29 bills made into WV law thus far in 2025

By Autumn Shelton, RealWV

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – The legislative session came to an end on Saturday, and numerous bills are still awaiting Gov. Morrisey’s signature before they become law. However, as of Monday, the governor has signed 29 bills, which means each of them will become the new law of the land in West Virginia. 

Here is a rundown of some of those bills: 

SB 8 – Providing additional sites and devices for newborn safe surrender. 

• This bill will take effect on June 17, 2025. It expands the locations that may be designated as a “safe surrender” site to include emergency medical services facilities, sheriff’s detachments, police departments and 911 call centers that are staffed 24/7.  Previously, safe surrender sites could be designated at hospitals, health care facilities, and fire departments that were staffed 24/7. 

SB 283 – Expanding grade levels of personal finance course requirements needed for graduation. 

• This bill will take effect on June 24, 2025. It requires that the State Board develop a “program of instruction on personal finance,” for use by students in secondary schools. Previously students in grades 11 or 12 were required to take a one-half credit course in personal finance prior to graduation. This bill will allow students in grades 8-10 to take the course as part of their graduation requirements. 

HB 2129 – Creating the “Parents Bill of Rights”

• This bill will take effect on July 2, 2025. It provides that parental rights of a minor child are reserved to the parent without interference from the state. These rights include: The right to direct education and care, the right to direct upbringing and moral or religious training, the right to enroll their child in public, private or homeschool education, the right to access all school records, and the right to make health care decisions. 

SB 138 – Enhancing penalties for fleeing from an officer

• This bill will take effect June 12, 2025. It enhances second and third offenses for those fleeing from an officer and establishes criminal penalties. 

SB 240 – Updating crimes of sexual extortion

• This bill will take effect June 12, 2025. It adds a new section to the West Virginia State Code. It defines sexual extortion as the intentional and malicious release, exhibition or distribution of a private image in order to compel the victim to do an act against their will. Adults convicted of sexual extortion will have committed a felony and shall be imprisoned in a state correctional facility for a set amount of time. Minors who have committed sexual extortion shall be found guilty of a misdemeanor and “shall be confined in the county or regional jail” for a set amount of time. The bill also defines aggravated sexual extortion as being a crime committed by an adult against a minor or vulnerable adult or if the victim suffered serious bodily injury or death as a result. Those convicted of these crimes will have committed a felony and shall be imprisoned in a state correctional facility for 10-20 years. 

SB 456 – Defining men and women. 

• This bill will take effect on June 9, 2025. The bill was requested by Gov. Morrisey, and became the first major piece of legislation to be signed into law. It defines sex-based terms such as “male” and “female,” and provides private single-sex spaces for women in locker rooms, prisons, bathrooms and more. 

SB 458 – Universal Professional and Occupational Licensing Act of 2025

• This bill will take effect on July 1, 2025. This bill was requested by Gov. Morrisey, and will allow those who are licensed or certified professionals in another state to practice in West Virginia without the need to take additional examinations, provided that they establish West Virginia residency or are married to an active duty member of the Armed Forces and have accompanied their spouse to a military installation in West Virginia. 

HB 2354 – Banning certain products from food in West Virginia. 

• This bill became effective on March 14, 2025. It was also requested by Gov. Morrisey. It states that beginning on Aug. 1, 2025, Red Dye No. 3, Red Dye No. 40, Yellow Dye No. 5, Yellow Dye No. 6, Blue Dye No. 1, Blue Dye No. 2, and Green Dye No. 3 will be “deemed unsafe and shall not be permitted as an ingredient in any meal served in a school nutrition program.” Additionally, beginning on Jan. 1, 2028, the same dyes as well as the preservatives butylated hydroxyanisole and propylparaben will be banned from food and drugs sold throughout West Virginia.

SB 490 – Prohibiting ranked-choice voting in elections in West Virginia. 

• This bill takes effect June 5, 2025. It prevents state, county and local elections offices from using ranked choice voting or instant runoff voting for any West Virginia Candidate running for local, statewide or federal office. It also prevents any county or municipality from adopting ranked choice voting as an ordinance. 

HB 2441 – To make those who fail a drug test ineligible for unemployment

• This bill takes effect on July 2, 2025. It provides that a person in a safety-sensitive position, meaning engaged in a task with a risk of injury to oneself or others “that even a momentary lapse of attention or judgment, or both, can lead to serious bodily harm or death,” who fails a random test for alcohol or illegal substances  “is disqualified for benefits until he or she has thereafter worked for at least 30 days in covered employment.” 

Other bills signed into law include: 

SB 486 – Clarifying eligibility requirements to vote in WV elections

SB 487 – Removing ineligible voters from active voter rolls

HB 2043 – Relating to use of dog and/or drones for tracking or locating mortally wounded deer, elk, turkey, wild boar or bear

HB 2387 – To repeal the class A1 Pistol stamp for hunting

HB 2513 – Enhancing training requirements for county boards of education members. 

RealWV will continue to provide updates as additional bills are either signed into law by Gov. Morrisey, or vetoed.