West Virginia 2026 Session Status: Enacted 2 R cosponsors

SB 4 — Relating to crimes against public justice

Last action — Chapter 96, Acts, Regular Session, 2026

  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 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.

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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 66% · moderate confidence

  • Enacted

    Current position in the legislative process.

  • 9 sponsors

    1 primary, 8 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Single-party support

    Sponsorship is currently within one party (2 R).

  • Mixed recorded votes

    4 passed, 1 failed in 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 crimes against public justice.

This legislation focuses on defining and penalizing specific crimes related to public justice. It aims to enhance legal frameworks governing these offenses.

Summary

Relating to crimes against public justice

Bill Text

What changed in the latest version

2 added · 3 removed

Plain-language change summary

The amendment to Bill SB 4 added a definition of "harass" and included the act of harassment as a specific offense against first responders, alongside existing prohibitions against impeding or threatening them. This change extends protections to first responders by making it illegal to create a hostile environment through verbal conduct, not just physical threats. This matters because it enhances the safety and well-being of first responders, ensuring they can perform their duties without fear of harassment.

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Latest
SB4 H JUD AM #1WRV 3133 The Committee on the Judiciary moved to amend the committee substitute by striking everything after the enacting clause and inserting in lieu thereof the following:
SB4 SFA Willis 3-13 #2Cobb 7888 Senator Willis moved to amend the amendment by striking out everything after the article heading and inserting in lieu thereof the following:
“ARTICLE 5.
  §61-5-30.
Crimes Against the Public Justice.
§61-5-30.
(a) As used in this section, the term:"First responder" includes a law-enforcement officer as defined in §30-29-1 of this code, a probation officer as described in §62-12-6 of this code, or a firefighter or emergency responder as defined in §5H-1-2 of this code.(b) It is unlawful for a person, after receiving a verbal warning to not approach from a person he or she knows or reasonably should know is a first responder, who is engaged in the lawful performance of a legal duty, to knowingly and willfully violate such warning and approach or remain within 30 feet of the first responder acting in a way to:(1) Impede or interfere with the first responder's ability to perform such duty;
(a) As used in this section, the term:"First responder" includes a law-enforcement officer as defined in §30-29-1 of this code, a probation officer as described in §62-12-6 of this code, or a firefighter or emergency responder as defined in §5H-1-2 of this code.“Harass” means to willfully engage in a course of verbal conduct directed at a first responder that creates a hostile environment.(b) It is unlawful for a person, after receiving a verbal warning to not approach from a person he or she knows or reasonably should know is a first responder, who is engaged in the lawful performance of a legal duty, to knowingly and willfully violate such warning and approach or remain within 30 feet of the first responder acting in a way to:(1) Impede or interfere with the first responder's ability to perform such duty;
or(2) Threaten or menace the first responder with physical harm.(c) A person who violates this subsection is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall be fined not less than $50 nor more than $500 or confined in jail not more than one year, or both fined and confined.”  AdoptedRejected
(2) Threaten or menace the first responder with physical harm;
or(3) Harass the first responder.(c) A person who violates this subsection is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall be fined not less than $50 nor more than $500 or confined in jail not more than one year, or both fined and confined.    AdoptedRejected
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Action History

  1. Filed for introduction

  2. To Judiciary

  3. Introduced in Senate

  4. To Judiciary

  5. Committee substitute reported

  6. On 1st reading

  7. Read 1st time

  8. On 2nd reading

  9. Read 2nd time

  10. On 3rd reading

  11. Read 3rd time

  12. Passed Senate (Roll No. 17)

  13. Ordered to House

  14. House received Senate message

  15. Introduced in House

  16. To Judiciary

  17. To House Judiciary

  18. Markup Discussion

  19. With amendment, do pass

  20. Immediate consideration

  21. Read 1st time

  22. On 2nd reading, Special Calendar

  23. Read 2nd time

  24. Amendment reported by the Clerk

  25. Amendment rejected (Roll No. 409)

  26. Committee amendment adopted (Voice vote)

  27. On 3rd reading, Special Calendar

  28. Read 3rd time

  29. Passed House (Roll No. 411)

  30. Communicated to Senate

  31. House Message received

  32. Senate amended House amendment and passed bill (Roll No. 592)

  33. Senate requests House to concur

  34. House received Senate message

  35. House refused to concur; requested Senate to recede (Voice)

  36. Communicated to Senate

  37. House Message received

  38. Senate receded and passed (Roll No. 691)

  39. Communicated to House

  40. Completed legislative action

  41. To Governor 3/19/2026

  42. To Governor 3/19/2026 - Senate Journal

  43. Approved by Governor 4/1/2026

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

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

  46. Chapter 96, Acts, Regular Session, 2026

Sponsors

  • Oliverio · Primary
  • Woelfel · Cosponsor
  • Takubo · Cosponsor
  • Willis · Cosponsor
  • Woodrum · Cosponsor
  • Rucker · Cosponsor
  • Tarr · Cosponsor
  • Vince Deeds · Cosponsor
  • Darren Thorne · Cosponsor

Sponsorship breakdown

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1 sponsors · 8 co-sponsors · 143 not signed on · 2 voted No

Sponsors (1)

  • Oliverio

Co-sponsors (8)

Not signed on (143)

143 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 143 →

"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 32 Yea · 2 Nay
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Republican 29000
Democrat 2200
Unaffiliated 1000
Total 32200
% of votes cast 94%6%0%0%
How each member voted (34)
Member Party Vote
MR PRESIDENT — Yea
Anitra Hamilton Democrat Yea
Mike Woelfel Democrat Nay
Mike Woelfel Democrat Yea
Rick Garcia Democrat Nay
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 →

Roll Call

Passed 31 Yea · 2 Nay · 1 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Republican 28001
Democrat 2200
Unaffiliated 1000
Total 31201
% of votes cast 91%6%0%3%
How each member voted (34)
Member Party Vote
MR PRESIDENT — Yea
Anitra Hamilton Democrat Yea
Mike Woelfel Democrat Nay
Mike Woelfel Democrat Yea
Rick Garcia Democrat Nay
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 Not Voting
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 →

Roll Call

Passed 32 Yea · 2 Nay
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Republican 29000
Unaffiliated 1000
Democrat 2200
Total 32200
% of votes cast 94%6%0%0%
How each member voted (34)
Member Party Vote
MR PRESIDENT — Yea
Anitra Hamilton Democrat Yea
Mike Woelfel Democrat Nay
Mike Woelfel Democrat Yea
Rick Garcia Democrat Nay
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 →

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

What does SB 4 do?
Relating to crimes against public justice
Who sponsors SB 4?
SB 4 is sponsored by Oliverio, Woelfel, Takubo, Willis, Woodrum, Rucker, Tarr, Vince Deeds (Republican), and Darren Thorne (Republican).
What is the current status of SB 4?
This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced January 14, 2026. Enacted.
Where can I track SB 4?
Track SB 4 free on One Click Politics — get push/email alerts when it moves.

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