West Virginia 2026 Session Status: Enacted 11 R cosponsors

HB 4996 — Relating to bail in cases involving terroristic threats to schools or children

Last action — Chapter 106, Acts, Regular Session, 2026

  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 January 30, 2026. Enacted.

Odds of enactment

High chance

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

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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 4 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.

In plain language

This bill addresses bail conditions for cases related to terroristic threats against schools or children.

The bill proposes changes to how bail is managed for individuals charged with making threats to schools or children. It specifically focuses on cases involving terroristic acts.

Summary

Relating to bail in cases involving terroristic threats to schools or children

Bill Text

What changed in the latest version

1 added · 1 removed

Plain-language change summary

The amendment to HB 4996 changes the title of the bill to focus specifically on bail conditions related to terroristic threats against educational institutions, such as daycares and schools. It introduces a requirement that individuals accused of making such threats must not live within 1,000 feet of these facilities and outlines how this measurement will be enforced. This matters because it aims to enhance the safety of children and educational environments by restricting access for individuals who pose a potential threat.

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Previous
Latest
HB4996 S JUD AMTCobb 7888 The Committee on the Judiciary moved to amend the bill by striking out the title and substituting therefor a new title, to read as follows:Eng.
HB4996 HFAT Akers 2-13Morgan 3345 Delegate Akers moved to amend the bill by striking out the title and substituting therefor a new title, to read as follows:H.
Com.
B.
Sub.
4996 -- A Bill to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by adding a new section, designated §62-1C-17d, relating to bail in cases involving terroristic threats to any licensed day care center, preschool or early childhood education program, public charter school, public schools, non-public schools, or an institution of higher education;
for House Bill 4996—A Bill to amend and reenact §61-6-20 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, relating to creating a crime of making threats of a crime of violence;
establishing mandatory conditions of bail prohibiting residence within 1,000 feet of educational facilities;
defining terms;
providing for valid methods of measurement of the 1,000 foot restriction;
specifying fines and penalties;
providing for enforcement of violations;
creating pre-trial and post-conviction residency restrictions;
and providing the manner of distribution by the clerk of the court of the court ordered conditions of bail”;    AdoptedRejected 
providing that inability is not a defense;
and providing that the offenses are distinct offenses.  AdoptedRejected
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Action History

  1. Filed for introduction

  2. To Judiciary

  3. Introduced in House

  4. To House Judiciary

  5. To House Homeland Security

  6. Markup Discussion

  7. To House Judiciary

  8. Markup Discussion

  9. By substitute, do pass

  10. On 1st reading, Special Calendar

  11. Read 1st time

  12. On 2nd reading, Special Calendar

  13. Read 2nd time

  14. On 3rd reading, Special Calendar

  15. Read 3rd time

  16. Passed House (Roll No. 95)

  17. Title amendment adopted (Voice vote)

  18. Communicated to Senate

  19. Introduced in Senate

  20. To Judiciary

  21. To Judiciary

  22. Reported do pass, with amendment and title amendment

  23. Immediate consideration

  24. Read 1st time

  25. On 2nd reading

  26. Read 2nd time

  27. Committee amendment adopted (Voice vote)

  28. On 3rd reading

  29. Read 3rd time

  30. Passed Senate with amended title (Roll No. 553)

  31. Senate requests House to concur

  32. House received Senate message

  33. House concurred in Senate amendment and passed bill (Roll No. 681)

  34. Communicated to Senate

  35. Completed legislative action

  36. House Message received

  37. To Governor 3/25/2026

  38. To Governor 3/25/2026 - Senate Journal

  39. Approved by Governor 4/1/2026 - Senate Journal

  40. Approved by Governor 4/1/2026 - House Journal

  41. Approved by Governor 4/1/2026

  42. Chapter 106, Acts, Regular Session, 2026

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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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

Roll Call

Passed 34 Yea · 0 Nay
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Republican 29000
Democrat 4000
Unaffiliated 1000
Total 34000
% of votes cast 100%0%0%0%
How each member voted (34)
Member Party Vote
MR PRESIDENT — Yea
Anitra Hamilton Democrat Yea
Mike Woelfel Democrat Yea
Mike Woelfel Democrat Yea
Rick Garcia Democrat Yea
Ben Queen Republican Yea
Carl Martin Republican Yea
Chris Phillips Republican Yea
Chris Rose Republican Yea
Chris Rose Republican Yea
Dean Jeffries Republican Yea
Eric Tarr Republican Yea
Eric Tarr Republican Yea
Glenn Jeffries Republican Yea
Jack Woodrum Republican Yea
Jack Woodrum Republican Yea
Jay Taylor Republican Yea
Jimmy Willis Republican Yea
Mark R. Maynard Republican Yea
Mike Oliverio Republican Yea
Patricia Rucker Republican Yea
Patricia Rucker Republican Yea
Robbie Morris Republican Yea
Rollan A. Roberts Republican Yea
Rollan A. Roberts Republican Yea
Rupie Phillips Republican Yea
Rupie Phillips Republican Yea
Ryan Weld Republican Yea
Ryan Weld Republican Yea
Tom Takubo Republican Yea
Tom Takubo Republican Yea
Tom Willis Republican Yea
Trenton Barnhart Republican Yea
Trenton Barnhart Republican Yea

Official roll call →

PASSAGE

Passed 96 Yea · 0 Nay · 3 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Republican 85002
Democrat 9000
Unaffiliated 2001
Total 96003
% of votes cast 97%0%0%3%
How each member voted (99)
Member Party Vote
Flanigan — Yea
Linville — Yea
Kump — Not Voting
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
Bill Bell Republican Yea
Bill Ridenour Republican Yea
Bob Fehrenbacher Republican Yea
Bryan Smith Republican Not Voting
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
Gregory A. Watt Republican Yea
Guy Ward Republican Yea
Henry Dillon Republican Yea
Ian T. Masters Republican Yea
James Robert "JB" Akers II Republican Yea
Jarred Cannon Republican Not Voting
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 Jordan 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
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 education
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

What does HB 4996 do?
Relating to bail in cases involving terroristic threats to schools or children
Who sponsors HB 4996?
HB 4996 is sponsored by Carl Martin (Republican), Adam Burkhammer (Republican), Chris Phillips (Republican), Michael Hornby (Republican), Joe Funkhouser (Republican), Phil Mallow (Republican), Jim Butler (Republican), Bill Ridenour (Republican), Mark Zatezalo (Republican), William Anderson (Republican), and Pat McGeehan (Republican).
What is the current status of HB 4996?
This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced January 30, 2026. Enacted.
Where can I track HB 4996?
Track HB 4996 free on One Click Politics — get push/email alerts when it moves.

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