West Virginia 2026 Session Status: Enacted 2 R cosponsors

SB 659 — Prohibiting certain restrictions on regulation of accessory dwelling units

Last action — Chapter 241, 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 29, 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 76% · moderate confidence

  • 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 (2 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

This bill prohibits certain restrictions on accessory dwelling units.

The bill prevents local governments from imposing specific limitations on the regulation of accessory dwelling units. This aims to promote the development and use of these units in residential areas.

What this means for you
  • Families: For families, this means greater flexibility in housing arrangements, potentially allowing for more affordable living options.

Summary

Prohibiting certain restrictions on regulation of accessory dwelling units

Bill Text

What changed in the latest version

1 added · 1 removed

Plain-language change summary

The amendment to SB 659 clarifies the definition of "manufactured home" and establishes specific regulations that allow these homes to be used as accessory dwelling units on properties with single-family homes. This change is important because it prevents municipalities from imposing excessive restrictions on the use and design of manufactured homes, ensuring they can be treated similarly to traditional accessory units. By allowing manufactured homes to share utility connections with the main house, the amendment also promotes cost-effective and efficient use of resources for homeowners. Overall, these adjustments aim to increase housing options and flexibility for families in need of additional living space.

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Latest
SB659 SFA Rucker #1 2-19Fletcher  7835 Senator Rucker  moved to amend the bill on page 3 , section 2, lines 18 and 19, by striking out all of subdivision (3);And,By renumbering the remaining subdivisions.   AdoptedRejected
SB659 SUB HFA Phillips 2-26 #1Wilkinson 3909 Delegate Phillips moves to amend the Senate Committee Substitute on page 2, section §8-40-1, line 26, by beginning a new paragraph after subsection (f) and inserting the following text:g) “Manufactured home” means a structure constructed in compliance with the federal Manufactured Home Construction and Safety Standards, 42 U.S.C.
§5401 et seq., and installed on a permanent foundation;
And, On page 3, section §8-40-2, line 38, by beginning a new paragraph after subdivision (9) and inserting the following text:e) A manufactured home may be used as an accessory dwelling unit by right on a lot or parcel that contains a single family dwelling in any zoning district where accessory dwelling units are permitted.(f) A municipality may not prohibit or unreasonably restrict the use of a manufactured home as an accessory dwelling unit, provided that the manufactured home is installed on a permanent foundation and complies with applicable building, fire, and safety codes and any other requirements in this article.(g) A municipality may not impose design, aesthetic, age of construction, or prior use requirements on a manufactured home used as an accessory dwelling unit that are more restrictive than those imposed on site built accessory dwelling units of comparable size.(h) A manufactured home used as an accessory dwelling unit shall be assessed and taxed as real property.(i) A manufactured home used as an accessory dwelling unit may share water, sewer, and utility connections with the primary single family dwelling.
Separate utility connections or meters may be required only where necessary to protect public health and safety and where such requirements are applied uniformly to all accessory dwelling units. AdoptedRejected 
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Action History

  1. Filed for introduction

  2. To Government Organization

  3. Introduced in Senate

  4. To Government Organization

  5. Committee substitute reported

  6. On 1st reading

  7. Read 1st time

  8. On 2nd reading

  9. Read 2nd time

  10. Floor amendments adopted (Voice vote)

  11. On 3rd reading

  12. Read 3rd time

  13. Passed Senate (Roll No. 180)

  14. Ordered to House

  15. House received Senate message

  16. Introduced in House

  17. To Government Organization

  18. To House Government Organization

  19. Do pass

  20. On 1st reading, Special Calendar

  21. Read 1st time

  22. On 2nd reading, Special Calendar

  23. Read 2nd time

  24. Amendment reported by the Clerk

  25. Amendment adopted (Voice vote)

  26. On 3rd reading, Special Calendar

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

  28. Read 3rd time

  29. Passed House (Roll No. 254)

  30. Communicated to Senate

  31. House Message received

  32. Senate concurred in House amendments and passed bill (Roll No. 361)

  33. Communicated to House

  34. Completed legislative action

  35. House received Senate message

  36. To Governor 3/9/2026

  37. Approved by Governor 3/14/2026

  38. Chapter 241, Acts, Regular Session, 2026

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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1 sponsors · 2 co-sponsors · 149 not signed on · 1 voted No

Sponsors (1)

  • Rucker

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

Roll Call

Passed 34 Yea · 0 Nay
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Republican 29000
Unaffiliated 1000
Democrat 4000
Total 34000
% of votes cast 100%0%0%0%
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 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 27 Yea · 1 Nay · 6 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Democrat 3001
Republican 23105
Unaffiliated 1000
Total 27106
% of votes cast 79%3%0%18%
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 Yea
Ben Queen Republican Yea
Carl Martin Republican Yea
Chris Phillips Republican Not Voting
Chris Rose Republican Not Voting
Chris Rose Republican Yea
Dean Jeffries Republican Yea
Eric Tarr Republican Yea
Eric Tarr Republican Nay
Glenn Jeffries Republican Yea
Jack Woodrum Republican Not Voting
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 Not Voting
Tom Takubo Republican Yea
Tom Willis Republican Yea
Trenton Barnhart Republican Yea
Trenton Barnhart Republican Yea

Official roll call →

Subjects

housing
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 659 do?
Prohibiting certain restrictions on regulation of accessory dwelling units
Who sponsors SB 659?
SB 659 is sponsored by Rucker, Zack Maynard (Republican), and Darren Thorne (Republican).
What is the current status of SB 659?
This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced January 29, 2026. Enacted.
Where can I track SB 659?
Track SB 659 free on One Click Politics — get push/email alerts when it moves.

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