SB 25 — Establishing WV Coal Marketing Program

CS for SB 25 WEST VIRGINIA LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION IntroducedCommittee FISCALSubstitute for Senate Bill 25 NOTE By SenatorSenators RoseRose, [IntroducedPhillips, and Roberts [Reported January 14,30, 2026;2026, from the Committee on Energy, Industry, and Mining] CS for SB 25 A BILL to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by adding a new section, designated §17A-3-28;

referredand to amend the Committeecode onby Energy,adding Industry,a new article, designated §22- 37-1, §22-37-2, §22-37-3, and Mining;§22-37-4, relating to creating the West Virginia Coal Marketing Program;

and then to the Committee on Finance] Intr SB 25 2026R1276 A BILL to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by adding thereto a new article, designated §22-37-1, §22-37-2, §22-37-3, and §22-37-4, relating to creating theprogram Westfund; Virginia Coal Marketing Program;

providing for thecertain purposesources of moneys in the program;fund;

creatingspecifying fundingcertain uses for moneys in the program;fund;

requiringand theproviding Governorfor to report on the program topurpose, therules, Joint Committee on Government and Finance;report.

providing for rules;

and providing for an effective date.

ARTICLECHAPTER 37.17A.

MOTOR VEHICLE ADMINISTRATION, REGISTRATION, CERTIFICATE OF TITLE, AND ANTITHEFT PROVISIONS.

ARTICLE 3.

ORIGINAL AND RENEWAL OF REGISTRATION;

ISSUANCE OF CERTIFICATES OF TITLE.

§17A-3-28.

Friends of Coal registration fee.

The Commissioner shall transfer to the West Virginia Coal Marketing Program Fund created in §22-37-2 of this code any registration fees collected pursuant to section §17A-3-14 of this article for an initial or renewal registration plate bearing the words “Friends of Coal”.

The Commission may deduct from the transfer the actual cost of producing the registration plates and shall transfer the fees on a quarterly basis.

CHAPTER 22.

ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES ARTICLE 37.

PurposeWest ofVirginia theCoal Program.Marketing Program created.

(a) ThereThe is created the West Virginia Coal Marketing Program tois becreated administeredin bythe Office of the Governor.

(b) The purposepurposes of the program isare toto: protect and expand West Virginia's coal markets and coal facilities and to address impacts cities, towns, and counties have experienced or will experience due to changes in the coal market.

(b)(1) TheProtect Governorand shallexpand expend funds appropriated to the Governorstate’s forcoal operatingmarkets theand programcoal onlyfacilities; on the following:

(1)and Projects(2) withAddress athe publicimpacts benefitthat associatedcities, withtowns, expanding and protectingcounties Westhave Virginia'sexperienced coalor marketswill andexperience due to changes in the coal facilities;market.

andCS (2)for ProjectsSB with25 a§22-37-2. public benefit that address impacts cities, towns, and counties have experienced or will experience due to changes in the coal market.

(c)West NoVirginia fundsCoal shallMarketing beProgram providedFund. for projects under this article without the written opinion of the Attorney General certifying the legality of the transaction and all documents connected therewith.

(d)(a) OnThe orWest beforeVirginia OctoberCoal 1Marketing ofProgram eachFund year,is thecreated Governorin shall report to the Jointstate Committeetreasury on Government and Financeadministered on the projects funded by the WestGovernor. Virginia Coal Marketing Program.

(b) The reportGovernor shall includeexpend themoneys amount,in the recipient,fund, andincluding aearned descriptioninterest, on projects that satisfy the purposes of eachthis projectarticle funded.and have a public benefit that:

(e)(1) ThereIs isassociated createdwith expanding and protecting the Weststate’s Virginiacoal Coalmarkets Marketingand Programcoal account.facilities;

All(2) fundsAddresses inimpacts thethat Intrcities, SBtowns, 25and 2026R1276counties accounthave areexperienced continuouslyor appropriatedwill toexperience thedue Governor to bechanges expendedin for the purposescoal ofmarket; this article and as otherwise specified by law.

Theand Governor(3) mayPromotes expendand fundseducates inthe thiscitizenry accounton asthe providedstate’s incoal subsectionmarket (b)and ofindustry, thiswhich section.may include but is not limited to such areas as:

Interest(A) earnedCoal’s oncentral fundsrole in the accountstate’s shallidentity; be deposited in the account.

(f)(B) The Governorvalue may accept, and shall deposit in the account, any gifts, contributions, donations, grants, or federal funds specifically designated for the benefit of thecoal Westindustry Virginiato Coal Marketing Program or any project funded under the program.state’s economy;

§22-37-2.(C) The realities of modern coal mining compared to historic coal mining;

Funding.(D) Energy reliability and grid stability;

There(E) isThe appropriatedeconomic $1challenge millionfacing fromcoal thecommunities; general fund to the West Virginia Coal Marketing Program account created by §22-37-1(e).

Theand Governor(F) shallCoal’s onlyfuture expendin this appropriation for the West VirginiaVirginia. Coal Marketing Program as provided for in §22-37-1.

Notwithstanding(c) anyThe otherGovernor provisionmay ofaccept law,and thisshall appropriationdeposit shallinto notthe befund transferredany gifts, contributions, donations, grants, or expendedfederal funds designated for the benefit of the West Virginia Coal Marketing Program or any otherproject purpose.funded under the program.

(d) The Governor shall expend for the promotional and educational purposes specified in subdivision §22-37-3(b)(3) of this section any moneys received in the fund from the Friends of Coal registration plate fees pursuant to §17A-3-28 of this code.

(e) Any unexpended balances remaining in the fund at the close of a fiscal year do not expire and shall be reappropriated to the fund for the subsequent fiscal year.