Public Comments

If it results in a death, I fill the law should be more stern than even what this bill is trying to get passed, your loved one is dead as a result of negligence.

I don’t have any comments.

Pass Bayleas bill!

Please pass this law. Bailea deserves to be here!!

I support this bill in the hopes that it will deter the public from driving under the influence.

I oppose HB 5028 based on West Virginia’s current fiscal conditions and competing infrastructure priorities. West Virginia’s transportation system is facing well-documented funding constraints. The Division of Highways and Department of Transportation rely on limited state revenues, federal reimbursements, and dedicated road funds that have been under increasing strain due to rising construction costs, deferred maintenance, and reduced surplus allocations in recent budget cycles. These constraints have already resulted in delayed maintenance and persistent safety concerns on local, secondary, and rural roads across the state. HB 5028 proposes the creation of a new Small-Town Main Street Recovery grant program. While the goal of community revitalization is understandable, the bill does not identify a dedicated or protected funding source. Any new discretionary grant program ultimately competes with existing obligations during the budget process — including essential infrastructure such as roads and bridges that directly affect public safety, emergency response, school transportation, and commerce. Economic development cannot be separated from infrastructure reliability. Small towns cannot attract or retain businesses, tourism, or residents if roads are unsafe, deteriorating, or unreliable. Deferred road maintenance today leads to significantly higher repair costs in the future, increasing the long-term burden on taxpayers and local governments. This opposition is not a rejection of small communities or revitalization efforts. It is a recognition that the state must prioritize core public safety and infrastructure responsibilities before expanding new programs that require additional appropriations. Creating new grant programs while existing infrastructure needs remain unmet reflects a misalignment of priorities under current fiscal realities. Until the Legislature demonstrates sustainable, fully funded commitments to maintaining and repairing West Virginia’s transportation infrastructure, proposals like HB 5028 should be deferred. I respectfully urge lawmakers to reject HB 5028 and focus first on stabilizing and funding essential road and bridge maintenance statewide.

This bill should be passed

This is a serious issue, especially in circumstances pertaining to death related. People seem to have no concern when driving impaired! Do I believe it takes more / less alcohol intake for individuals; YES most definitely but it does not matter! What about other substances?  The law needs to be refined on many levels! The law needs to be enforced!

Please pass this!!!  There needs to be accountability

I oppose HB 5027 because, despite being framed as a clarification and a protection, it fails to address how eminent domain and related municipal powers are actually used in practice — particularly against property owners who lack political or financial leverage. While the bill claims to limit eminent domain for “private economic development,” it still leaves broad discretion to governments to define “public use.” In real-world application, this discretion allows cities to pressure owners into “voluntary” transfers under the implicit threat of condemnation. A deal made under the shadow of eminent domain is not truly voluntary, even if it is later labeled as negotiated or compensated. We are already seeing this dynamic play out in West Virginia. Large properties — such as malls or stadium-adjacent land — are publicly described as “needed for city resources” or redevelopment, while owners are pressured to donate or sell. When refusal is met with escalating public justification, regulatory pressure, or the looming possibility of condemnation, the outcome may appear legal on paper while remaining coercive in substance. HB 5027 also fails to meaningfully separate eminent domain from blight and nuisance enforcement, which is where many abuses occur. Across cities like Huntington, property owners of abandoned or distressed homes are subjected to demolition proceedings not because the structures are imminently dangerous, but because neighbors or municipalities claim they negatively affect surrounding property values. These actions often result in:

• Demolition without realistic pathways for rehabilitation
• Liens placed on owners who lack resources
• Loss of generational or inherited property
• Effective dispossession without formal eminent domain proceedings

This bill does not prevent municipalities from using code enforcement as a workaround to achieve the same result as condemnation — removal of unwanted property — without the constitutional scrutiny eminent domain is supposed to require. The two-year “right of repurchase” provision is not an adequate safeguard. Once a property has been taken, demolished, or fundamentally altered, the original owner’s right to repurchase is largely illusory. It also assumes the owner will still have the financial means, legal access, or standing to reclaim what was taken from them. At its core, HB 5027 prioritizes redevelopment efficiency over property rights, while offering symbolic protections that do not reflect how power operates at the local level. Without stricter definitions of public use, stronger prohibitions on economic-development takings, and real limits on coercive blight enforcement, this bill risks reinforcing — not correcting — the very abuses it claims to prevent. Property rights should not depend on whether a building fits a city’s aesthetic goals, economic vision, or redevelopment timeline. Until this bill confronts that reality directly, it should not advance.

While I support incentives for those who serve as volunteer firefighters, I oppose HB 5024 because waiving DMV fees for certain groups may set a precedent of exempting specific populations from fees without a clear funding plan — and West Virginia already faces tight transportation and public safety budgets. HB 5024 proposes to waive fees for volunteer firefighters (including license plate, vehicle registration, driver’s license, and inspection fees). The bill does not create new revenue to offset these waived fees, meaning the revenue that typically supports DMV operations and state road funds will be reduced without an identified replacement. Reduced fee revenue can have ripple effects on how transportation and public safety services are funded overall. Moreover, relying primarily on fee waivers might not effectively address the deeper systemic challenges volunteer fire departments face in West Virginia, such as lack of steady funding for equipment, training, and long-term sustainability. Tax exemptions and fee waivers are symbolic incentives but do not replace the need for stable investment in emergency response infrastructure and workforce support. Communities may be better served by policies that strengthen recruitment and retention through sustainable funding sources rather than fee exemptions alone.”   1. Bill focus and fiscal impact: HB 5024 would waive specific DMV fees for volunteer firefighters, reducing revenue that goes into state funds (like registration and inspection fees). It does not include a detailed funding mechanism to replace that revenue.  2. Broader funding context: Transportation and DMV fee revenue contribute to road and vehicle services. Without replacing waived fees, there can be a fiscal impact on those funds. The state budget process has to consider how revenue sources (taxes and fees) balance with expenditures — which is why fiscal notes and budget analyses are part of the legislative review. 3. Volunteer fire departments still need sustained support: Fee waivers address a small cost for volunteers but do not resolve bigger financial pressures volunteer departments face, such as equipment costs, vehicles, training, and operational funding. Many departments struggle financially and need reliable funding beyond symbolic incentives.

Life altering decisions should have life altering consequences.

I strongly oppose House Bill 5023. Local elections should be decided by people who live in the municipality — people who reside there full-time, raise families there, pay local property taxes, and live daily with the consequences of local decisions. HB 5023 weakens this basic democratic principle by allowing non-residents to vote in municipal elections based on fees, taxes, or business interests rather than residency. This bill creates several serious problems: 1. It dilutes the voice of actual residents. Municipal governments exist to serve residents. Allowing non-residents to vote — simply because they work in the area or pay certain fees — shifts political power away from the people who live under the city’s ordinances, policing, zoning, and budget decisions. Residency is the clearest and fairest standard for local representation. 2. It risks violating the spirit of “one person, one vote.” HB 5023 opens the door for individuals to qualify to vote in multiple municipalities based on business ownership or fee payment. Even if unintended, this creates unequal voting power and undermines public trust in election fairness. 3. It invites corporate and financial influence into municipal elections. This bill is especially concerning in a state like West Virginia, where we have repeatedly seen how large corporations can shape local safety, liability, and regulation through special tax structures, exemptions, and ordinances. By tying voting eligibility to the payment of fees or business taxes rather than residency, HB 5023 risks creating a system where economic power becomes political power. Large companies — or owners of large companies — could effectively buy influence in local elections by meeting the bill’s qualifications, even if they do not live in the community. That influence could affect decisions on zoning, environmental enforcement, public safety standards, liability protections, and local ordinances. West Virginians do not need to imagine this risk — we have lived it. The state’s experience with the pharmaceutical industry demonstrated how corporate influence, regulatory gaps, and financial leverage can have devastating consequences for communities when profit outweighs accountability. Municipal governance should not be further exposed to that kind of imbalance. 4. It increases administrative burden and legal risk. County clerks and municipalities would be forced to verify non-resident eligibility, ownership thresholds, and qualifying payments, increasing costs, confusion, and the likelihood of disputes or litigation — all without clear benefit to residents. Local democracy works best when it is simple, transparent, and rooted in residency. HB 5023 moves West Virginia in the opposite direction by allowing money, business interests, or proximity — rather than community membership — to determine who votes. For these reasons, I urge lawmakers to reject House Bill 5023 and uphold the principle that municipal elections should be decided by the people who actually live in those municipalities.

I believe there needs to be a harsher punishment

Dear Members of the House Energy and Public Works Committee, I respectfully submit this public comment in opposition to HB 5018 for the following reasons: 1. Public Safety and Emergency Access Concerns HB 5018 would remove active maintenance — including snow plowing, grading, and repairs — from numerous segments of the road network, specifically roads with an average daily traffic (ADT) below 10 vehicles per .1 mile, including cul-de-sacs, dead ends, and city streets.  This change could create dangerous conditions during winter weather and emergencies. Roads that become impassable due to snow, ice, or storm damage can isolate residents and delay or block access for emergency services, school buses, deliveries, and daily errands. Removing maintenance duties without ensuring an alternate method to keep these roads passable will directly harm public safety. 2. Confusion Over Liability and Responsibility The bill leaves rights-of-way “maintained on paper only” but eliminates actual maintenance, without reducing county WVDOH budgets.  This creates legal ambiguity about who is responsible for conditions on these roads. If an unmaintained road causes a crash, injury, or damage — which could also affect out-of-state visitors unfamiliar with local conditions — it is unclear whether the state, county, or municipality would bear liability. Such uncertainty may invite costly litigation and complicate local government risk management. 3. Impact on Residents, Businesses, and Taxpayers Even low-traffic roads are essential lifelines for residents and small businesses. Many rural households rely on “dead end” or low-volume roads to reach essential services. Roads that go unplowed or unrepaired can prevent residents from getting to work, grocery stores, medical appointments, and schools. Snow and poor surface conditions also increase vehicle wear, accidents, and emergency service response times — all of which impose economic and personal costs on taxpayers. 4. Lack of Clear Local Funding or Maintenance Plan The bill does not propose a viable replacement for state maintenance or provide funding mechanisms for counties or municipalities to assume this responsibility. Counties already struggle with limited budgets, and shifting these duties without financial support would stretch local resources thin. This could exacerbate inequities between well-funded and under-funded counties. 5. Undermines Established Highway Standards and Public Expectations Current law empowers the Commissioner of Highways to oversee construction and maintenance of the state road system. Removing duties for certain roads undermines that statutory framework and the expectations of residents who pay taxes with the understanding that the state will maintain its road network.  Conclusion For these reasons, I urge you to oppose House Bill 5018 or to amend it to ensure that all public roads remain safe, accessible, and clearly maintained — with transparent responsibility for maintenance and adequate funding. Thank you for your consideration.

I feel that this law should pass for many reasons. Most importantly, for justice for Baylea Craig, but also so that maybe someone will think twice about actions if they stop just getting a slap on the wrist.

PASS THIS BILL PLEASE IT COULD SAVE A LIFE

I fully support Baylea's Law! DUI should result in much more than a minimum of 3 years. Innocent lives are being taken and people are getting away with it, with barely any punishment or consequence.

I stand by this Baylee needs justice..

The current sentencing is not adequate and needs to be changed. Manslaughter means death, even if not intentional- mistakes MUST be paid for.

This law needs to be changed because there should be accountability for stealing someone’s life. We all make mistakes but they must be paid for and someone’s life be taken something that the highest price should be paid for. Please consider changing the time for punishment.

I believe that this law should 100% be passed. There are too many innocent lives being taken due to DUI’s!!

I personally love the idea of being more harsh on DUI drivers. In my opinion driving while under the influence is the same as attempted murder. Hopefully this will help stop the people from driving while impaired.

PASS!!!

Baylea was one of my longest friends, all the way from elementary school. NO ONE should get behind the wheel while intoxicated & take someone’s life. They deserve the maximum punishment

Good bill

We need stronger consequences for the ones who take the lives of innocent victims.

We as a whole need to get better at punishing people for making ignorant mistakes that severely harm others.

I support this bill

Please approve House Bill 4712 to increase fines and penalties for driving under the influence. Our community and families have lost too many innocents with the offenders getting very little punishment.

Those who drink and drive must be held accountable for their actions. This law will provide justice for families like Baylea’s who have lost a loved one over a negligent decision. If you get behind the wheel under the influence, you are choosing to take the chance of taking someone’s life away. That to me speaks volumes of someone. i’m

This should be a law. I understand “accidents” can happen. But this was a choice. Someone may learn or regret and change and that’s great but it doesn’t bring back a dead family member because someone chose to be irresponsible.

My hope is that you will do the right thing and pass this bill.

I support this bill!

please support this bill. the people who’s lives have been lost to the detrimental vices and reckless neglect of others should be worth more than a “hiccup” (3-15yrs of the perpetrators life). people have received much more time for significantly less severe, less fatal, crimes.

I am here to support Baylee’s law

A DUI resulting in a death deserves more than 3 years minimum to 15 years max. Taking someone’s life due to being reckless is uncalled for.

Totally support this bill!

PASS BAYLEAS LAW!

I have 3 young girls that drive as a mom we need this bill to hopefully slow / Stop driving impaired or even driving drunk as a Mom nothing breaks your heart more than hearing another Mom‘s Baby not being able to come home because of a senseless act

Pass this law and save some lives from being destroyed.

When it comes to a time, where there are multiple deaths due to people being under the influence behind a wheel. It becomes hard not to wonder “Why are people still being DUI behind a wheel?” and “Why hasn’t there been a change?” If people knew the sentence was more than what people had previously knew, even just by doubling it, if people knew they’d get a greater sentence, then surely, so many people wouldn’t get killed by someone under the influence. So many people wouldn’t have found courage to get behind a wheel knowing they aren’t able to drive and kill so many people. It only takes a few drinks, or even one, to kill someone. And people decide to drive, because they aren’t afraid. They aren’t afraid of no consequences. They aren’t worried about the time they’ll spend in a cell. So many people wouldn’t be afraid of driving at night, or even during the day if there is something done about it! Many people, and especially the younger generation, wouldn’t be afraid of getting their licenses or learners, if something finally changes. If people finally take the time to understand the meaning of DUI. Not just Under The Influence, but it also has a meaning where you are possibly killing someone by doing so! So, I deeply hope that something will change. That this new perspective will help people understand the fear coming from a younger generation, and those who drive now. A woman in her 20’s was robbed of her life in 2025. From someone who was careless and under the influence behind a wheel. Because the someone, wasn’t worried about after, just now. Thank you!  

Pass Baylea’s law! Justice should be served!

Driving while under the influence of anything is not an accident. It is a choice a person makes. A person can choose to risk their own life and someone else's and it's a coin flip, one where someone might die or be injured. The consequences are lifelong. Driving sober or securing a sober driver isn't difficult. In a day and age where information is in everyone's pocket, readily available, there is no excuse for not knowing that driving drunk or otherwise inebriated can cause an accident. Movies, television series, the news all show regularly what can happen when someone is driving drunk. Nobody has an excuse. But, if the current fines and punishments for doing so stay as they are, offenders are less likely to start taking their lives and the lives of those they share the road with seriously.

Yes I hope the new law passes

DUI’s have never been taken as serious as they should be. I’ve been rear ended by someone who was under the influence & they got 7 days in jail. SEVEN. For totalling a vehicle, causing bodily injury & leaving the scene of the accident with a BAC of over .2. DUI’s are serious. DUIs are real & happen a lot more often than not. I didn’t know Baylea, but she didn’t deserve to lose her life, the one that just got started because someone decided to be careless & not care about other people who also were out on the road!! That could’ve been an innocent CHILD that got killed. An 8 year old. A newborn. A 3 month old.

PLEASE pass this law!! Hopefully it will make someone think twice before getting behind the wheel under the influence. #justiceforbaylea Her family along with so many others need this law to pass.

Pass this bill! Not only will it save lives, but change them as well!

This bill is long passed due. The punishment for drinking and driving doesn’t fit the crime in our state and people are getting a slap on the wrist for CHOOSING to put others peoples lives in danger and taking the lives of our citizens. Families are being ruined and lives ended by the selfish choice to drive under the influence because the punishment isn’t seen as “life ending” for the driver, only the victim.

Baylea Craig was taken by a drunk driver that is not gonna get enough time, I know and these laws need changed to ensure in the future people will be punished for what they do. Please hold these people accountable for longer years. Baylea’s Law 💙

West Virginia needs to be out in front. We wonder why we struggle in everything. When archaic laws allow people to make dumb decisions and take someone's life as sweet as Baylea. All your doing is enabling a people to be the worst version of themselves. Set the standard higher. Make West Virginia truly great and pass this law to set the standard to all who consume. Let it be a stark warning.

Anything causing death should have a big sentence, getting a slap on the wrist doesn’t do any good for these criminals. THEY NEVER LEARN!

I didn’t know Baylee personally but it’s bothered me so much what happened to her.Something needs to be done.

Baylee was a young girl had a whole life ahead of her just got married thinking about having kids all gone, taken all because someone decided to drive while under the influence

This bill needs passed to hold those accountable for there actions getting behind the wheel taking others life's! Wish it was more time but this will do for fighting for!...

Pass Baylee’s Law…no life deserves to be taken by a driver who is under the influence. Please help decrease this risk.

I oppose allowing teachers in West Virginia to carry firearms as School Protection Officers. Teachers are educators, not law enforcement, and asking them to carry guns adds dangerous responsibility to an already demanding job. Putting firearms in classrooms increases the risk of accidents and escalation and changes schools into armed environments rather than safe places for learning. This approach also ignores real solutions like mental health support, counselors, and preventative safety measures. If armed protection is necessary, it should be handled by trained security or law enforcement—not teachers. Our students deserve schools focused on learning and safety, not firearms.

Baylea’s Law is a highly considerate way to ensure the proper measures are taken to punish those who have irresponsibly took another life due to driving impaired. Her life was taken far too soon over someone else’s negligence and choice to get behind the wheel, knowing they are impaired. Doubling the sentencing, fines, and highly considering this law will help victims of DUI resulting in death and their families to receive the justice they deserve, while also pushing people to think twice before driving while impaired under the use of alcohol or drugs. I highly support this law and hope you will too.

I highly disagree. 

Letting teachers carry guns in schools might seem like it will make students safer, but it’ll only do more harm than good. Teachers aren’t trained like security guards or policemen, so in a real emergency they’re more prone to making mistakes. Mistakes that can lead to someone being injured, or worse. For example, a teacher could end up shooting at another armed teacher during an emergency, thinking they posed a threat, or a student could steal a teacher’s gun and use it against them. Having guns in classrooms would make students and teachers feel more scared than safe. Furthermore, It would cost a lot of money for training and insurance, money that can be put into things like improving school lunch, equipment, or remodeling a certain area in the school. Instead of allowing unqualified teachers to carry a concealed weapon on school grounds, the board should work on things that can actually protect students, like better security, surveillance systems, or support for their mental health. 

 

I would love to see this law coming in effect. Baylea was my best friend used to hang out with her used to go. go batting all the time she was just an all out great person her mom, her dad and her brother is some of the best people I’ve ever met in. My life Baylea should still be here. She should not have to pay the ultimate price because an under age drunk driver took her life. We love and miss you baylea

This is the right bill to pass.People don’t need any slack, when they take a life. Stay home if you’re a user and drinking, not on roads, taken lives

To many people getting killed by drunk drivers and nothing happens

Drunk driving continues to take innocent lives and devastate families every year. Stronger laws and enforcement are not about punishment — they’re about prevention and protecting our communities. Passing this bill would send a clear message that impaired driving is unacceptable and that public safety comes first. Even one preventable death is too many. I support measures that hold drivers accountable, encourage safer choices, and help save lives.

  #JusticeForBaylea

I think this is a great way to start a New Year! But my concern is when the law enforcement is called on addicts or driving impaired in a rural area as ours it’s takes hours for them to come or not enough man power.

Pass this Bill please

This bill should be passed because of the large volume of people who have DUI’s with injury or death. They really should be charged with murder but this is a step in the right direction.

DUI laws are not enforced strongly enough, and Baylea’s life was taken as a result. Every day impaired drivers choose to get behind the wheel, and without harsher consequences, more families will suffer the same loss.

I support HB4712 because it prioritizes accountability, public safety, and justice for victims and their families. Driving under the influence is a choice, and when that choice results in the loss of a life, the consequences should reflect the seriousness of that harm. Increasing the minimum and maximum sentences, along with doubling the fines, sends a clear message that impaired driving will not be tolerated in West Virginia. Stronger penalties can serve as a powerful deterrent and may cause individuals to think twice before getting behind the wheel while impaired. HB 4712 will honor the lives lost due to DUI-related crashes and helps protect future families from experiencing the same tragedy that our community in Boone County is facing still today. This bill deserves to be passed to make our roads safer and to ensure meaningful justice for victims.

The mandatory sentencing for DUI resulting in death & fines should be increased!

I fully support this petition.

HB1234.  Agree

If you choose to get behind the wheel while under the influence and take a life, you should be punished. PERIOD!

this should be passed 100%.

3 years isn’t long enough for someone who takes the life of someone. That family will NEVER see their loved one again even after 3 years

the current bill in memory of Andrea Bailes, who is still missed every day, i would love to see this bill be pushed further for more strict penalties

We need this passed!!!!

Hello I believe it should be life in prison, though I would be happy with doubling the sentencing. It is a choice, I can say that because I would never drive drunk. There is Ubers, taxis, friends, family, and I believe even a stranger would help a drunk home so they don’t MURDER another person by their CHOICE. Thank you

Justice is needed, and a new law would hopefully help length time served

This bill should be passed for so many reasons but the main one is many lives are taken every day from a person driving impaired and under the influence, there’s nothing that can bring them back so that person who committed such crime should face far more than 6 years but Atleast that. We lose people everyday to someone that is selfish and irresponsible and this may change someone else mind before they get behind the wheel.

I think this law is the best thing I’ve read and I support it 100%

After losing my best friend, Baylea's former boyfriend, Jonathan Lester, to an underaged DUI accident that was the guys second offense... this law is incredibly important to me. There are many who are lost to these types of situations that do not have the outreach that Jonathan & Baylea have & had. This is the least that could be done. If they're old enough to drive, "mature" enough to drink, but dumb enough to combine the two, then they should be old enough & responsible enough to face their consequences. Do what's right!

The passing of this bill is extremely important not only to emphasize on the horrific outcome that is DUI Causing Death, but to give future families and friends of victims more closure when sentencing the person who took their person. Last April I lost my best friend in a DUI causing death case. I had never been close enough to a case to know the severity of the sentencing. To my utter disappointment a minimum of 3 years and maximum of 15 (which rarely is sentenced) is all that is given. Taking my emotions out of it, a person LOST THEIR LIFE to a choice another person made to drive under the influence. Read that again a CHOICE someone made to get behind the wheel while intoxicated. This feels premeditated. This feels like murder. This type of tragedy cannot keep happening, it cannot continue to go unnoticed or “swept under the rug”. The only way to do that is to raise the amount of time someone has to pay for committing DUI causing death, so that it is taken as serious as death.

I really hope this law gets passed.We need harder consequences for DUI's.Precious people are dying because of drunk people who don't care.

Please pass Baylee’s Law!

I wholeheartedly support this house bill. Make it happen!

Please pass this law. It’s too late to save Bayleas life and her family’s life long heartaches, but this is the chance to save so many more lives. From yours, your mom or dad, husband or wife, or even down to your own child. Save them.

I would like the bill for increased sentence time and fines for DUI to be passed.  

I vote yes .

Please pass this law not only because of Baylee but because it’s something that needs to be taken very seriously. There a lot of people that don’t get but a smack on the hand for something like this and it needs to be taken very seriously to prevent it from happening again and again. You take a life you need to lose yours. You got in the car and chose to drive impaired that person you killed didn’t ask to die.  

By doubling fines and raising the minimum and maximum years of sentences, maybe more people will reconsider the consequences of driving impaired.  A law, such as this particular one, should’ve been passed long ago.

Drinking and driving needs to be taken more seriously in West Virginia. I lost a grandmother who I never got to meet due to someone being selfish and drunk driving.

A tragedy in our small town of Beckley, WV took the life of a newlywed- business owner after an underaged-drunk driver sat behind the wheel on Easter weekend 2025. This bill will encourage drivers to rethink driving impaired because there are consequences. A family’s life will never be the same, and this bill can potentially prevent future losses as large as this one.