West Virginia 2025 Regular Session Status: Enacted 13 R cosponsors

SB 617 — Discouraging gang activity

Last action — Chapter 207, Acts, Regular Session, 2025

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

This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced February 27, 2025. Enacted.

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

  • 16 sponsors

    1 primary, 15 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Single-party support

    Sponsorship is currently within one party (13 R).

  • Cleared a recorded vote

    Passed 2 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 · 1 removed

Plain-language change summary

The recent amendments to Bill SB 617 revise its focus on organized crime by specifically addressing gang activities. It introduces a clear definition of what constitutes a "gang" and expands the categories of criminal activities associated with gangs that will be punishable under the law. This change is important because it strengthens the framework for tackling gang-related crime, aiming to enhance public safety and provide law enforcement with better tools to combat organized criminal enterprises.

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Latest
SB617 HFA Akers 4-9 #1WRV 3133 Delegate Akers moved to amend the committee substitute on page 1, section 2, lines 2 through 5, by striking subdivision (1) in its entirety and inserting in lieu thereof the following:“(1) “Gang” means any ongoing organization, association, or group of three or more persons, whether formal or informal, having as one of its activities the commission of one or more qualifying offenses, and whose members engage in or have engaged in qualifying offenses.”  AdoptedRejected
SB617 HFAT Akers 4-9WRV 3133 Delegate Akers moved to amend the committee substitute by striking out the title and substituting therefor a new title, to read as follows:S.
B.
617 -- “A Bill to amend and reenact §61-13-1, §61-13-2, and §61-13-3 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, relating to organized criminal enterprises;
amending the findings to include gangs and gang activity;
creating a definition of gang;
adding gang activity to offenses punishable by this section;
adding certain qualifying offenses to be subject to the Anti-Organized Criminal Enterprise Act;
clarifying that certain offenses are separate and distinct crimes;
creating criminal penalties;
and making technical corrections.”   AdoptedRejected 
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Action History

  1. Chapter 207, Acts, Regular Session, 2025

  2. Approved by Governor 4/24/2025

  3. To Governor 4/14/2025

  4. Approved by Governor 4/24/2025 - House Journal

  5. Approved by Governor 4/24/2025 - Senate Journal

  6. To Governor 4/14/2025 - House Journal

  7. To Governor 4/14/2025 - Senate Journal

  8. Completed legislative action

  9. Communicated to House

  10. Senate concurred in House amendments and passed bill (Roll No. 452)

  11. House Message received

  12. Communicated to Senate

  13. Title amendment adopted (Voice vote)

  14. Passed House (Roll No. 433)

  15. Read 3rd time

  16. Amendment adopted (Voice vote)

  17. Amendment rejected (Voice vote)

  18. Amendment reported by the Clerk

  19. On 3rd reading, Special Calendar

  20. Postponed on 3rd reading, Special Calendar, until 4/9/2025

  21. On 3rd reading, Special Calendar

  22. Read 2nd time

  23. On 2nd reading, Special Calendar

  24. Read 1st time

  25. On 1st reading, Special Calendar

  26. Do pass

  27. Markup Discussion

  28. To House Judiciary

  29. To Judiciary

  30. Introduced in House

  31. House received Senate message

  32. Ordered to House

  33. Passed Senate (Roll No. 184)

  34. Read 3rd time

  35. On 3rd reading

  36. Read 2nd time

  37. On 2nd reading

  38. Read 1st time

  39. Immediate consideration

  40. Committee substitute reported

  41. To Judiciary

  42. Introduced in Senate

  43. To Judiciary

  44. Filed for introduction

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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1 sponsors · 15 co-sponsors · 136 not signed on · 9 voted No

Sponsors (1)

Co-sponsors (15)

Not signed on (136)

136 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 136 →

"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

Passed 88 Yea · 9 Nay · 3 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Republican 81103
Unaffiliated 6000
Democrat 1800
Total 88903
% of votes cast 88%9%0%3%
How each member voted (100)
Member Party Vote
Devault — Yea
Kump — Yea
Linville — Yea
Flanigan — Yea
Steele — Yea
Clark, T — Yea
Anitra Hamilton Democrat Nay
Evan Hansen Democrat Nay
Hollis Lewis Democrat Nay
John Williams Democrat Nay
Kayla Young Democrat Yea
Mike Pushkin Democrat Nay
Rick Garcia Democrat Nay
Sean Hornbuckle Democrat Nay
Shawn Fluharty Democrat Nay
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 Nay
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 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 Not Voting
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 Not Voting
Wayne Clark Republican Yea
William Anderson Republican Yea

Official roll call →

Passage

Passed 34 Yea · 0 Nay
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Republican 29000
Unaffiliated 3000
Democrat 2000
Total 34000
% of votes cast 100%0%0%0%
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 Yea
Tom Takubo Republican Yea
Tom Willis Republican Yea
Vince Deeds Republican Yea

Official roll call →

Subjects

public-safety
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 SB 617?
SB 617 is sponsored by Rollan A. Roberts (Republican), Mike Azinger (Republican), Jason Barrett (Republican), Vince Deeds (Republican), Scott Fuller (Republican), Craig A. Hart (Republican), Brian Helton (Republican), Jeffries, Mark R. Maynard (Republican), Robbie Morris (Republican), Chris Rose (Republican), Stuart, Eric Tarr (Republican), Darren Thorne (Republican), T. Kevan Bartlett (Republican), and Willis.
What is the current status of SB 617?
This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced February 27, 2025. Enacted.
Where can I track SB 617?
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