West Virginia 2026 Session Status: Enacted 7 R cosponsors

SB 648 — Strategic and Critical Resources Act

Last action — Chapter 143, 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 28, 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 82% · moderate confidence

  • Enacted

    Current position in the legislative process.

  • 16 sponsors

    1 primary, 15 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Single-party support

    Sponsorship is currently within one party (7 R).

  • Cleared a recorded vote

    Passed 3 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 relates to strategic and critical resources management.

This bill establishes provisions for the management of strategic and critical resources. It addresses how these resources are handled and regulated.

Summary

Strategic and Critical Resources Act

Bill Text

What changed in the latest version

1 added · 1 removed

Plain-language change summary

The amendment to SB 648 changes the title of the bill to better reflect its purpose, which is to establish the Strategic and Critical Resources Act. This new act aims to promote the development and availability of important resources through consistent regulations across the state. The amendment also clarifies that the state will take precedence over certain local laws related to these resources, while specifying exceptions for local taxes and fees, which is crucial for maintaining uniformity in resource management. This clarity is important as it helps to streamline regulations and assist in the effective oversight of strategic resources in West Virginia.

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Latest
SB648 SFAT Willis 2-17Kraus  7502 Senator Willis moved to amend the bill by striking out the title and substituting therefor a new title, to read as follows:Eng.
SB648 HFAT Anderson 3-12Akers 3254 Delegate Anderson moved to amend the bill by striking out the title and substituting therefor a new title, to read as follows: ENG.
Com.
COM.
Sub.
SUB FOR SENATE BILL 648 - “A BILL to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by adding a new article, designated §5B-13-1, §5B-13-2, §5B-13-3, §5B-13-4, §5B-13-5, and §5B-13-6, relating to promoting the development and availability of strategic and critical resources through uniform statewide regulation;
for Senate Bill 648—A BILL to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by adding a new article, designated §5B-12-1, §5B-12-2, §5B-12-3, §5B-12-4, §5B-12-5, §5B-12-6, and §5B-12-7, relating to promoting the development and availability of strategic and critical resources through uniform statewide regulation;
defining terms and phrases;
defining strategic and critical resources and other terms and phrases;
providing for state preemption of certain local regulations;
providing for state preemption of certain local ordinances, laws, and regulations with defined exceptions including certain taxes, rates, charges, and fees;
clarifying the applicability of federal law, state statute and rule, and certain taxes, rates, charges, and fees;
clarifying the applicability of federal laws and regulations and state laws and rules, and requiring legislative rule making by the Office of Energy.”  AdoptedRejected 
establishing certain foreign ownership limitations and restricted commerce entities;
clarifying application of the act to certain activities of certain foreign adversaries;
and requiring legislative rules.     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. Floor amendment adopted (Voice vote)

  11. On 3rd reading

  12. Read 3rd time

  13. Passed Senate (Roll No. 116)

  14. Title amendment adopted

  15. Effective from passage (Roll No. 117)

  16. Ordered to House

  17. House received Senate message

  18. Introduced in House

  19. To Energy and Public Works

  20. To House Energy and Public Works

  21. Markup Discussion

  22. With amendment, do pass

  23. On 1st reading, Special Calendar

  24. Read 1st time

  25. On 2nd reading, Special Calendar

  26. Read 2nd time

  27. Amendment reported by the Clerk

  28. Committee amendment adopted (Voice vote)

  29. On 3rd reading, Special Calendar

  30. Read 3rd time

  31. Passed House (Roll No. 545)

  32. Title amendment adopted (Voice vote)

  33. Effective from passage (Roll No. 546)

  34. Communicated to Senate

  35. House Message received

  36. Senate concurred in House amendments and passed bill (Roll No. 680)

  37. Effective from passage (Roll No. 681)

  38. Communicated to House

  39. Completed legislative action

  40. To Governor 3/18/2026

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

  42. Approved by Governor 4/1/2026

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

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

  45. Chapter 143, Acts, Regular Session, 2026

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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1 sponsors · 15 co-sponsors · 136 not signed on

Sponsors (1)

  • Morris

Co-sponsors (15)

Not signed on (136)

136 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 136 →

"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 30 Yea · 0 Nay · 4 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Republican 27002
Unaffiliated 1000
Democrat 2002
Total 30004
% of votes cast 88%0%0%12%
How each member voted (34)
Member Party Vote
MR PRESIDENT — Yea
Anitra Hamilton Democrat Yea
Mike Woelfel Democrat Not Voting
Mike Woelfel Democrat Yea
Rick Garcia Democrat Not Voting
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 Not Voting
Patricia Rucker Republican Yea
Robbie Morris Republican Yea
Rollan A. Roberts Republican Yea
Rollan A. Roberts Republican Not Voting
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 · 0 Nay · 3 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Democrat 4000
Republican 26003
Unaffiliated 1000
Total 31003
% of votes cast 91%0%0%9%
How each member voted (34)
Member Party Vote
MR PRESIDENT — Yea
Anitra Hamilton Democrat Yea
Mike Woelfel Democrat Yea
Mike Woelfel Democrat Yea
Rick Garcia Democrat Yea
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 Not Voting
Robbie Morris Republican Yea
Rollan A. Roberts Republican Yea
Rollan A. Roberts Republican Not Voting
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 Not Voting

Official roll call →

Subjects

environment energy
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 648 do?
Strategic and Critical Resources Act
Who sponsors SB 648?
SB 648 is sponsored by Morris, Queen, Rose, Rucker, Takubo, Woodrum, Phillips, Roberts, Tarr, Anne B. Charnock (Republican), Bill Hamilton (Republican), Brian Helton (Republican), Zack Maynard (Republican), Darren Thorne (Republican), Vince Deeds (Republican), and Randy E. Smith (Republican).
What is the current status of SB 648?
This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced January 28, 2026. Enacted.
Where can I track SB 648?
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