regular Session HB4063 (Education)
Comment by: Sarah on January 18, 2026 14:33
HB 4063 would require spending hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars to build and maintain a new state system designed to support families leaving taxpayer-funded public schools. At a time when public schools are underfunded and understaffed, it’s worth questioning whether this is the best use of limited state resources.
2026 Regular Session HB4004 (Finance)
Comment by: Jamie Y. on January 18, 2026 14:13
Upon reading this, I found this line

“In any fiscal year in which the Legislature appropriates money for the program,”, is this meaning that say if the bill was passed in its current form, that the program could have money not allocated by the legislature in a fiscal year?

2026 Regular Session HB4002 (Education)
Comment by: Jamie Y. on January 18, 2026 14:07
If this is supposed to be a collaboratory, why is it being housed at Marshall University?
2026 Regular Session HB4017 (Health and Human Resources)
Comment by: Holly Johns on January 18, 2026 13:12
Absolutely NO. This puts children in danger. The chances of a child being sexually abused and mentally abused skyrockets within faith based organizations.  This is dangerous and subjects children to indoctrination.
2026 Regular Session HB4060 (Finance)
Comment by: Holly Johns on January 18, 2026 12:57
In a "free market" wouldn't it be more advantageous  to accept cash? This bill is just more red tape. Just because someone is inconvenienced that a vendor doesn't accept cash does not mean that there needs to be a law about it. Grow up.
2026 Regular Session HB4069 (Finance)
Comment by: Holly Johns on January 18, 2026 12:38
Helmets save lives. There are zero reasons to remove helmets from being legally allowed.
2026 Regular Session HB4073 (Health and Human Resources)
Comment by: Jason & Stacy Higginbotham on January 18, 2026 12:27
Our son, Carson Higginbotham, is a junior this year with the online NCAA Accredited Enlightium Academy.  He has been wanting to participate on the local high school golf team since his freshman year.  He will be a senior this upcoming 2026-2027 school year and it will be his last opportunity to participate in high school golf.  He is not vaccinated and never has been, a decision we made when he was born after his elder sister was vaccine injured and later passed away. Our son is an upstanding member of our community and the city of Clarksburg, WV.  He has won over 350 junior golf tournaments since he began competing at age 5.  He is an honor student, a church member, and volunteers within the community.  He was most recently announced as a member of the United States National Development Program through the United States Golf Association as a member of the inaugural Team West Virginia.  He is also a recipient of the USNDP Grant Program.   He participates within the West Virginia Golf Association every year and was Low Junior and came in 6th place in the WV Men's Amateur Championship at The Greenbrier in 2025.  We urge passage of this bill to allow our son the opportunity to participate in high school golf with the same athletes that he competes with all summer long. Jason, Stacy & Carson Higginbotham
2026 Regular Session HB4449 (Education)
Comment by: Crystal Reeves on January 18, 2026 10:47
I believe in today's time it is necessary to have cameras in a classroom but i also think this has to be heavily restricted. The children also need to be protected from outsiders such as someone hacking the system to watch the kids and see the routines of the class. We live in a society where technology can also be dangerous. People use technology to hurt children as well.  There has to be safety measures for these cameras as well. Who will be able watch these cameras? How will we protect these children if someone hacks the system? If an incident does occur and a parent sees the video will you have someone to block the others kids faces out to protect their identity.  We are in a new age of technology and we have to be aware of the dangers as well.
2026 Regular Session HB4171 (Health and Human Resources)
Comment by: Tanganyika Medina on January 18, 2026 10:16
Why is this a proposed bill?!?! My sex is already listed on my drivers license issued in April of 2025, in addition to my eye color, weight and height. Was also listed on my license issued in 2020.
2026 Regular Session HB4044 (Judiciary)
Comment by: Crystal Reeves on January 18, 2026 10:13
I think in today's time a bill like this is required. Drugs are everywhere they are more prominent in wv because this is what people see as fun or this is what they seen and continued because it was easier then reality. Sadly in this world we see more and more abuse being committed by parents. We have to have a better system for our children and for the future of our children.  This bill will help solve a case faster.
2026 Regular Session HB4073 (Health and Human Resources)
Comment by: Gerald Fitzwater on January 18, 2026 08:51
This is yet again a problem of separation of church and state. Religion has no bearing on public safety. Perhaps some of younger people forgot how devastating polio and smallpox was. Send those children to a private school that allows for that exemption. Public safety comes before personal beliefs.
2026 Regular Session HB4034 (Education)
Comment by: Linda Fitzwater on January 18, 2026 08:39
Our founding fathers explicitly stated keep church and state separated. There are so many different religions.
2026 Regular Session HB4052 (Judiciary)
Comment by: Gerald Fitzwater on January 18, 2026 08:38
Wonderful bill Personally I’d get the input of plenty of first responders if it hasn’t already. I feel 25 feet is a lot more appropriate. I also appreciate the language of “lawful” in there as that means if they’re acting unlawfully then it does not need to be adhered to. Such as warrantless search and seizure.
2026 Regular Session HB4034 (Education)
Comment by: Gerald Fitzwater on January 18, 2026 08:27
Has anyone heard of separation church and state? if you want a Christian school build a Christian school. If you want to teach religion, teach all religions, equally I am a Christian but what about the Muslims, Buddhists, or non-religious persons? Is the goal to cause separation in the schools? Education is supposed to be a place of diversity. That is how we grow by expanding our understanding of different cultures and not isolating them. West Virginia is isolated enough. Our state has a very close relationship with the country of Qatar, which is a predominantly Muslim country, and this would show them exactly how backwards we are; especially as a country who is attempting to westernize and be more inclusive.
2026 Regular Session HB4459 (Health and Human Resources)
Comment by: William Hall on January 18, 2026 06:25
Kratom keeps me and many others from overdosing on opioids. It helps treat pain better than most pain medications having less tolerance and less side effects. And it helps treat addiction better than methadone and Suboxone. Please do not force people to go back to hard drugs or methadone or Suboxone!!! People will die if this bill is passed...
2026 Regular Session HB4073 (Health and Human Resources)
Comment by: Noel Spickler on January 18, 2026 04:16
Please support this bill change. We need to allow the freedom of religion in our state and not live life in fear. Considering 45 other states allow religious exemptions and have not had huge outbreaks over the decades shows that the same will be for our state. Don't hinder the education of our state and children anymore.
2026 Regular Session HB4070 (Health and Human Resources)
Comment by: Holly Johns on January 17, 2026 23:54
People who do not understand immunology should not be making laws concerning immunology.
2026 Regular Session HB4079 (Health and Human Resources)
Comment by: Holly Johns on January 17, 2026 23:49
This is nonsense. I am completely against the passing of this bill.
2026 Regular Session HB4095 (Judiciary)
Comment by: Holly Johns on January 17, 2026 23:44
I really approve this one. This is important to hold people accountable for the job they do.
2026 Regular Session HB4462 (Agriculture, Commerce, and Tourism)
Comment by: Holly Johns on January 17, 2026 23:38
This is a waste of money and hampers innovation. Do not approve this bill.
2026 Regular Session HB4385 (Energy and Public Works)
Comment by: LETITIA R SIX on January 17, 2026 23:32
Pass this bill. Utility companies should not be able to raise rates however high they choose. So many communities live off of a fixed income. The costs of living go up, but wages do not!
2026 Regular Session HB4034 (Education)
Comment by: Holly Johns on January 17, 2026 23:32
Out of respect of separation of church and state - I am very against this bill. It will immediately be challenged in court and will waste state funds.
2026 Regular Session HB4382 (Judiciary)
Comment by: LETITIA R SIX on January 17, 2026 23:25
Pass this bill to help people prepare in advance for theor garnishment. It's fair.
2026 Regular Session HB4376 (Judiciary)
Comment by: LETITIA R SIX on January 17, 2026 23:21
This bill is important to various communities that are being led by the same people consecutively, who have various connections and little communal involvement to dispute their governance. NO MORE "GOOD OLE BOYS/GALS" governance cliques.
2026 Regular Session HB4002 (Education)
Comment by: Holly Johns on January 17, 2026 23:18

Important transparency issue

This part is significant:

  • Advisory Group meetings do NOT have to be open to the public

  • Their documents are NOT subject to public records (FOIA) requests

In short:

The public cannot attend these meetings or request their internal records.

This is unusual and may raise transparency concerns. I seriously have a problem with this. There is no way that it is reasonable that there is no transparency for this. In fact a report should be published at the end of the year with what the money was used for, and what was discovered by the research group.

2026 Regular Session HB4093 (Education)
Comment by: Dylan Andrus on January 17, 2026 23:00
Having a CHL does not mean a person has any more or less mental stability, adherence to law, or emotional regulation as the average citizen. Allowing any person who can achieve the task of sitting in a class, firing a few rounds, paying their County Sheriff’s Office like $50, and not being a felon or wife beater at the time of application is a real low standard. Furthermore, are we just going to make our unarmed school staff check and verify the authenticity of any given person’s CHL? I feel like that is a route to disaster. Finally, what’s the end goal? Do we think a random person who has a CHL, is in a school, a violent incident like a school shooting occurs, and what? Johnny on the spot is going to hunt down the danger? Given there are several incidents where trained law enforcement fail to do that when they have plate carriers, rifles, and tactical teams, I think that’s improbable. The more probable outcome is they either die pointlessly trying and give the offender another weapon and more ammunition, or end up hurting an innocent bystander. CQC and active threat training is not particularly pervasive in the general populace. There’s infinitely more risks than benefits here.
2026 Regular Session HB4122 (Education)
Comment by: Sarah Morris on January 17, 2026 22:30

Delegate Crouse

It’s difficult to reconcile requiring cameras in schools while opposing cameras in legislative committees. Transparency should start with lawmakers.

2026 Regular Session HB4073 (Health and Human Resources)
Comment by: Timothy Reams on January 17, 2026 22:17
The passage of this bill is a matter of fairness, parental rights, and equal access to education. By approving this legislation, our state would join 45 other states, including all of our neighboring states that already recognize religious exemptions as a matter of health freedom and individual liberty. This bill does not eliminate existing mandates or infringe upon the rights of others; instead, it simply extends an opportunity to families whose sincerely held religious beliefs currently exclude their children from attending public schools. No child should be denied access to a public education because of their faith. Public schooling is widely recognized as a constitutional right, and this bill ensures that right is upheld for all families without compromising the choices or protections afforded to anyone else.  
2026 Regular Session HB4073 (Health and Human Resources)
Comment by: Lori Renner on January 17, 2026 22:13
  1. I would like to support the codification of religious and medical freedom to choose vaccination exemption for ALL children in our public education system. I, personally, know children who have been vaccine injured. Some effects of vaccines are much more obscure but there is much evidence that they could be linked to many lasting and pernicious conditions such as autoimmune disorders and cancers.
  2. One reason for my belief is simply reading the list of ingredients in each of the vaccines. They are filled with ingredients that are classified as toxic and carcinogenic to humans.  In addition, human aborted fetal cells and even monkey cells have been used to create these vaccines. Specifically, the MMR vaccine was developed using aborted fetal cell line.
  3. It is simply illogical to force people who have real and reasonable concerns to have a foreign substance injected into their body to protect those who have already been immunized and therefore are SAFE from exposure and harm from the unvaccinated.
  4. Finally, I find that there is a major double standard in practice throughout our state that should cause MUCH liability to our State and county Boards of education who have ignored the exemption that was put in place by our Governor.  For schools to discriminate against our students and deny them a public education because they are unvaccinated but allow our sports teams to play out of state or private school whose students may be unvaccinated shows a blatant hypocrisy that is akin to bullying.
2026 Regular Session HB4073 (Health and Human Resources)
Comment by: Brittany Harvey-Reams on January 17, 2026 22:09
The approval of this bill would mean enhancing the opportunity for numerous families as well as bring our state in line for health freedom along with the other 45 states in the country, including all of our neighboring states. The approval of this bill is not taking anything away from anyone or eliminating mandates but instead providing an opportunity for additional public school attendance for children who currently aren't afforded that ability based upon their beliefs. After all, children attending public school is supposed to be a constitutional right.
2026 Regular Session HB4073 (Health and Human Resources)
Comment by: Kendall Morgan-Gill on January 17, 2026 21:37
I 100% support this bill. My daughter was injured by the MMR vaccine & was denied access into school after the injury. I was forced to give her 6 vaccines in one day to allow school entry again. The state should never have more say so over parents. Parents deserve a right to choose without force.
2026 Regular Session HB4459 (Health and Human Resources)
Comment by: Letitia Six on January 17, 2026 20:45
RE: Bill 4459 This bill should not pass. People have successfully used this substance to counteract drug addiction, anxiety, and depression. Why make something that is helpful to people illegal? In the long-run, people will still figure out how to get it if it's illegal, you just won't be able to tax it.
2026 Regular Session HB4168 (Health and Human Resources)
Comment by: Nicole Maurone on January 17, 2026 18:00
  1. Please get this bill to the senate.  Wv finally deserves to send their children to school,  healthy & unvaccinated,  if they choose. Just like the schools in VA, Ohio & others ! Thank you
2026 Regular Session HB4073 (Health and Human Resources)
Comment by: Nicole Maurone on January 17, 2026 17:45
Please get this bill to the senate ! We have been trying to get this passed for a while now. Religious exemptions give families body anomaly, & gives trust back to families that are discouraged by mandates. Many families do better with medical decisions when they are not forced!
2026 Regular Session HB4412 (Judiciary)
Comment by: David Owens on January 17, 2026 16:22

In opposition to this bill.

The responsibility of monitoring internet activity of children belongs to the parents, not the government. There are some things that should not be the domain of legislation, and attempting to replace aspects of parenting is one of them. There will always be content that is unsuitable for children to view, but once the lawmakers decide where that line is, then you will become responsible for each and every infraction. No legislation will ever be able to cover all the content available on the internet, it is simply too vast. For example, Twitter. Twitter is a social media website and application. It's purpose is to facilitate socializing in an online space. It would not fall under this bill because it's primary purpose is not to host pornographic material. With passing this legislation, you are telling parents that they no longer need to monitor their children's activity because there are safeguards in place to restrict viewership behind identification. But since Twitter doesn't fall under the definitions, it doesn't require age verification, and yet such material is available on the site since users can upload anything they want. Now a parent is going to catch their child viewing obscene images after the Legislature assured them that such images could not be accessed without ID verification. I understand wanting to push the responsibility off onto someone else. It's easy. It's appealing. But in this case, and many others, the responsibility rests solely in the hands of the person accessing the material. Not the government, not the website managers, not the uploaders or content makers. The person accessing the material.
2026 Regular Session HB4034 (Education)
Comment by: Jamie Hazelwood on January 17, 2026 16:06
I have been teaching in Raleigh County for 14 years and I think there is so much more you could be doing to support education in our state and this bill is useless. I am a Christian, but there is no need to make a law or mandate of what needs to be posted in our public schools. Please focus on issues that support instruction in our schools.
2026 Regular Session HB4005 (Government Organization)
Comment by: David Owens on January 17, 2026 15:53
In opposition to bill. While I support the idea of children who are soon to be adults having a safe and beneficial learning environment to develop the skills necessary for holding employment when they do become of age, the wording of this bill seems to be focused on relaxing current restrictions on child labor. This bill needs to be restructured to clarify what it intends. It seems to be of two parts, one part encouraging apprentice programs, and one relaxing child labor laws. I suggest dividing the bill into two pieces of legislation so that the encouragement of practical education via apprenticeship and trade schooling can be examined without the negative connotations of child labor. I understand that it is difficult to structure something that allows for one without requiring the other, but I believe in our legislators ability to do so. Children should be learning, not laboring.
2026 Regular Session HB4115 (Education)
Comment by: Jamie Hazelwood on January 17, 2026 15:50
As a teacher and a parent of a student in Raleigh County, I support this bill when it comes to instructional days and built in semester breaks. I have taught third grade for 14 years and the days drug out after standardized testing is not beneficial. If we could have that standardized testing within the last 2-3 weeks of school that would be perfect to allow for end of the year activities. As someone who was apart of the last strike, I would love not to have a reason to ever strike again. I hate the instability in our educational system, and would love all the support from our state legislature so another strike isn't necessary.
2026 Regular Session HB4393 (Health and Human Resources)
Comment by: Philip Kaso, Executive Director WVRSOL on January 17, 2026 13:58

SUPPORT Response to HB 4393

Requiring the development and implementation of statewide prevention plan.

January 17, 2026

House Health and Human Resources Committee: West Virginians for Rational Sexual Offence Laws (WVRSOL) is a West Virginia non-profit association and an affiliate of the National Association for Rational Sexual Offence Laws (NARSOL), which advocates for society’s segment that is adversely affected by the sex offender registry. We help families impacted by the registry, seek ways to maintain and improve public safety, recommend prudent use of state funding in this area, and work to ensure that proposed legislation is constitutional. WVRSOL SUPPORTS HB 4393 because it requires the House Health and Human Resources Committee to develop and implement a statewide prevention plan to provide services to at-risk children and their families. Primarily services, education, and programs that are trauma-informed and meet empirical evidence-based criteria. Services, education, and treatment programs grounded in empirical evidence rather than emotion support WVRSOL’s mission to improve public safety and focus on the prudent use of state funding in education, treatment, and PREVENTION, rather than continuing to spend money on expanding a non-functional, proven ineffective registry law. WVRSOL supports legislation that reduces abuse and sexual offenses, helps children and families, and improves public safety. HB 4393 supports these ideals and goals. Therefore, we SUPPORT and respectfully urge the House, its members, and the House Health and Human Resources Committee to vote yes on HB 4393.
2026 Regular Session HB4034 (Education)
Comment by: Tanganyika Medina on January 17, 2026 07:37
I strongly oppose this bill.
2026 Regular Session HB4093 (Education)
Comment by: Tanganyika Medina on January 16, 2026 22:17
Absolutely NOT a great idea!!! In reference to HB4106 (Permitting 18-20 year olds to conceal carry) please keep in mind that 18 year olds are still in high-school. There are many ways a firearm could get into the wrong hands.
2026 Regular Session HB4106 (Judiciary)
Comment by: MEDINA TANGANYIKA on January 16, 2026 21:31
I urge you all, regardless of political affiliation, to please acknowledge the harm that allowing this can do. The 18-20 year olds today (not all but a good many) do not hold the level of maturity as those that grew up in the 90's, 80's and earlier. When we had a problem with someone or something, we spoke about it. Now days people are quick to attack and claim self defense. Its not fake news when grown adults (18-20) are shooting/stabbing thier parents because they are told to turn off the game, look for work, mow the lawn or go wash a dish.  In my early and mid 20s I could go out to a bar and spill a drink on somebody, i would apologize, we laugh maybe even by the end the evening forge a friendship. Today somebody takes that spilled drink as a form of disrespect or an attack and shoots me claiming self defense. Also...keep in mind that many 18 year olds have not even graduated high-school. What if that concealed weapon enters the wrong hands?! This is not pro gun or anti gun. This is a pure lack of  common sense. This is absolutely NOT  a great idea. I stopped going out because the 18 years old today are not on the same level as the 18 year olds past. This generation is so far off base and those are the problems that needed addressed. PLEASE. PLEASE. PLEASE. UNDERSTAND THIS ACKNOWLEDGE THIS
2026 Regular Session HB4459 (Health and Human Resources)
Comment by: William Barkley on January 16, 2026 15:37
Please, for the love of liberty, DO NOT make kratom illegal. Banning the sale of derivitives in understandable. But, the leaf itself is useful in my life. I am a responsible consumer and feel that banning kratom leaf is a direct attack on my liberty. The evidence to show kratom leaf as a destructive product is far less proportional than that of alcohol. KRATOM HAS MADE MY LIFE BETTER. When speaking of this bill, please think of this contributing citizen. Who is a father, a (non-combat) veteran, a travelling man, and a proud citizen of West Virginia who loves his country.
2026 Regular Session HB4030 (Judiciary)
Comment by: Staff on January 16, 2026 15:08
Test comment from Judiciary staff to see how public comments are displayed. For reference only.
2026 Regular Session HB4414 (Judiciary)
Comment by: Philip Kaso, Executive Director WVRSOL on January 16, 2026 14:01

OPPOSITION, but CONDITIONAL SUPPORT to HB 4414

Relating to the sex offender registration act

January 16, 2026

House Judiciary Committee: West Virginians for Rational Sexual Offence Laws (WVRSOL) is a West Virginia non-profit association and an affiliate of the National Association for Rational Sexual Offence Laws (NARSOL), which advocates for society's segment that is adversely affected by the sex offender registry. We help families impacted by the registry, seek ways to maintain and improve public safety, recommend prudent use of state funding in this area, and work to ensure that proposed legislation is constitutional. WVRSOL OPPOSES HB 4414 as currently written; however, if amended, WVRSOL could SUPPORT the bill, which, if passed in its amended form, would align the West Virginia registry more closely with the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006. WVRSOL's full support is conditioned on the following necessary changes to HB 4414:
  1. Removal of the residency restriction, which is NOT supported by the "Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006" (Sensenbrenner, 2006), nor the U.S. Department of Justice SMART Office's SORNA Substantial Implementation Review, State of West Virginia. (SORNA Substantial Implementation Review State of West Virginia, 2016) To include such a provision would almost certainly lead to costly litigation, which has been decided unfavorably throughout the United States.
  2. Removal of all references to the collection of DNA samples for registrants under a civil regulatory schema for registering only, and not related to a criminal conviction in WV.
  3. Reclassification of certain offenses, which are currently classified as lifetime (aka AWA' Tier III') but which, according to the "Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006" (Sensenbrenner, 2006), should all be 25 years (aka AWA' Tier II'). This approach will allow limited law enforcement resources to be directed toward more serious offenses.
  4. Addition of the 5-year "Clean Record" credit outlined in §115 of the "Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006." (Sensenbrenner, 2006) This approach is consistent with federal law and will remove the less severe offenses from the list.
  5. Update by striking the updating to registry change reporting requirements from "within 10 business days" to "within 3 business days," which does not make West Virginia NOT substantially compliant. (SORNA Substantial Implementation Review State of West Virginia, 2016)
  6. Update to §15-12-2 (d) to make the current requirement for the person forced to register of "…provide or cooperate in providing at a minimum…" more understandable, similar to the "Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006" §114. (Sensenbrenner, 2006)
  7. Addition of exemptions from public display/access on the WV Registry of (a) 15 years (aka AWA "Tier1") category registrants and (b) 'juvenile sex offenders' who had not attained the age of 18 years at the time of their offense. Having 15 years (aka AWA "Tier1"), low-risk registrants on the public registry does not enhance public safety, nor does having 'juvenile sex offenders' visible/accessible on the public registry, as well as the moral implications it raises.
  8. Updates to several highlighted items in the bill make it void for vagueness and require clarification, etc.
Support Amendment Conditions:
  1. Support is conditioned on removing the residency restriction, which is NOT supported by the "Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006" (Sensenbrenner, 2006) nor a recognized shortfall to substantial compliance according to the U.S. Department of Justice SMART Office's SORNA Substantial Implementation Review State of West Virginia (SORNA Substantial Implementation Review State of West Virginia, 2016).
    • There is also no empirical evidence that the presence or distance restrictions make anyone safer. In fact, they do the opposite.
      • In its decision, the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals not only agreed but went on to declare that adding geographic exclusionary zones, among others, made Michigan's SORNA, post its 2006 and 2011 amendments, punishment and therefore could not be applied retroactively (Does #1-5 v. Snyder, 834 F.3d 696, 704 (6th Cir. 2016))
      • Moreover, the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals found that geographic exclusionary zones and in-person reporting requirements constitute onerous restrictions unsupported by evolving research and best practices on recidivism, rehabilitation, and community safety. (Does #1-5 v. Snyder, 834 F.3d 696, 704 (6th Cir. 2016))
      • Additionally, Human Services professionals and nationally recognized experts on sexual abuse and sex offender legislation agree that distance restrictions are counterproductive. According to Gina Puls (Puls, 2016), residency restrictions, which prevent sex offenders from living within an established distance of various places where children gather, have created enormous hardship for released sex offenders as they attempt to reintegrate into society, and the effectiveness of these laws has increasingly been rejected.
    • Establishing presence or distance restrictions expands the use and impact of registry law in West Virginia. It invites litigation if passed, as it shifts the WV registry from a "civil regulatory schema" to a "criminal punishment schema," which violates the Ex post facto clauses of the West Virginia and U.S. Constitutions.
      • Article III, Section 4 of the West Virginia Constitution prohibits "No bill of attainder, ex post facto law, or law impairing the obligation of a contract, shall be passed." (West Virginia Constitution, n.d.) There is little doubt that this bill could be anything other than a retroactive increase in punishment, ex post facto, because it seeks to place retroactive restrictions and punishment on registrants who have completed their court-ordered sentences.
      • WV §15-12-2 (a) makes the WV registry retroactively and prospectively adding a presence or distance restriction to the code, coupled with the above clause, would make the presence or distance restriction retroactive, and, as already established above would therefore transition the WV registry schema from a "civil regulatory schema" into a "criminal punishment schema," which violates the Ex post facto clauses of the West Virginia and U.S. Constitutions.
        • Under ex post facto principles of the United States and West Virginia Constitutions, a law passed after the commission of an offense which increases the punishment, lengthens the sentence or operates to the detriment of the accused, cannot be applied to him. (Hensler v. Cross - West Virginia - Case Law - VLEX 895334483, n.d.)
      • Other jurisdictions have attempted to impose similar restrictions, only to have them struck down on constitutional grounds – most recently in Does v. Snyder, where the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals held that Michigan's SORNA constitutes punishment and may not be applied retroactively. (Does #1-5 v. Snyder, 834 F.3d 696, 704 (6th Cir. 2016))
  2. Support is conditioned on removing all references to DNA sampling from registrants.
    • Adding DNA sampling to §15-12-2 is unnecessary, as WV code §15-2B-6 already codifies the collection of DNA samples upon conviction for registry offenses in West Virginia and those with equivalent offenses accepted from another state under any interstate compact or other reciprocal agreements.
    • Including DNA sampling to §15-12-2 would only impact people moving untethered to West Virginia who must register, i.e., not via a supervised interstate compact agreement or similar agreements—for these people, being forced to provide a DNA sample simply for registering invites litigation if passed as it transitions the WV registry from a "civil regulatory schema" into a "criminal punishment schema," which violates the Ex post facto clauses of the West Virginia and US Constitutions.
      • Article III, Section 4 of the West Virginia Constitution prohibits "No bill of attainder, ex post facto law, or law impairing the obligation of a contract, shall be passed." (West Virginia Constitution, n.d.) There is little doubt that this bill could be anything other than a retroactive increase in punishment, ex post facto, because it seeks to place retroactive restrictions and punishment on registrants who have completed their court-ordered sentences.
      • WV §15-12-2 (a) makes the WV registry retroactively and prospectively adding a presence or distance restriction to the code, coupled with the above clause, would make the presence or distance restriction retroactive, and, as already established above would therefore transition the WV registry schema from a "civil regulatory schema" into a "criminal punishment schema," which violates the Ex post facto clauses of the West Virginia and US Constitutions.
        • Under ex post facto principles of the United States and West Virginia Constitutions, a law passed after the commission of an offense which increases the punishment, lengthens the sentence or operates to the detriment of the accused, cannot be applied to him. (Hensler v. Cross - West Virginia - Case Law - VLEX 895334483, n.d.)
  3. Support is conditioned on reclassifying the following offenses, which are classified as lifetime (aka AWA' Tier III') but which, according to the "Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006" (Sensenbrenner, 2006), should all be 25 years (aka AWA' Tier II'):
    • Tier III to Tier II
      • 61-8A-1 et seq, §61-8B-9, §61-8B-11b, §61-8C-1 et seq, §61-8D-5, §61-8D-6, §61-8-12, §61-14-5(b), and §61-14-6(b) when the offense is NOT against a minor who has NOT attained the age of 12 years – these offenses should all be 25 years (aka AWA' Tier II') category when not committed against anyone not a minor who has NOT attained the age of 12.
      • 61-3C-14b and §61-14-6(a) – these offenses should all be 25 years (aka AWA' Tier II') category regardless.
    • Tier I
      • Additionally, §61-8-A-9 (1st and 2nd offenses) and §61-8c-3a should be specifically called out as 15 years (aka AWA' Tier I'). Language needs to be added that specifies that all offenses where the sentencing judge made a written finding that the offense was sexually motivated and where the sentence is classified as a misdemeanor should be registerable as 15 years (aka AWA' Tier I').
  4. Support is conditioned on the addition of the 5-year "Clean Record" credit outlined in §115 of the "Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006."
    • The "Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006" provides a 5-year "clean record" reduction in registry requirements for Tier 1 (aka WV 15-year registrants) (Sensenbrenner, 2006), and this provision needs to be added to HB 4414 and ultimately to WV §15-12-2. This credit provision must be coded as automatic upon review without the registrant's request or court proceedings.
    • The "Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006" provides a tier reduction for a "clean record" from Tier III (aka WV lifetime registrants) to Tier II (aka WV 25-year registration) (Sensenbrenner, 2006), and this needs to be added to HB 4414 and ultimately to WV §15-12-2. This credit provision must be coded as automatic upon review without the registrant's request or court proceedings.
  5. Support is conditioned on striking the updating to registry change reporting requirements from "within 10 business days" to "within 3 business days."
    • Changing the current registry update requirement from within 10 business days to within 3 business days does not make West Virginia NOT substantially compliant (SORNA Substantial Implementation Review State of West Virginia, 2016); however, it will cause many more technical registry violations, requiring judicial resources to process, incarcerate, and supervise post-release, and significant associated unnecessary costs.
  6. Support is conditioned on updating §15-12-2 (d) to delineate registrant vs State registry items.
    • The current language in §15-12-2 (d) requires the person forced to register to "provide or cooperate in providing" items they do not know of nor have control over. The language must be updated to make it more understandable by delineating between the registrant's and the State's responsibilities, similar to the "Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006" (Sensenbrenner, 2006) §114.
    • 15-12-2 (d) should be updated to delineate the registry requirements that the registrant must provide and those that are the purview of the State, similar to how the "Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006" (Sensenbrenner, 2006) §114 delineates them.
    • As it stands today, registrants are expected to "provide or cooperate in providing" items not under their purview for which they have no means of providing, e.g.,
      • Date of all arrests;
      • Date of all convictions;
      • Status of parole, probation, or supervised release; and
      • Outstanding arrest warrants, etc.
  7. Support is conditioned on the addition of exemptions from public display/access on the WV Registry of (a) 15-year (aka AWA "Tier1") category registrants and (b) juvenile registrants.
    • The "Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006" provides for optional exemptions of:
      • "Any information about a tier I sex offender convicted of an offense other than a specified offense against a minor," and
      • "Any other information exempted from disclosure by the Attorney General." (Sensenbrenner, 2006)
    • HB4414 needs to add specific language using the optional exemptions above:
      • To provide WV registrants classified as 15 years (aka AWA "Tier1") exemption from display/access on the WV public registry, and
      • To provide WV juvenile registrants, those who had not attained the age of 18 years at the time of their offense, with an exemption from display/access on the WV public registry.
  8. Support is conditioned on the updates to several highlighted items in the bill, which make it void for vagueness, require clarification, etc.
    • The proposed updates to West Virginia Registry §15-12-2. (d)(8) removes the requirement to provide "screen names, user names, or aliases the registrant uses on the internet" and adds the requirement to provide the "Internet Protocol (IP) addresses of any computer or electronic device of the registrant."
      • First, screen names, user names, aliases, and IP addresses are not included in the "Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006" schema; as such, if the bill's purpose is to be taken seriously, then §15-12-2. (d)(8) should be struck. In addition, recent federal case law has concluded that collecting internet identifiers from registrants violates the First Amendment. (Cornelio v. Connecticut, 2023)
      • Second, the above requirement to provide IP addresses is not feasible as the standard for IP addresses is that they are dynamic, NOT static (Network Fundamentals - Internet Protocol and IP Addressing | Information Security | University of Houston-Clear Lake, n.d.), and constantly change with the location the device connects to the internet, i.e., coffee shop, work, home, etc. consequently providing an IP address, which changes constantly and frequently, is nonsensical.
      • In addition to 1. a. & 1. b. above, the proposed update and addition of WV §15-12-2-10 (b) include a distance restriction from a "child daycare facility," which is insufficiently defined. It would be difficult for registrants to know with certainty how to comply with this language, given that "daycare" isn't explicitly defined. As written, the clause would not likely survive a "void for vagueness" challenge.
        • The "void-for-vagueness doctrine" requires a statute to be clear enough for those subject to it to understand what conduct would render them liable to its penalties. (Void for Vagueness and the Due Process Clause, n.d.) The standard for determining whether a statute provides fair notice is "whether persons of common intelligence must necessarily guess at [the statute's] meaning." (Galloway v. State, 781 A.2d 851, 2001)
WVRSOL is committed to legislation that measurably reduces sexual offenses, protects families, and enhances public safety. While HB 4414 has the potential to meet these goals if properly amended, it currently lacks the necessary modifications to be effective. Consequently, WVRSOL opposes HB 4414 in its current form. We respectfully urge the House Judiciary Committee and all House members to vote 'No' unless the bill is fully amended to address these critical concerns. ==================================================================================== Works Cited Cornelio v. Connecticut, No. 3:19-CV-1240 (JAM), 2023 WL 5979996 (D. Conn. Sept. 14, 2023). https://casetext.com/case/cornelio-v-connecticut-3 Does v. Snyder. No. 15-1536. United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. August 25, 2016. https://casetext.com/case/doe-v-snyder-2 Galloway v. State, 781 A.2d 851 (Court of Appeals of Maryland 2001), 365 Md. 599. https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/1494306/galloway-v-state/ Network Fundamentals—Internet Protocol and IP Addressing | Information Security | University of Houston-Clear Lake. (n.d.). Retrieved January 16, 2026, from https://www.uhcl.edu/information-security/tips-best-practices/ipaddressing Puls, G. (2016). No Place to Call Home: Rethinking Residency Restrictions for Sex Offenders. Boston College Journal of Law and Social Justice, 36, 319. Sensenbrenner, F. J. (2006, July 27). H.R.4472 - 109th Congress (2005-2006): Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006 (2005-12-08) [Legislation]. https://www.congress.gov/bill/109th-congress/house-bill/4472 SORNA Substantial Implementation Review State of West Virginia (p. 13). (2016). U.S. Department of Justice - SMART Office. https://smart.ojp.gov/sites/g/files/xyckuh231/files/media/document/westvirginia-hny.pdf Void for Vagueness and the Due Process Clause: Doctrine and Practice. (n.d.). LII / Legal Information Institute. Retrieved January 16, 2026, from https://www.law.cornell.edu/constitution-conan/amendment-5/void-for-vagueness-and-the-due-process-clause-doctrine-and-practice West Virginia Constitution. (n.d.). Retrieved January 16, 2026, from https://www.wvlegislature.gov/wvcode/wv_con.cfm?lv=true#articleIII
2026 Regular Session HB4344 (Judiciary)
Comment by: Donna Weddle Bolt on January 16, 2026 12:17
I am Michael Brandon Cochran's mother. Michael was a healthy 38 year old young man. He loved life. He was so blessed and loved his 2 children. He loved his wife and he trusted her. He never thought she would murder him - but she did. On Feb. 6, 2019, Michael collapsed in the kitchen of his home; he was unresponsive. His wife, Natalie Paige Cochran, let my son lay in his home on the couch for more than 8 hours, never rendering aid or medical treatment to Michael Brandon - until a friend came by several hours later and physically drove Michael to RGH E.R. Michael had a blood sugar of 21 and he was not a diabetic. By the time Michael was taken to the E.R., the damage to his brain was irreversible and he never woke up from his coma. Early on Feb. 6, 2019, Natalie Cochran injected my son with insulin, one time or more times - and murdered him. She knew what she was doing because she was a Doctor of Pharmacy. Michael Brandon would have recovered had he received treatment early, however Natalie would not let this happen. There were multiple people in the home throughout all hours of the day that Natalie had called to come - I really don't understand why no one called the police or 911, or just picked Michael up and drove him to the hospital - because by looking at him on the couch anyone could tell Michael was in distress and definitely not himself. Michael was intubated at RGH, transported to CAMC and was in this  hospital for 5 days. Michael never recovered, and the devil took him to Bowers Hospice House where they continued to end Michael's life. Throughout this horrific ordeal, Michael was fighting to live, he was fighting to breathe. He took his last breath at 12:18am on Feb. 11, 2019. Michael Brandon was tortured and tormented, and died a horrible death. Jan 13, 2025 - Jan. 30, 2025, there was a murder trial that lasted almost 3 weeks. Natalie Cochran was convicted of 1st degree murder of my Michael Brandon, on January 29, 2025. She also received NO MERCY - she will spend the rest of her days in PRISON where she needs to be. Thank God. Please pass this bill HB4344 in Michael Brandon's memory and in his honor. Michael didn't want to die, he so loved his life and he had made lots of plans for the future. EVILNESS took all of that away from him. She stole his life, and she stole my only son from me. I am still grieving from his death and I will NEVER get over this. One thing I do know is my Michael is with God above - and I will see his handsome face and beautiful smile again. And when I do, no one will ever take him away from me again. Please pass this HB4344. Maybe it can save someone else's life when they present to the E.R. with a low blood sugar - per Hospital guidelines, do the C-Peptide blood test first, before any treatment is given. Thank you. Donna Bolt  
2026 Regular Session HB4069 (Finance)
Comment by: David Morris on January 15, 2026 21:11
This is a topic I am very passionate about. I’ve been riding motorcycles since I was 12 years old (a highway purpose motorcycle since 16) and it has always been so freeing and exciting to go to neighboring states like Ohio and Kentucky that let the rider decide if they want to wear a helmet. The issue with the helmet law is that the riders in WV who don’t want to wear one (including myself) just find the most bare bones, cheap, small, and comparatively unsafe helmet to wear (most of which aren’t legitimately approved by the DOT) just so they can avoid getting into legal trouble. Another issue with the helmet law is that riders from states like Ohio and Kentucky will avoid West Virginia just so they don’t have to wear a helmet, or simply because they just don’t have one. There’s multiple implications to this law that in my opinion make it the right choice to do away with it. Motorcycling by nature is already extremely dangerous, we know this. However let the ones who ride decide the kind of protection they want to wear.
2026 Regular Session HB4335 (Health and Human Resources)
Comment by: Delaina szafraniec on January 15, 2026 19:30
As a mental health provider in Randolph County, it took me nearly a year to be fully credentialed by Medicaid.  Credentialing obstacles deter providers from practice and Medicaid acceptance. Thank you for proposing a solution!
2026 Regular Session HB4143 (Judiciary)
Comment by: Tina Ladd on January 15, 2026 17:21

I don’t pretend to understand every aspect of gender identity, but I do understand what happens when politics turns people into symbols instead of neighbors.

HB4143 doesn’t address an urgent problem facing West Virginia. Instead, it sets rigid definitions that would affect many areas of law and policy, with long-term consequences that are difficult to undo. Laws like this don’t reduce conflict. They escalate it, while placing real families and children in the middle.

I ask the Legislature to focus on policies that improve safety, health, and opportunity for all West Virginians, rather than advancing legislation that feels designed to win a political argument rather than solve a real problem.

2026 Regular Session HB4038 (Energy and Public Works)
Comment by: Tina Ladd on January 15, 2026 16:15

I oppose House Bill 4038.

This bill limits the rights of rural landowners to use their own property by arbitrarily restricting wind power development. Many landowners choose wind projects because they provide steady lease income that helps keep farms intact, pay property taxes, and support family land that has been held for generations.

Capping wind permits and discouraging new projects reduces local tax revenue and economic activity in rural counties that already struggle to fund schools, roads, and emergency services. These projects bring construction jobs, long-term operations work, and dependable income without extracting or degrading the land.

The provision that reduces coal severance taxes for each new wind project further destabilizes county and municipal budgets by tying local revenue to political decisions instead of predictable tax policy.

West Virginians should not be forced to choose between energy industries. Rural communities deserve the freedom to pursue economic opportunities that work for their land, their families, and their counties.

I urge lawmakers to reject HB 4038.

2026 Regular Session HB4034 (Education)
Comment by: Tina Ladd on January 15, 2026 16:11

I respectfully oppose House Bill 4034.

Public schools exist to serve students of all faiths and of no faith. Requiring the display of the Ten Commandments in every public school classroom crosses the constitutional line between freedom of religion and government endorsement of religion.

The language in this bill is not neutral or historical. It mandates a specific religious text, in a specific translation, presented prominently in every classroom. That is not about teaching history or civic values. It is a government requirement to display a religious doctrine, which directly conflicts with the First Amendment’s Establishment Clause.

West Virginia’s public schools educate Christian students, Jewish students, Muslim students, Hindu students, students of Indigenous traditions, and students who do not practice any religion. This bill elevates one religious tradition above all others and sends a clear message to many students that their beliefs, or lack thereof, are less welcome in their own classrooms.

I am also concerned about the precedent this bill sets. If the state can mandate the display of one religious text, it opens the door to political and religious pressure on schools that distracts from their core mission: educating children. Public schools should not be battlegrounds for religious or ideological mandates.

Parents already have the right to teach their children religious values at home and through their faith communities. That freedom is not under threat. What is under threat is the principle that public schools remain inclusive spaces governed by constitutional protections, not religious requirements.

West Virginia has many pressing education needs: teacher retention, classroom resources, student mental health, and academic outcomes. This bill does not address those needs.

For these reasons, I urge lawmakers to reject HB 4034.

Thank you for the opportunity to comment.

2026 Regular Session HB4135 (Judiciary)
Comment by: Philip Kaso on January 15, 2026 14:31

OPPOSITION Response to HB 4135

To allow police access to all photo information upon arrest for sex offenders.

January 14, 2026

House Judiciary Committee: West Virginians for Rational Sexual Offence Laws (WVRSOL) is a West Virginia non-profit association and an affiliate of the National Association for Rational Sexual Offence Laws (NARSOL), which advocates for society’s segment that is adversely affected by the sex offender registry. We help families impacted by the registry, seek ways to maintain and improve public safety, recommend prudent use of state funding in this area, and work to ensure that proposed legislation is constitutional. WVRSOL opposes HB 4135 because its language is vague, fails intermediate scrutiny, and is unconstitutional on several grounds. HB 4135 has vague language and requirements.
  1. The proposed updates to West Virginia Registry §15-12-2 (d)(8) remove the requirement to provide “screen names, user names, or aliases the registrant uses on the internet and add the requirement to provide:
    • Any “online identifier” used by the registrant, which includes:
      • Any email address information, instant message, or chat information;
      • A social networking platform account name or identifier;
      • Any identifier used for communicating on a mobile application or internet website;
      • A mobile telephone number;
      • Any mobile device identification information; and
      • Any other similar internet communication name.
  1. First, neither screen names, user names, aliases, nor IP addresses are included in the “Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006” schema; as such, if the bill’s purpose is to be taken seriously, then §15-12-2. (d)(8) should be struck, NOT expanded. Moreover, recent federal case law has concluded that collecting internet identifiers from registrants violates the First Amendment. (Cornelio v. Connecticut, 2023)
  2. Second, while “email address,” “instant message,” or “chat” may not need further elaboration, the statute does not define nor limit the scope of “social networking platform,” “mobile device identification,” or “other similar internet communication name” information.” Does this include usernames and passwords? What about information for commercial transactions or pure political speech?
  3. Third, the law does not specify what local law enforcement or other government officials can do with the identifier information they receive. Under what circumstances, if any, can they disseminate it to the public? What about for internal use? Can the state peruse identifier information at its leisure or only to investigate a specific type of crime?
  4. Fourth, how can requiring individuals to disclose their identifier information within three days of an update be seen as anything other than highly onerous and deeply burdening protected speech?
 HB 4135 doesn’t meet the intermediate scrutiny standard.
  1. The existing and proposed updates to §15-12-2. (d)(8) Internet-identifier reporting requirements do not withstand intermediate scrutiny.
    • The statute chills a wide swath of speech activity—regardless of whether such activity could further the commission of a sex crime.
    • The statute has not defined whether or how law enforcement uses internet identifiers to protect the public against the commission of sex crimes.
    • The statute has not defined how the information may or may not be released to the public or how the public could effectively use it to protect themselves.
    • Finally, the current statute and proposed updates (collectively, internet reporting requirements) have not been shown by other states and jurisdictions to serve any government interest, much less a significant interest. (Doe A et al v. Whitmer et al, No. 2:2022cv10209—Document 158 (E.D. Mich. 2024), 2024)
HB 4135 is unconstitutional on several fronts.
  1. The constitutional problems with the existing and proposed updates to §15-12-2. (d)(8) internet-identifier reporting requirements are both readily apparent and significant.
    • Collecting internet identifiers from registrants chills a wide swath of speech activity—regardless of whether such activity could further the commission of a sex crime and violates the U.S. Constitution’s First Amendment. (Cornelio v. Connecticut, 2023)
    • Collecting internet identifiers from registrants does not meet the intermediate scrutiny standard. Other states and jurisdictions have not shown that it serves any government interest, much less a significant one. (Doe A et al v. Whitmer et al, No. 2:2022cv10209—Document 158 (E.D. Mich. 2024), 2024)
    • Article III, Section 4 of the West Virginia Constitution prohibits “No bill of attainder, ex post facto law, or law impairing the obligation of a contract, shall be passed.” (West Virginia Constitution, n.d.) There is little doubt that this bill could be anything other than a retroactive increase in punishment, ex post facto, because it seeks to place retroactive restrictions and punishment on registrants who have completed their court-ordered sentences. Specific examples of the punitive nature of this bill are:
      • Piling on onerous restrictions retroactively that are not supported in research or empirical evidence (Riley v. New Jersey State Parole Board, 39 A.3d 200, 209 N.J. 595 2012); and
      • Providing for a felony penalty for non-compliance.
    • Other jurisdictions have attempted to impose similar restrictions, only to have them struck down on constitutional grounds – most recently in Does v. Snyder, where the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals held that Michigan’s SORNA constitutes punishment and may not be applied retroactively. (Doe v. Snyder, 101 F. Supp. 3d 672 E.D. Mich. 2015).
    • The existing and proposed updates to §15-12-2. (d)(8) Internet-identifier reporting requirements are overbroad.
      • A law is considered “overbroad” when it is “not sufficiently restricted to a specific subject or purpose.”(FindLaw Legal Dictionary)
      • HB 4135 applies to “All registrants,” not just those whose offense involved or had an internet component.
  2. The constitutional problems with the proposed updates to §15-12-2. (d)(8) “The registrant shall permit inspection of his or her mobile device to verify all identifiers for mobile applications used by the registrant are provided.” is also both readily apparent and significant.
    • Requiring all registrants, regardless of parole, probation, or supervised status, is overbroad.
        • A law is considered “overbroad” when it is “not sufficiently restricted to a specific subject or purpose.” (FindLaw Legal Dictionary)
        • HB 4135 applies to “all registrants,” not just those on parole, probation, or under supervision.
    • Requiring registrants performing their civil regulatory reporting duties under §15-12-2 who are not on parole, probation, or supervision to submit to a search and seizure of their person and effects represents an unreasonable search and seizure. It clearly violates the U.S. Constitution’s Fourth Amendment (Fourth Amendment Library of Congress, n.d.)and Article III, Section 6 of the West Virginia Constitution. (West Virginia Constitution, n.d.)
WVRSOL supports legislation that reduces abuse and sexual offenses, helps children and families, and improves public safety. Unfortunately, HB 4135 does none of these things. Therefore, we oppose and respectfully urge the House, its members, and the House Judiciary Committee to reject HB 4135.  

Works Cited

Cornelio v. Connecticut, No. 3:19-CV-1240 (JAM), 2023 WL 5979996 (D. Conn. Sept. 14, 2023). https://casetext.com/case/cornelio-v-connecticut-3 Doe A et al v. Whitmer et al, No. 2:2022cv10209 - Document 158 (E.D. Mich. 2024) (September 27, 2024). https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/district-courts/michigan/miedce/2:2022cv10209/359651/158/ Does v. Snyder. No. 15-1536. United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. 25 August 2016. FindLaw Legal Dictionary. 1996. Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary of Law. 27 February 2017. http://dictionary.findlaw.com/definition/overbroad.html>. Fourth Amendment | Browse | Constitution Annotated | Congress.gov | Library of Congress. (n.d.). Retrieved March 1, 2026, from https://constitution.congress.gov/browse/amendment-4/ Riley v. New Jersey State Parole Board, 39 A.3d 200, 209 N.J. 595 2012 https://scholar.google.com/scholar_case?case=12914673643919845255&q=Riley+v+New+Jersey+State+Parole+Board&hl=en&as_sdt=6,49 West Virginia Constitution. (n.d.). Retrieved January 14, 2026, from https://www.wvlegislature.gov/wvcode/wv_con.cfm?lv=true#articleIII
2026 Regular Session HB4005 (Government Organization)
Comment by: Rebekah Aranda on January 15, 2026 12:36
Dear Delegate,   I recognize that our state has a workforce problem and that there are many angles we can take to address this, however I don’t think our workforce should be built on the backs of our children. The first part of HB 4005 expands apprenticeship programs and seems appropriate, but I’m very concerned about the reduction in age limitations for workers that is written into the second half of this bill.  I look forward to hearing a healthy discussion in your committee today about the implications of HB 4005 as it relates to the balance of economic/workforce needs and child welfare.   Thank you for your consideration Bekah Aranda, Morgantown