SB 22 is sponsored by Mike Woelfel (Democrat), Bill Hamilton (Republican), and Randy E. Smith (Republican).

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West Virginia 2025 Regular Session Status: Enacted Bipartisan · 2 R · 1 D cosponsors

SB 22 — Applying penalties for nonpayment of royalties under terms of oil and natural gas leases

Last action August 08, 2025 — Chapter 113, Acts, Regular Session, 2025

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Introduced
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In Committee
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Passed Senate
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Passed House of Delegates
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To Executive
6
Enacted

This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced February 12, 2025. Enacted.

Signed by Governor Patrick Morrisey (Republican) on August 08, 2025.

Prognosis

Likely to advance 92% · high confidence

Where this bill stands today.

Odds of enactment

High

How often bills like it became law.

Enacted

Current position in the legislative process.
3 sponsors

1 primary, 2 co-sponsors signed on.
Bipartisan support

Sponsored across 2 parties (2 R · 1 D) — cross-party backing.
Cleared a recorded vote

Passed 3 recorded votes so far.

Prognosis reads this bill's own signals — stage, sponsorship breadth, committee status, recorded votes and cross-state momentum. Odds come from a model trained on which bills have become law.

Bill Text

What changed in the latest version

1 added · 59 removed

Plain-language change summary

The amendment to SB 22 introduces a new title for the bill, emphasizing that it aims to enhance the penalties for nonpayment of royalties related to oil, natural gas, and natural gas liquids production. It specifically states that if royalties remain unpaid for more than six months, the responsible party could owe treble damages, unless there is a legitimate dispute over the payment. This change is significant because it provides stronger protections for landowners and stakeholders in the energy sector, incentivizing timely payments and potentially reducing conflicts over royalty agreements. The provisions also establish clearer legal avenues for resolving disputes and potentially cover legal fees for the winning party.

~~WEST~~SB22 ~~VIRGINIA~~HFAT ~~LEGISLATURE~~Akers ~~REGULAR~~3-27Akers ~~SESSION~~3254 Delegate ~~Enrolled~~Akers ~~Committee~~moved ~~Substitute~~to ~~for~~amend ~~Senate~~the ~~Bill~~committee 22substitute ~~BYS~~by ~~ENATORSSMITH(MR.~~striking out the title and substituting therefor a new title, to read as follows:Com.

~~RESIDENT),~~Sub. ~~OELFELAND~~ ~~HAMILTON~~ ~~[Passed~~ ~~April~~ 7, ~~2025;~~

inFor ~~effect~~Senate 90Bill ~~days~~ ~~from~~ ~~passage~~ ~~(July~~ 6, ~~2025)]~~ ~~Enr~~ CS ~~for~~ SB 22 AN- ~~ACT~~“A BILL to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by adding thereto a new section, designated §36-4-9c, relating to providing for enhanced damages for ~~non-payment~~nonpayment of royalties due from oil, natural gas, or natural gas liquids production under the terms of a lease or other agreement;

providing for treble damages for unpaid royalties after ~~non-~~non-payment ~~payment~~ for ~~six~~6 months, unless there is a bona fide dispute or the damages are otherwise provided for in writing;

and providing that the section applies to disputes filed on or after July 1, ~~2025.~~2025.” AdoptedRejected

~~Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:~~

~~ARTICLE 4.~~

~~COVENANTS.~~

~~§36-4-9c.~~

~~Penalties for nonpayment of royalties under the terms of oil and natural gas leases during production from conventional vertical wells.~~

~~(a) With regard to conventional vertical oil, natural gas wells, and derivative natural gas liquids only, permitted under §22-6-1 et seq.~~

of this code, unless otherwise provided for in writing or unless there is a bona fide dispute between the parties, any lessee or operator of oil, natural gas, or natural gas liquids, or their successors or assigns, who fails to pay a royalty payment for mineral production to a lessor, or their successors and assigns, under the terms of a lease or other agreement within six months after the date payment is due under the terms of the lease or other agreement, shall be liable to such lessor or landowner, or their successors or assigns, in an amount equal to three times the market value of the unpaid royalty for which payment is due.

~~(b) The provisions of subsection (a) of this section shall apply to all royalty payment disputes filed with a court of competent jurisdiction on or after July 1, 2025.~~

~~(c) Non-exclusive jurisdiction and venue are proper in the county in which the subject well and leasehold is located.~~

~~Enr CS for SB 22 (d) The prevailing party may be awarded reasonable attorney's fees and costs in addition to and not withstanding any other rights, remedies, and penalties otherwise provided by law.~~

~~Enr CS for SB 22 The Clerk of the Senate and the Clerk of the House of Delegates hereby certify that the foregoing bill is correctly enrolled.~~

~~...............................................................~~

~~Clerk of the Senate ...............................................................~~

~~Clerk of the House of Delegates Originated in the Senate.~~

~~In effect 90 days from passage.~~

~~...............................................................~~

~~President of the Senate ...............................................................~~

~~Speaker of the House of Delegates __________ The within is ................................................~~

~~this the...........................................~~

~~Day of ..........................................................................................................., 2025.~~

~~.............................................................~~

~~Governor 3~~

Latest

~~WEST~~ ~~VIRGINIA~~ ~~LEGISLATURE~~ ~~REGULAR~~ ~~SESSION~~ ~~Enrolled~~ ~~Committee~~ ~~Substitute~~ ~~for~~ ~~Senate~~ ~~Bill~~ 22 ~~BYS~~ ~~ENATORSSMITH(MR.~~

SB22 HFAT Akers 3-27Akers 3254 Delegate Akers moved to amend the committee substitute by striking out the title and substituting therefor a new title, to read as follows:Com.

~~RESIDENT),~~ ~~OELFELAND~~ ~~HAMILTON~~ ~~[Passed~~ ~~April~~ 7, ~~2025;~~

Sub.

in ~~effect~~ 90 ~~days~~ ~~from~~ ~~passage~~ ~~(July~~ 6, ~~2025)]~~ ~~Enr~~ CS ~~for~~ SB 22 AN ~~ACT~~ to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by adding a new section, designated §36-4-9c, relating to providing for enhanced damages for ~~non-payment~~ of royalties due from oil, natural gas, or natural gas liquids production under the terms of a lease or other agreement;

For Senate Bill 22 - “A BILL to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by adding thereto a new section, designated §36-4-9c, relating to providing for enhanced damages for nonpayment of royalties due from oil, natural gas, or natural gas liquids production under the terms of a lease or other agreement;

providing for treble damages for unpaid royalties after ~~non-~~ ~~payment~~ for ~~six~~ months, unless there is a bona fide dispute or the damages are otherwise provided for in writing;

providing for treble damages for unpaid royalties after non-payment for 6 months, unless there is a bona fide dispute or the damages are otherwise provided for in writing;

and providing that the section applies to disputes filed on or after July 1, ~~2025.~~

and providing that the section applies to disputes filed on or after July 1, 2025.” AdoptedRejected