West Virginia 2025 Regular Session Status: Enacted 11 R cosponsors

HB 2397 — Prevent immediate family members from acting in a fiduciary capacity for the same governmental authority

Last action — Chapter 139, Acts, Regular Session, 2025

  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. ✓
    In Committee
  3. ✓
    Passed House of Delegates
  4. ✓
    Passed Senate
  5. ✓
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced February 14, 2025. Enacted.

Signed by Governor Patrick Morrisey (Republican) on July 31, 2025.

Odds of enactment

High chance

Based on the sponsor, cosponsors, and committee posture, this bill has a high chance of becoming law.

Upgrade to see the exact probability and what's driving it.

A statistical estimate from our own model of past outcomes — an insight, not a guarantee. Policymaking is volatile.

Prognosis

Likely to advance 82% · moderate confidence

  • Enacted

    Current position in the legislative process.

  • 11 sponsors

    1 primary, 10 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Single-party support

    Sponsorship is currently within one party (11 R).

  • Cleared a recorded vote

    Passed 3 recorded votes so far.

Based on stage, sponsorship breadth, committee status, recorded votes, and cross-state momentum — a description of the observable signals, not a prediction.

Bill Text

What changed in the latest version

1 added · 4 removed

Plain-language change summary

The amendment to HB 2397 changes the bill's title to more clearly reflect its focus on how to designate signatories for county treasury expenditures when some of the signatories are family or household members. This change is important because it emphasizes the need for transparency and accountability in financial transactions, especially when personal relationships could lead to conflicts of interest. By clarifying the title, the bill aims to ensure that appropriate measures are taken to prevent potential misuse of funds.

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Previous
Latest
HB2397 HFA McGeehan 4-7 #1Morgan 3345 Delegate McGeehan moved to amend the bill by striking everything after the enacting clause and inserting in lieu thereof the following:  Article 5.
HB2397 HFAT McGeehan 4-6Morgan 3345 Delegate McGeehan moved to amend the bill by striking out the title and substituting therefor a new title, to read as follows:H.
fiscal affairs.
B.
§7-5-4.
2397 -- “A BILL to amend and reenact §7-5-4 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, relating to modifying the process for designating signatories for certain expenditures from the county treasury by a county sheriff when two or more of the designated signatories are family or household members.”    AdoptedRejected 
Payment of money out of county treasury;
signing of orders by mechanical or electrical devices;
process when two or more designated signatories are family or household members;
forgery;
penalty.
(a) No money shall Money may not be paid by the sheriff out of the county treasury except upon an order signed by the president of the county commission and clerk of the county court the county clerk, and properly endorsed. Provided, however, That In counties having a population in excess of 50,000 as shown by the last preceding federal census, such signatures and the signature of the sheriff authorizing the payment of such orders by a county depository may be made by means of such mechanical or electrical device as the county court may select. Such The mechanical or electrical device utilized for the making of the signatures of the president and clerk shall be safely kept in the office of the clerk of the county court county clerk so that no one shall have  has access thereto except the members of the county court, and the clerk of the county court the county clerk, and such of their respective employees as may be authorized to have access. thereto.
Such The mechanical or electrical device utilized for the making of the sheriff’s signature of the sheriff shall be safely kept in the office of the sheriff sheriff’s office so that no one shall have has access thereto except the sheriff and such of his or her deputies as may be authorized to have access. thereto(b) In the event that two or more individuals among the county commission president, sheriff, and county clerk, are family or household members, alternate signatories shall be designated, as follows:(1)  The county commission shall vote to designate another county commissioner who is not a family or household member of any other required signatory to sign for the president;(2) The chief tax deputy shall sign for the sheriff.
If the chief tax deputy is a family or household member of any other signatory, then the county commission shall vote to appoint a resident of the county to serve as a substitute signatory;
and(3) The county clerk is not subject to substitution.(c) As used in this section, “family or household member” has the same meaning as set forth in §48-27-204 of this code.(d) If any person, other than the persons authorized so to do shall sign to sign by this section, signs the name of the county commission president, of the county court, the clerk of the county court or the sheriff by the use of any such county clerk, or sheriff, using any mechanical or electrical device, or otherwise, on any warrant, order, or check, or utter or attempt knowingly utters or attempts to employ as true such the forged warrant, order, or check, knowing the same to be forged he shall be he or she is guilty of a felony and, upon conviction, shall be confined in the penitentiary not less fewer than two years and not more than 10 years.     AdoptedRejected 
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Action History

  1. Chapter 139, Acts, Regular Session, 2025

  2. Approved by Governor 4/25/2025

  3. To Governor 4/22/2025

  4. Approved by Governor 4/25/2025 - Senate Journal

  5. Approved by Governor 4/25/2025 - House Journal

  6. To Governor 4/22/2025 - Senate Journal

  7. To Governor 4/22/2025 - House Journal

  8. Completed legislative action

  9. Communicated to House

  10. Senate concurred in House amendments and passed bill (Roll No. 422)

  11. House Message received

  12. Communicated to Senate

  13. House concurred in Senate amend with amend, passed bill (Roll No. 397)

  14. House received Senate message

  15. Senate requests House to concur

  16. Passed Senate with amended title (Roll No. 312)

  17. Read 3rd time

  18. On 3rd reading

  19. Committee amendment adopted (Voice vote)

  20. Read 2nd time

  21. On 2nd reading

  22. Read 1st time

  23. Immediate consideration

  24. Reported do pass, with amendment and title amendment

  25. To Government Organization

  26. To Government Organization

  27. Introduced in Senate

  28. Communicated to Senate

  29. Passed House (Roll No. 120)

  30. Read 3rd time

  31. On 3rd reading, Special Calendar

  32. Amendment adopted (Voice vote)

  33. Amendment reported by the Clerk

  34. Read 2nd time

  35. On 2nd reading, Special Calendar

  36. Read 1st time

  37. On 1st reading, Special Calendar

  38. By substitute, do pass

  39. Markup Discussion

  40. To House Judiciary

  41. Markup Discussion

  42. To House Legal Services

  43. To House Judiciary

  44. Introduced in House

  45. To Judiciary

  46. Filed for introduction

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

Export CSV (upgrade) →

1 sponsors · 10 co-sponsors · 141 not signed on

Sponsors (1)

Co-sponsors (10)

Not signed on (141)

141 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 141 →

"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Votes

PASSAGE-SENATE AMENDED HB

Passed 98 Yea · 0 Nay · 2 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Republican 84001
Democrat 9000
Unaffiliated 5001
Total 98002
% of votes cast 98%0%0%2%
How each member voted (100)
Member Party Vote
Kump — Yea
Flanigan — Yea
Linville — Yea
Devault — Yea
Steele — Not Voting
Clark, T — Yea
Anitra Hamilton Democrat Yea
Evan Hansen Democrat Yea
Hollis Lewis Democrat Yea
John Williams Democrat Yea
Kayla Young Democrat Yea
Mike Pushkin Democrat Yea
Rick Garcia Democrat Yea
Sean Hornbuckle Democrat Yea
Shawn Fluharty Democrat Yea
Adam Burkhammer Republican Yea
Adam Vance Republican Yea
Andy Shamblin Republican Yea
Betsy Kelly Republican Yea
Bill Ridenour Republican Yea
Bob Fehrenbacher Republican Yea
Bryan Smith Republican Yea
Bryan Ward Republican Yea
Carl "Bill" Roop Republican Yea
Carl Martin Republican Yea
Charles Sheedy Republican Yea
Chris Phillips Republican Yea
Christopher W. Toney Republican Yea
Chuck Horst Republican Yea
Clay Riley Republican Yea
D. Rolland Jennings Republican Yea
Dana Ferrell Republican Yea
Dave Foggin Republican Yea
David Cannon Republican Yea
David Green Republican Yea
David McCormick Republican Yea
Dean Jeffries Republican Yea
Doug Smith Republican Yea
Elias Coop-Gonzalez Republican Yea
Eric Brooks Republican Yea
Erica Moore Republican Yea
Evan Worrell Republican Yea
Gary G. Howell Republican Not Voting
Geno Chiarelli Republican Yea
George Miller Republican Yea
George Street Republican Yea
Henry Dillon Republican Yea
Ian T. Masters Republican Yea
James Robert "JB" Akers II Republican Yea
Jarred Cannon Republican Yea
Jeff Campbell Republican Yea
Jeff Eldridge Republican Yea
Jeffrey Stephens Republican Yea
Jim Butler Republican Yea
Jimmy Willis Republican Yea
Joe Ellington Republican Yea
Joe Funkhouser Republican Yea
Joe Parsons Republican Yea
Joe Statler Republican Yea
John Paul Hott Republican Yea
Jonathan Kyle Republican Yea
Jonathan Pinson Republican Yea
Jordan Bridges Republican Yea
Jordan Maynor Republican Yea
Josh Holstein Republican Yea
Kathie Hess Crouse Republican Yea
Keith Marple Republican Yea
Laura Kimble Republican Yea
Lisa White Republican Yea
Lori Dittman Republican Yea
Margitta Mazzocchi Republican Yea
Mark Dean Republican Yea
Mark Zatezalo Republican Yea
Marshall W. Clay Republican Yea
Marty Gearheart Republican Yea
Matthew Rohrbach Republican Yea
Michael Amos Republican Yea
Michael Hite Republican Yea
Michael Hornby Republican Yea
Mickey Petitto Republican Yea
Pat McGeehan Republican Yea
Patrick Lucas Republican Yea
Phil Mallow Republican Yea
Ray Canterbury Republican Yea
Rick Hillenbrand Republican Yea
Roger Hanshaw Republican Yea
Roy Cooper Republican Yea
Ryan Browning Republican Yea
S. Chris Anders Republican Yea
Sarah Drennan Republican Yea
Scot C. Heckert Republican Yea
Stanley Adkins Republican Yea
Trenton Barnhart Republican Yea
Tresa Howell Republican Yea
Tristan Leavitt Republican Yea
Vacant1 Republican Yea
Vernon Criss Republican Yea
Walter Hall Republican Yea
Wayne Clark Republican Yea
William Anderson Republican Yea

Official roll call →

Passage

Passed 33 Yea · 0 Nay · 1 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Republican 28001
Unaffiliated 3000
Democrat 2000
Total 33001
% of votes cast 97%0%0%3%
How each member voted (34)
Member Party Vote
STUART — Yea
BOLEY — Yea
MR PRESIDENT — Yea
Joey Garcia Democrat Yea
Mike Woelfel Democrat Yea
Amy Grady Republican Yea
Anne B. Charnock Republican Yea
Ben Queen Republican Yea
Bill Hamilton Republican Yea
Brian Helton Republican Yea
Charles H. Clements Republican Yea
Chris Rose Republican Yea
Craig A. Hart Republican Yea
Darren Thorne Republican Yea
Eric Tarr Republican Yea
Glenn Jeffries Republican Yea
Jack Woodrum Republican Yea
Jason Barrett Republican Yea
Jay Taylor Republican Yea
Laura Wakim Chapman Republican Yea
Mark R. Maynard Republican Yea
Mike Azinger Republican Yea
Mike Oliverio Republican Yea
Patricia Rucker Republican Yea
Patrick Martin Republican Yea
Robbie Morris Republican Yea
Rollan A. Roberts Republican Yea
Rupie Phillips Republican Yea
Ryan Weld Republican Yea
Scott Fuller Republican Yea
T. Kevan Bartlett Republican Not Voting
Tom Takubo Republican Yea
Tom Willis Republican Yea
Vince Deeds Republican Yea

Official roll call →

PASSAGE

Passed 96 Yea · 0 Nay · 4 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Republican 82003
Democrat 9000
Unaffiliated 5001
Total 96004
% of votes cast 96%0%0%4%
How each member voted (100)
Member Party Vote
Flanigan — Yea
Kump — Yea
Linville — Yea
Devault — Yea
Steele — Not Voting
Clark, T — Yea
Anitra Hamilton Democrat Yea
Evan Hansen Democrat Yea
Hollis Lewis Democrat Yea
John Williams Democrat Yea
Kayla Young Democrat Yea
Mike Pushkin Democrat Yea
Rick Garcia Democrat Yea
Sean Hornbuckle Democrat Yea
Shawn Fluharty Democrat Yea
Adam Burkhammer Republican Yea
Adam Vance Republican Not Voting
Andy Shamblin Republican Yea
Betsy Kelly Republican Yea
Bill Ridenour Republican Yea
Bob Fehrenbacher Republican Yea
Bryan Smith Republican Yea
Bryan Ward Republican Yea
Carl "Bill" Roop Republican Yea
Carl Martin Republican Yea
Charles Sheedy Republican Yea
Chris Phillips Republican Yea
Christopher W. Toney Republican Yea
Chuck Horst Republican Yea
Clay Riley Republican Yea
D. Rolland Jennings Republican Yea
Dana Ferrell Republican Yea
Dave Foggin Republican Yea
David Cannon Republican Yea
David Green Republican Yea
David McCormick Republican Yea
Dean Jeffries Republican Yea
Doug Smith Republican Yea
Elias Coop-Gonzalez Republican Yea
Eric Brooks Republican Yea
Erica Moore Republican Yea
Evan Worrell Republican Yea
Gary G. Howell Republican Yea
Geno Chiarelli Republican Yea
George Miller Republican Yea
George Street Republican Yea
Henry Dillon Republican Yea
Ian T. Masters Republican Yea
James Robert "JB" Akers II Republican Yea
Jarred Cannon Republican Yea
Jeff Campbell Republican Yea
Jeff Eldridge Republican Yea
Jeffrey Stephens Republican Yea
Jim Butler Republican Yea
Jimmy Willis Republican Yea
Joe Ellington Republican Yea
Joe Funkhouser Republican Yea
Joe Parsons Republican Yea
Joe Statler Republican Yea
John Paul Hott Republican Yea
Jonathan Kyle Republican Yea
Jonathan Pinson Republican Yea
Jordan Bridges Republican Not Voting
Jordan Maynor Republican Yea
Josh Holstein Republican Yea
Kathie Hess Crouse Republican Yea
Keith Marple Republican Yea
Laura Kimble Republican Yea
Lisa White Republican Yea
Lori Dittman Republican Not Voting
Margitta Mazzocchi Republican Yea
Mark Dean Republican Yea
Mark Zatezalo Republican Yea
Marshall W. Clay Republican Yea
Marty Gearheart Republican Yea
Matthew Rohrbach Republican Yea
Michael Amos Republican Yea
Michael Hite Republican Yea
Michael Hornby Republican Yea
Mickey Petitto Republican Yea
Pat McGeehan Republican Yea
Patrick Lucas Republican Yea
Phil Mallow Republican Yea
Ray Canterbury Republican Yea
Rick Hillenbrand Republican Yea
Roger Hanshaw Republican Yea
Roy Cooper Republican Yea
Ryan Browning Republican Yea
S. Chris Anders Republican Yea
Sarah Drennan Republican Yea
Scot C. Heckert Republican Yea
Stanley Adkins Republican Yea
Trenton Barnhart Republican Yea
Tresa Howell Republican Yea
Tristan Leavitt Republican Yea
Vacant1 Republican Yea
Vernon Criss Republican Yea
Walter Hall Republican Yea
Wayne Clark Republican Yea
William Anderson Republican Yea

Official roll call →

Subjects

public-safety civil-rights
Cross-referencing the record. Reading this bill against every other bill in the corpus by meaning, not keywords. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Matching · Ranking · Engrossing

Frequently asked questions

Who sponsors HB 2397?
HB 2397 is sponsored by Rick Hillenbrand (Republican), Joe Funkhouser (Republican), Ian T. Masters (Republican), Bill Ridenour (Republican), Chuck Horst (Republican), Eric Brooks (Republican), Michael Hite (Republican), Erica Moore (Republican), Margitta Mazzocchi (Republican), Roy Cooper (Republican), and Bryan Smith (Republican).
What is the current status of HB 2397?
This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced February 14, 2025. Enacted.
Where can I track HB 2397?
Track HB 2397 free on One Click Politics — get push/email alerts when it moves.

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