West Virginia 2026 Session Status: Enacted 11 R cosponsors

HB 4395 — Relating to investigations of allegations of child safety violations for school personnel.

Last action — Chapter 69, 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 15, 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 (11 R).

  • Cleared a recorded vote

    Passed 5 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

The bill addresses investigations into child safety violations by school staff.

This bill outlines how allegations of child safety violations involving school personnel should be investigated. It aims to ensure proper handling of such allegations to protect students.

What this means for you
  • Families: This means that families can expect a structured process for investigating concerns about child safety in schools.

Summary

Relating to investigations of allegations of child safety violations for school personnel.

Bill Text

What changed in the latest version

1 added · 1 removed

Plain-language change summary

The amendment to HB 4395 changes its title and includes several important updates regarding reporting procedures for misconduct in schools. Now, not only must school principals report certain employee behavior within 24 hours, but supervisors and administrators are also required to do so. Additionally, the county superintendent must inform the state superintendent of any ongoing investigations into employees within seven days, regardless of whether the employee transfers or resigns. This amendment is significant because it enhances accountability and ensures that more individuals involved in the education system are held responsible for reporting misconduct that could affect student safety and welfare.

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HB4395 HFA Foggin 2-26 #1CR 3338 Delegate Foggin moved to amend the bill on page 3, line 54, by striking the word, “employ’s” and inserting the word, “employee’s”.   AdoptedRejected
HB4395 SFAT GRADY #1 3-10Hager  7871 Senator Grady moved to amend the bill by striking out the title and substituting therefor a new title, to read as follows:Eng.
Com.
Sub.
for House Bill 4395—A Bill to amend and reenact §18A-2-8 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, relating to expanding requirement for a school principal to report certain employee conduct to the county superintendent within 24 hours to also require an a supervisor or administrator to report the conduct;
expanding the duty of the county superintendent to report certain employees being investigated for alleged misconduct to the state superintendent within seven days;
requiring that certain investigations continue if the employee transfers or resigns;
expanding the individuals to be included in the database maintained by the state superintendent to include those investigated for jeopardizing the health, safety, or welfare of students, or for impacting the learning environment of other students;
requiring database to include the reason for the investigation;
and allowing nonpublic schools to provide information to the state superintendent to be housed in the database.
     AdoptedRejected
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Action History

  1. Filed for introduction

  2. To Education

  3. Introduced in House

  4. To House Education

  5. To House Public Education

  6. Markup Discussion

  7. To House Education

  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. Postponed on 3rd reading, Special Calendar, until 2/27/2026

  16. Read 3rd time

  17. Amendment reported by the Clerk

  18. Amendment adopted (Voice vote)

  19. Passed House (Roll No. 220)

  20. Communicated to Senate

  21. Introduced in Senate

  22. To Education

  23. To Education

  24. Reported do pass

  25. On 1st reading

  26. Read 1st time

  27. On 2nd reading

  28. Read 2nd time

  29. Floor amendment adopted (Voice vote)

  30. On 3rd reading

  31. Read 3rd time

  32. Passed Senate (Roll No. 396)

  33. Title amendment adopted

  34. Senate requests House to concur

  35. House received Senate message

  36. House concurred in Senate amendment and passed bill (Roll No. 498)

  37. Communicated to Senate

  38. Completed legislative action

  39. House Message received

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

  41. To Governor 3/18/2026

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

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

  44. Approved by Governor 4/1/2026

  45. Chapter 69, 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

PASSAGE-SENATE AMENDED HB

Passed 96 Yea · 0 Nay · 3 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Republican 85003
Democrat 9000
Unaffiliated 2000
Total 96003
% of votes cast 97%0%0%3%
How each member voted (99)
Member Party Vote
Flanigan — Yea
Linville — 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 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 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 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 Not Voting
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 Not Voting
Vernon Criss Republican Yea
Walter Hall Republican Yea
Wayne Clark Republican Yea
William Anderson Republican Yea

Official roll call →

PASSAGE

Passed 93 Yea · 0 Nay · 7 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Republican 83005
Democrat 8001
Unaffiliated 2001
Total 93007
% of votes cast 93%0%0%7%
How each member voted (100)
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 Not Voting
Adam Burkhammer Republican Yea
Adam Vance Republican Yea
Andy Shamblin Republican Yea
Betsy Kelly 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 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 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 Not Voting
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
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 4395 do?
Relating to investigations of allegations of child safety violations for school personnel.
Who sponsors HB 4395?
HB 4395 is sponsored by Sarah Drennan (Republican), Michael Hite (Republican), Kathie Hess Crouse (Republican), Erica Moore (Republican), Lori Dittman (Republican), Jonathan Kyle (Republican), David McCormick (Republican), Jeffrey Stephens (Republican), Tristan Leavitt (Republican), Adam Burkhammer (Republican), and Michael Hornby (Republican).
What is the current status of HB 4395?
This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced January 15, 2026. Enacted.
Where can I track HB 4395?
Track HB 4395 free on One Click Politics — get push/email alerts when it moves.

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