West Virginia 2026 Session Status: Enacted 10 R cosponsors

HB 4176 — To allow youth and handicapped hunters to harvest a buck deer or doe during youth/handicapped special hunts

Last action — Chapter 245, 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 14, 2026. Enacted.

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 (10 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.

In plain language

This bill allows youth and handicapped hunters to harvest deer during special hunts.

The bill permits youth and handicapped hunters to hunt both buck deer and doe during designated special hunting events. This aims to provide more opportunities for these groups to participate in hunting.

What this means for you
  • Workers: For workers in the outdoor and hunting-related industries, increased participation in hunting could lead to more business opportunities.

Summary

To allow youth and handicapped hunters to harvest a buck deer or doe during youth/handicapped special hunts

Bill Text

What changed in the latest version

59 added · 44 removed

Plain-language change summary

The updated version of HB 4176 now excludes Class XS license holders from participating in youth deer season privileges, which means these seniors will no longer be allowed to take part in those specific hunting events aimed at younger hunters. This change simplifies hunting regulations by clarifying who can participate in youth deer seasons and ensuring that only the intended age group benefits from those privileges. It's important because it helps maintain the focus on encouraging youth engagement in hunting while still allowing seniors similar hunting opportunities through other licenses.

→
Previous
Latest
WEST VIRGINIA LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION ENGROSSED Committee Substitute for House Bill 4176 By Delegates Horst, Brooks, Burkhammer, Clark, Dean, Kimble, Martin, Masters, Phillips, Ridenour, and B.
WEST VIRGINIA LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION ENROLLED Committee Substitute for House Bill 4176 BY DELEGATES HORST , ROOKS , URKHAMMER , CLARK, DEAN , IMBLE, ARTIN, MASTERS, HILLIP, IDENOUR , ANDB.
Ward [Originating in the Committee on Government Organization;
WARD [Passed March 13, 2026;
Reported on February 28, 2026] Eng CS for HB 4176 A BILL to amend §20-2-42x of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, removing Class XS licensees from participation in youth deer season privileges;
in effect 90 days from passage (June 11, 2026)] Enr CS for HB 4176 AN ACT to amend §20-2-42x of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, removing Class XS licensees from participation in youth deer season privileges;
(b) A Class XS licensee shall be entitled to participate with the same privileges and subject to the same restrictions as a youth hunter in any special youth deer season established by the Natural Resources Commission pursuant to the provisions of subdivision (b)(7), section 17, article one of this chapter.
(b) A Class XS license is required for residents or aliens lawfully residing in the United States who have been domiciled residents of West Virginia for a period of 30 consecutive days or more immediately prior to the date of their application for a license and who reach 65 years of age on or after January 1, 2012.
(c) (b) A Class XS license is required for residents or aliens lawfully residing in the United States who have been domiciled residents of West Virginia for a period of thirty 30 consecutive days or more immediately prior to the date of their application for a license and who reach sixty- five 65 years of age on or after January 1, 2012.
(c) A Class XS license may be voluntarily purchased by residents or aliens lawfully residing in the United States and who have been domiciled residents of West Virginia for a period of 30 consecutive days or more immediately prior to the date of their application for a license and who reach 65 years of age on or before December 31, 2011, entitling those persons to the same privileges and subjecting them to the same restrictions as any Class XS licensee.
(d) (c) A Class XS license may be voluntarily purchased by residents or aliens lawfully residing in the United States and who have been domiciled residents of West Virginia for a period of thirty 30 consecutive days or more immediately prior to the date of their application for a license 1 Eng CS for HB 4176 and who reach sixty-five 65 years of age on or before December 31, 2011, entitling those persons to the same privileges and subjecting them to the same restrictions as any Class XS licensee.
(d) The fee for the Class XS license is $25.
(e) (d) The fee for the Class XS license is $25.
(e) A Class XS license is valid for the lifetime of the purchaser without payment of additional fees for the privileges associated with the Class X license, Class CS stamp and the Enr CS for HB 4176 Class O stamp.
(f) (e) A Class XS license is valid for the lifetime of the purchaser without payment of additional fees for the privileges associated with the Class X license, Class CS stamp and the Class O stamp.
(g) (f) The Division of Natural Resources shall coordinate with the Department of Motor Vehicles to adopt and implement a program whereby the senior hunting license provided for in this section shall be identified by an appropriate decal, sticker or other marking to be affixed to the drivers' or chauffeurs' license of such person.
(f) The Division of Natural Resources shall coordinate with the Department of Motor Vehicles to adopt and implement a program whereby the senior hunting license provided for in this section shall be identified by an appropriate decal, sticker or other marking to be affixed to the drivers' or chauffeurs' license of such person.
(h) (g) On or before July 1 annually, the Division of Natural Resources shall file an annual report with the joint committee on government and finance describing its implementation of the senior license program as set forth in this section.
(g) On or before July 1 annually, the Division of Natural Resources shall file an annual report with the joint committee on government and finance describing its implementation of the senior license program as set forth in this section.
Enr CS for HB 4176 The Clerk of the House of Delegates and the Clerk of the Senate hereby certify that the foregoing bill is correctly enrolled.
...............................................................
Clerk of the House of Delegates ...............................................................
Clerk of the Senate Originated in the House of Delegates.
In effect 90 days from passage.
...............................................................
Speaker of the House of Delegates ...............................................................
President of the Senate __________ The within is ................................................
this the...........................................
Day of ..........................................................................................................., 2026.
.............................................................
Governor 3
⬇ Download PDF
View plain text versions (4)

Action History

  1. Filed for introduction

  2. To Government Organization

  3. Introduced in House

  4. To House Government Organization

  5. To House Agriculture, Commerce and Tourism

  6. To House Government Organization

  7. By substitute, do pass

  8. Immediate consideration

  9. Read 1st time

  10. On 2nd reading, Special Calendar

  11. Read 2nd time

  12. On 3rd reading, Special Calendar

  13. Read 3rd time

  14. Passed House (Roll No. 283)

  15. Communicated to Senate

  16. Introduced in Senate

  17. To Natural Resources

  18. To Natural Resources

  19. Reported do pass

  20. Immediate consideration

  21. Read 1st time

  22. On 2nd reading

  23. Read 2nd time

  24. On 3rd reading

  25. Read 3rd time

  26. Passed Senate (Roll No. 531)

  27. Communicated to House

  28. Completed legislative action

  29. To Governor 3/18/2026 - Senate Journal

  30. To Governor 3/18/2026

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

  32. Approved by Governor 4/1/2026

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

  34. Chapter 245, Acts, Regular Session, 2026

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

Subjects

public-safety environment agriculture
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 4176 do?
To allow youth and handicapped hunters to harvest a buck deer or doe during youth/handicapped special hunts
Who sponsors HB 4176?
HB 4176 is sponsored by Clark, Chuck Horst (Republican), Eric Brooks (Republican), Adam Burkhammer (Republican), Mark Dean (Republican), Laura Kimble (Republican), Carl Martin (Republican), Ian T. Masters (Republican), Chris Phillips (Republican), Bill Ridenour (Republican), and Bryan Ward (Republican).
What is the current status of HB 4176?
This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced January 14, 2026. Enacted.
Where can I track HB 4176?
Track HB 4176 free on One Click Politics — get push/email alerts when it moves.

Make your voice heard on HB 4176

Find the representatives who decide this bill and tell them where you stand — for yourself, or mobilize your whole list in one click with One Click Politics advocacy software.

Find my representatives → Run a campaign

Stay ahead of HB 4176

Last checked for changes about 1 month ago · updated continuously

One Click Politics tracks every bill in Congress and all 50 states.

Track this bill →