Most of the laws passed by the West Virginia Legislature are effective 90 days from passage. That means this week.
In just the last three days, 137 of the 306 bills passed by the legislature have become law.
Major legislation this year included House Bill 5437, known as the Vape Safety Act. It establishes new requirements for vape and smoke shops to increase oversight and limit underage vaping.
House Bill 4712, known as Baylea’s law, significantly increases the penalties for driving under the influence, causing death.
Del. Mike Hornby, R-Berkeley, identified several bills he was proud of as part of the House of Delegates’ Jobs First, Opportunity Everywhere agenda.
“The portable benefits bill was something that I was very happy to work on,” he said. “The Skills to Work bill, business ready sites, and industrial access roads. I think the EMS funding that we passed the last night was a great bill, and then, of course, the pay raise bill for our state troopers, teachers, and service personnel.”
Before the session began House Speaker Roger Hanshaw, R-Clay, laid out the House’s agenda, focusing on job creation. At a press conference in the middle of the session, Hanshaw said “House Bill 4005 is our Skills to Work bill. This bill is designed to expand training and workforce opportunities for 16- to 18-year-olds, to give them a chance to actually get hands on with job opportunities that they may move into immediately upon finishing education.”
Hanshaw noted he was “particularly proud” of House Bill 4004, the Recharge West Virginia Act.
“House Bill 4004 focuses not only on giving our employers the opportunity to upskill their workforce, but also on our employees giving them a chance to earn a better living here in the state of West Virginia,” he said.
Friday Hornby agreed that setting the agenda before the session began helped the body focus on its priorities.
“I think just that goes to show how well the House really worked hard this session to better strengthen our communities, putting jobs first, and all those things that kind of come into fruition today,” he said.
Hornby noted there were two aviation-based bills that didn’t quite make the finish line.
“That was our maintenance repair overhaul (MRO) bill, House Bill 4006, and then the other one was our hangar bill (House Bill 4010), that was creating a fund to build some hangars across the across the state to increase MRO maintenance repair overhaul businesses across the state, and with our regional airports,” Hornby said. “Those were two that I personally worked on that did not cross the finish line, but they were also a part of our Jobs First Opportunity Everywhere agenda.”
Hornby said he plans to introduce both bills again in the next regular session in January 2027.
