West Virginia 2026 Session Status: Enacted 1 R cosponsors

SB 200 — Increasing criminal penalties and fines for assault on certain public service workers, law-enforcement officers, and police animals

Last action — Chapter 100, Acts, Regular Session, 2026

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  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.

Prognosis

Likely to advance 76% · moderate confidence

Where this bill stands today.

Odds of enactment

High

How often bills like it became law.

  • Enacted

    Current position in the legislative process.

  • 3 sponsors

    1 primary, 2 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Single-party support

    Sponsorship is currently within one party (1 R).

  • Cleared a recorded vote

    Passed 3 recorded votes so far.

Prognosis reads this bill's own signals — stage, sponsorship breadth, committee status, recorded votes and cross-state momentum. Odds come from a model trained on which bills have become law.

In plain language

The bill increases penalties for assaults on specific public service workers and police animals.

This legislation aims to enhance the criminal penalties and fines for individuals who assault certain public service workers and police animals. The goal is to provide greater protection for these individuals in their line of duty.

Summary

Increasing criminal penalties and fines for assault on certain public service workers, law-enforcement officers, and police animals

Bill Text

What changed in the latest version

1 added · 166 removed

Plain-language change summary

The bill SB 200 underwent an amendment that changed the heading of a specific section to clarify its focus on criminal penalties for causing death or injury to public safety animals. Additionally, it modified the language around the right of self-defense, allowing individuals charged under this section to claim self-defense in court. These changes are important because they aim to provide clearer legal protections for both law enforcement animals and individuals who may need to defend their actions in potentially dangerous situations.

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WEST VIRGINIA LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION Enrolled Committee Substitute Senate Bill 200 BYS ENATORSW ELD, HILLIP,ANDD EEDS [Passed March 13, 2026;
SB200 H JUD AM #1Morgan 3345 The Committee on the Judiciary moved to amend the committee substitute on page 4, section 30, by striking out the section heading and inserting therefor a new section heading to read as follows: §61-5-30.
in effect 90 days from passage (June 11, 2026)] Enr CS for SB 200 AN ACT to amend and reenact §61-2-10b of the Code of West Virginia, 1931 as amended;
to amend the code by adding a new section, designated §61-5-30;
and to repeal §19-20-24, relating to increasing the criminal penalties and fines for assault or battery of governmental representatives, health care providers, utility workers, law-enforcement officers, correctional employees, emergency medical service personnel, and animals used for law enforcement;
providing criminal penalties and fines for the crime of causing death or injury to animals used by law-enforcement officials or by fire prevention or investigation officials;
defining terms;
providing for the right to self-defense;
providing an euthanasia exception;
and requiring restitution when a public safety animal is killed or injured.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
CHAPTER 19.
AGRICULTURE.
ARTICLE 20.
DOGS AND CATS.
§19-20-24.
Causing injury or death to police dogs and other public safety animals used by law-enforcement officials or by fire prevention or investigation officials;
criminal penalties.
[Repealed.] CHAPTER 61.
CRIMES AND THEIR PUNISHMENT.
ARTICLE 2.
CRIMES AGAINST THE PERSON.
§61-2-10b.
Malicious assault;
unlawful assault;
battery;
and assault on governmental representatives, health care providers, utility workers, law-enforcement officers, correctional employees and emergency medical service personnel;
definitions;
penalties.
(a) For purposes of this section:
Enr CS for SB 200 (1) “Government representative” means any officer or employee of the state or a political subdivision thereof, or a person under contract with a state agency or political subdivision of this state.
(2) “Health care worker” means any nurse, nurse practitioner, physician, physician assistant, or technician practicing at, and all persons employed by or under contract to a hospital, county, or district health department, long-term care facility, physician’s office, clinic, or outpatient treatment facility.
(3) “Emergency service personnel” means any paid or volunteer firefighter, emergency medical technician, paramedic, or other emergency services personnel employed by or under contract with an emergency medical service provider or a state agency or political subdivision thereof.
(4) “Utility worker” means any individual employed by a public utility or electric cooperative or under contract to a public utility, electric cooperative, or interstate pipeline.
(5) “Law-enforcement officer” has the same definition as this term is defined in §30-29-1 of this code, except for purposes of this section, “law-enforcement officer” additionally includes those individuals defined as “chief executive” in §30-29-1 of this code.
(6) “Correctional employee” means any individual employed by the West Virginia Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation, the West Virginia Regional Jail Authority, and the West Virginia Division of Juvenile Services and an employee of an entity providing services to incarcerated, detained, or housed persons pursuant to a contract with such agencies.
(b) Malicious assault.
— Any person who maliciously shoots, stabs, cuts, or wounds or by any means causes bodily injury with intent to maim, disfigure, disable, or kill a government representative, health care worker, utility worker, emergency service personnel, correctional employee, or law-enforcement officer acting in his or her official capacity, and the person committing the malicious assault knows or has reason to know that the victim is acting in his or Enr CS for SB 200 her official capacity is guilty of a felony and, upon conviction thereof, shall be imprisoned in a state correctional facility for not less than three nor more than 15 years.
(c) Unlawful assault.
— Any person who unlawfully but not maliciously shoots, stabs, cuts, or wounds or by any means causes a government representative, health care worker, utility worker, emergency service personnel, correctional employee, or law-enforcement officer acting in his or her official capacity bodily injury with intent to maim, disfigure, disable, or kill him or her and the person committing the unlawful assault knows or has reason to know that the victim is acting in his or her official capacity is guilty of a felony and, upon conviction thereof, shall be imprisoned in a state correctional facility for not less than two nor more than five years.
(d) Battery.
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— Any person who unlawfully, knowingly, and intentionally makes physical contact of an insulting or provoking nature with a government representative, health care worker, utility worker, emergency service personnel, correctional employee, or law-enforcement officer acting in his or her official capacity and the person committing the battery knows or has reason to know that the victim is acting in his or her official capacity, or unlawfully and intentionally causes physical harm to that person acting in such capacity and the person committing the battery knows or has reason to know that the victim is acting in his or her official capacity, is guilty of a felony and, upon conviction thereof, shall be fined not more than $500 or imprisoned in a state correctional facility not less than one year nor more than three years, or both fined and imprisoned.
If any person commits a second such offense, he or she is guilty of a felony and, upon conviction thereof, shall be fined not more than $1,000 or imprisoned in a state correctional facility not less than two years nor more than five years, or both fined and imprisoned.
Any person who commits a third violation of this subsection is guilty of a felony and, upon conviction thereof, shall be fined not more than $2,000 or imprisoned in a state correctional facility not less than five years nor more than 10 years, or both fined and imprisoned.
(e) Assault.
— Any person who unlawfully attempts to commit a violent injury to the person of a government representative, health care worker, utility worker, emergency service personnel, Enr CS for SB 200 correctional employee, or law-enforcement officer, acting in his or her official capacity and the person committing the battery knows or has reason to know that the victim is acting in his or her official capacity, or unlawfully commits an act which places that person acting in his or her official capacity in reasonable apprehension of immediately receiving a violent injury and the person committing the battery knows or has reason to know that the victim is acting in his or her official capacity, is guilty of a felony and, upon conviction thereof, shall be imprisoned in a state correctional facility not less than one year nor more than three years or fined not more than $200, or both fined and imprisoned.
(f) Any person convicted of any crime set forth in this section who is incarcerated in a facility operated by the West Virginia Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation or the West Virginia Regional Jail Authority, or is in the custody of the Division of Juvenile Services and is at least 18 years of age or subject to prosecution as an adult, at the time of committing the offense and whose victim is a correctional employee may not be sentenced in a manner by which the sentence would run concurrent with any other sentence being served at the time the offense giving rise to the conviction of a crime set forth in this section was committed.
ARTICLE 5.
CRIMES AGAINST PUBLIC JUSTICE.
§61-5-30.
right of self- defense;
right of self-defense;
and restitution.
and restitution. And,  On page 6, section 30, line 30, by striking the entirety of subsection (e) and inserting the following language in lieu thereof:
(a) As used in this section:
(e) The right of self-defense may be exercised by a person charged with a criminal violation of this section.  AdoptedRejected
"Public safety animal" means a dog and any other animal specifically trained to assist public safety officers or persons working under the direction of, or in cooperation with, public safety officers in the performance of their official duties;
"Public safety officer" means a law-enforcement officer, fire prevention or investigation officer, correctional officer, or emergency services officer;
"Physical injury" means substantial physical pain or temporary impairment of the animal’s ability to physically function as a public service animal;
and Enr CS for SB 200 "Serious physical injury" means bodily injury that causes serious or prolonged physical injury or permanent impairment of the animal’s ability to function as a public service animal.
(b) Any person who willfully causes physical injury to a public safety animal under the control of a public safety officer acting in his or her official capacity, and the person committing the act knows or has reason to know that the public safety animal is acting in its official capacity is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall be fined not less than $200 nor more than $1,000 or confined in jail for not more than one year, or both fined and confined.
(c) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (b) of this section, any person who willfully causes serious physical injury to a public safety animal under the control of a public safety officer acting in his or her official capacity, and the person committing the act knows or has reason to know that the public safety animal is acting in its official capacity is guilty of a felony and, upon conviction thereof, shall be fined not less than $1,000 nor more than $3,000 or imprisoned in a state correctional facility for an indeterminate term of not less than one year nor more than five years, or both fined and imprisoned.
(d) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (b) or (c) of this section, any person who willfully causes the death of a public safety animal under the control of a public safety officer acting in his or her official capacity, and the person committing the act knows or has reason to know that the public safety animal is acting in its official capacity is guilty of a felony and, upon conviction thereof, shall be fined not less than $2,000 nor more than $5,000 or imprisoned in a state correctional facility for an indeterminate term of not less than two years nor more than 10 years, or both fined and imprisoned.
(e) The right of self-defense may be exercised by a person charged with a criminal violation of this section.
(f) The provisions of this section do not apply to a person who euthanizes an injured, ill, or infirm public safety animal as part of his or her official duties.
Enr CS for SB 200 (g) The provisions of §61-11A-4 of this code relating to court-ordered restitution are applicable to persons convicted of a violation of this section.
Enr CS for SB 200 The Clerk of the Senate and the Clerk of the House of Delegates hereby certify that the foregoing bill is correctly enrolled.
...............................................................
Clerk of the Senate ...............................................................
Clerk of the House of Delegates Originated in the Senate.
In effect 90 days from passage.
...............................................................
President of the Senate ...............................................................
Speaker of the House of Delegates __________ The within is ................................................
this the...........................................
Day of ..........................................................................................................., 2026.
.............................................................
Governor 7
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How this bill changes current law

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Compared against the W. Va. Code as published AI-generated reading aid — verify against the official bill.

The bill amends the existing law by changing the section heading and clarifying the language of subsection (e).

  • §61-5-30

    §61-5-30. Causing death or injury to public safety animals; criminal penalties; right of self-defense; exception; and restitution.

    The section heading is updated or reaffirmed without changing its content.

  • §61-5-30(e)

    The right of self-defense may be exercised by a person charged with a criminal violation of this section. → (e) The right of self-defense may be exercised by a person charged with a criminal violation of this section.

    The language in subsection (e) is retained without any changes.

Action History

  1. Chapter 100, Acts, Regular Session, 2026

  2. Approved by Governor 3/25/2026

  3. To Governor 3/18/2026

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

  5. Approved by Governor 3/25/2026 - Senate Journal

  6. Approved by Governor 3/25/2026 - House Journal

  7. House Message received

  8. Senate concurred in House amendments and passed bill (Roll No. 596)

  9. Communicated to House

  10. Completed legislative action

  11. On 3rd reading, Special Calendar

  12. Read 3rd time

  13. Passed House (Roll No. 417)

  14. Communicated to Senate

  15. On 2nd reading, Special Calendar

  16. Read 2nd time

  17. Amendment reported by the Clerk

  18. Committee amendment adopted (Voice vote)

  19. With amendment, do pass

  20. Immediate consideration

  21. Read 1st time

  22. Markup Discussion

  23. House received Senate message

  24. Introduced in House

  25. To Judiciary

  26. To House Judiciary

  27. On 3rd reading

  28. Read 3rd time

  29. Passed Senate (Roll No. 179)

  30. Ordered to House

  31. On 2nd reading

  32. Read 2nd time

  33. On 1st reading

  34. Read 1st time

  35. Committee substitute reported

  36. Filed for introduction

  37. To Judiciary

  38. Introduced in Senate

  39. To Judiciary

Sponsors

  • Weld · Primary
  • Phillips · Cosponsor
  • Vince Deeds · Cosponsor

Sponsorship breakdown

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1 sponsors · 2 co-sponsors · 149 not signed on

Sponsors (1)

  • Weld

Co-sponsors (2)

Not signed on (149)

149 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 149 →

"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
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 200 do?
Increasing criminal penalties and fines for assault on certain public service workers, law-enforcement officers, and police animals
Who sponsors SB 200?
SB 200 is sponsored by Weld, Phillips, and Vince Deeds (Republican).
What is the current status of SB 200?
This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced January 14, 2026. Enacted.
Where can I track SB 200?
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