Proposed Legislation Would Quadruple Child Abuse Investigators 

House Bill 4601 would increase the minimum number of officers in the Child Abuse and Neglect Investigations Unit from six to 21 retired members of the West Virginia State Police.

The bill’s lead sponsor, Del. Adam Burkhammer, R-Lewis, said almost all of the existing members of the investigations unit are occupied with the Internet Crimes Against Children unit.

He said he wants at least one member of the special unit in each of the 21 State Police districts across West Virginia to support Child Protective Services in the field.

“Having an individual already on staff with those abilities, we believe, brings consistency as well as safety to our CPS workers in a really tough space.”

Burkhammer pointed out that the bill already passed the House of Delegates last year, but was not picked up by the Senate. 

Del. Scot Heckert, R-Wood, asked how much the program would cost. Burkhammer replied that he believed that the State Troopers currently had several vacancies.

“We budget for it to be at full capacity, and when it’s not, those dollars are available,” he said. “Right now, I believe that no additional funding is necessary. Now, if they get to full capacity and we would need to do this, I think that’s a conversation we would have to have in the future.”

However, when the committee met Tuesday to continue their discussion on HB 4601 Lonnie Faircloth, president of the West Virginia Trooper’s Association, said the police force will have to turn applicants away due to a lack of funding for staffing.

“My understanding is that this will be the first time in years that we probably will have to turn applicants away because we’ve, my understanding, we’ve lost funding,” he said. “From my understanding, the governor was taking funding for 30 positions last year for this fiscal year, 2026 and I’m not sure what’s going to happen this year for 2027.”

Faircloth said the State Police was approved to maintain up to 660 troopers on staff, but said a combination of budgetary restraints and training cycles have kept real manpower below that number. He expressed support for the bill but given the State Police’s financial situation, Faircloth said he felt regular troopers would best serve the state at this time.

“I support the bill now, just isn’t funding for it currently,” he said. “I think, to be honest, I believe it’s more important to put green uniforms on the road than retirees, which, to be honest, the our act division is probably, as a unit, probably one of the busiest that I understand, units that we have.”

Del. Mike Hornby, R-Berkeley, pointed out that there was plenty of time left in the legislative process to appropriate funds for both the bill’s mandate and the State Police more broadly.

The House Judiciary Committee voted Tuesday to advance HB 4601 to the full House of Delegates.