By Matthew Young
For HDMedia
State lawmakers walked into the last week of the 2026 legislative session at just after 11 a.m. on Monday, having sent 31 new laws to the desk of Gov. Patrick Morrisey. By early afternoon, that number had grown to 51.
In the Senate, lawmakers:
- Made it easier for young people to learn a trade by passing House Bill 4005, introduced by Delegate Ryan Browning, R-Wayne
- Looked to reduce the sales tax on building projects with by passing House Bill 4028, introduced by Delegate Clay Riley, R-Harrison
- Armed teachers with mobile alert “panic buttons” through “Alyssa’s Law,” House Bill 4798, introduced by Delegate Jonathan Pinson, R-Mason
In the House, delegates:
- Stiffened penalties for second-degree murder with the passage of Senate Bill 137, introduced by Sen. Vince Deeds, R-Greenbrier
- Made it easier for adjunct teachers to fill the role of a certified teacher through Senate Bill 155, introduced by Sen. Amy Grady, R-Mason
- Cracked down on the use of Purple Heart parking spaces by non-Purple Heart recipients via Senate Bill 467, introduced by Sen. Laura Chapman, R-Ohio
Here are three other bills to watch this week:
SB 592: The Shortline Railroad Modernization Act
Introduced by Sen. Darren Thorne, R-Hampshire, the seemingly innocuous Senate Bill 592 would create approximately $7.4 million in new annual tax credits for short line railroads. The intrigue from this bill stems not from its passage in the House of Delegates by a vote of 89-7, but rather from Morrisey’s veto of its predecessor, Senate Bill 722, at the conclusion of last year’s legislative session, a reminder of which House Minority Leader Sean Hornbuckle, D-Cabell, readily offered colleagues on Monday.
Reading from Morrisey’s April 2025 veto message, Hornbuckle said, “The state cannot afford Senate Bill 722 at this time,” and, “This is not the right way to do tax reform.”
Although acknowledging his support of the bill last year, Hornbuckle expressed his concerns surrounding the timing of the proposal.
“I don’t have a problem with the bill, but I think the timing could be problematic,” he said. “Also, we spent a lot of money this session. All the money we’re spending, we better rein this in.”
Speaking in defense of SB 592, House Finance Committee Chair Vernon Criss referred to short line railroad as “one of our traditional industries in West Virginia,” adding that, “the railroads have become very, very necessary to move our products.”
“They are a necessary part of being able to move these bulk tankers especially, to our chemical plants up and down the Ohio River,” Criss explained. “They need to be able to be competitive, and we need to be able to help maintain the infrastructure.”
There are 11 short line railroads listed on the Department of Transportation website, including:
- Appalachian & Ohio Railroad, based in Buckhannon, Upshur County
- RJ Corman Railroad West Virginia Line, based in Oak Hill, Fayette County
- South Branch Valley Railroad, based in Moorefield, Hardy County
- Watco Kanawha River Railroad, based in Belle
Hornbuckle, along with fellow Democrats Kayla Young, D-Kanawha, and Evan Hansen, D-Monongalia, voted against SB 592, as did four Republicans. It remains to be seen if Morrisey will once again veto the bill. A request for comment from his office was not immediately returned.
House Bill 4053: Establishing a Blue Envelope Program
A bill intended to “promote inclusivity and enhanced communication between law enforcement and community members with a condition or disability where additional accommodations or awareness may be helpful” that unanimously passed the House of Delegates on Feb. 10, encountered some controversy on Monday. Though straightforward in its stated goal to “provide durable, blue-colored envelopes to persons with autism spectrum disorder, dementia, or intellectual and developmental disabilities,” House Bill 4053, introduced by Delegate Walter Hall, R-Kanawha, was amended on second reading by Sen. Mark Maynard, R-Wayne.
Referring to his amendment as “stylistic improvements,” Maynard removed the word “inclusivity” from the bill.
When questioned by Sen. Joey Garcia, D-Marion about the word’s removal, Maynard initially denied that it was removed, before justifying the change, saying, “Counsel tells me that we improve communication by making the amendment that we made.”
“Counsel tells me nothing in the bill improved inclusivity,” Maynard added.
“I might disagree,” Garcia said, before voting against passage.
Ultimately Maynard’s amendment was approved by the Senate, and HB 4053 was advanced to third reading. Final vote on the Senate’s passage of the bill is expected to occur on Tuesday. Should HB 4053 be passed by the Senate, it will be referred back to the House of Delegates Tuesday afternoon, where members will be asked to concur with Maynard’s amendment.
House Bill 5480: Youth Summer Employment and Career Readiness Program
Introduced by Hornbuckle, House Bill 5480 establishes the Youth Summer Employment and Career Readiness Program, which provides paid work experience to West Virginia students, ages 14 to 20. The program would be held during the summer months and not interfere with the standard academic schedule.
Youth workers would be paid through grant funding provided to the employers by the Department of Commerce.
Although passed unanimously in the House of Delegates on Wednesday by a vote of 81-0, Monday’s discussion by the Senate Workforce Committee resulted in an amendment to the bill by Sen. Eric Tarr, R-Putnam. The changes proposed by Tarr would grant civil, criminal and administrative immunity to employers participating in the program, whose actions are free of “malicious purpose.”
“This is — by and large — employers helping train kids in West Virginia,” Tarr said. “I’m trying to stomp down any frivolous stuff.”
The committee agreed with Tarr, and referred HB 5480 to the full Senate after approving his amendment. The bill will be on second reading in the Senate Chamber Tuesday.
What’s next?
Tuesday marks day 56 of the 60-day legislative session, which is set to conclude at 11:59 p.m. Saturday. The last day for any bill to be read on second reading is Friday. Morrisey has five days from receipt to sign or veto bills sent to his desk before they become law without his signature.
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