West Virginia 2026 Session Status: Introduced 2 R cosponsors

SB 697 — Relating to state road system

Last action — Vetoed by Governor 4/1/2026 - House Journal

  1. 1
    Introduced
  2. 2
    In Committee
  3. 3
    Passed Senate
  4. 4
    Passed House of Delegates
  5. 5
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill died with 2026 Session. It reached “Introduced” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.

Vetoed by Governor Patrick Morrisey (Republican) on April 01, 2026.

This bill is no longer active — its legislative session has ended, so there are no live odds of enactment. It would have to be reintroduced in the current session to move again.

Summary

Relating to state road system

Bill Text

What changed in the latest version

32 added · 12 removed

Plain-language change summary

The recent amendments to Bill SB 697 primarily involved updating the bill's title and certifying its passage. The bill now includes a section stating it will take effect 90 days after being passed, which provides clarity on when the new regulations will begin to apply. These changes are important because they ensure the bill's implementation timeline is clear for both lawmakers and the public, which can help in planning and compliance.

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WEST VIRGINIA LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION Committee Substitute for Senate Bill 697 BY SENATORHAMILTON ADEEDS [Reported February 12, 2026, from the Committee on Agriculture] CS for SB 697 A BILL to amend and reenact §17-4-49 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended;
WEST VIRGINIA LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION Enrolled Committee Substitute for Senate Bill 697 BYSENATORSHAMILT, EEDS,ANDMORRIS [Passed March 13, 2026;
in effect 90 days from passage (June 11, 2026)] Enr CS for SB 697 AN ACT to amend and reenact §17-4-49 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended;
(3) If the commissioner objects to a plan, he or she shall reduce his or her objections to the proposed new point of access to writing and promptly furnish notice of the objection to the CS for SB 697 owner or owners of the real property affected and advise the owner or owners of the right to demand a hearing on the proposed plan and the objections.
(3) If the commissioner objects to a plan, he or she shall reduce his or her objections to the proposed new point of access to writing and promptly furnish notice of the objection to the Enr CS for SB 697 owner or owners of the real property affected and advise the owner or owners of the right to demand a hearing on the proposed plan and the objections.
CS for SB 697 (B) In any case where the commissioner makes a preliminary determination that any changes should be made, the owner or owners of the real property affected shall have reasonable opportunity for a hearing on the preliminary determination.
Enr CS for SB 697 (B) In any case where the commissioner makes a preliminary determination that any changes should be made, the owner or owners of the real property affected shall have reasonable opportunity for a hearing on the preliminary determination.
CS for SB 697 (2) Temporary activities such as logging and agricultural harvests make use of long- established entrances to state highways which entrances were never intended to be restricted or classified as new development.
Enr CS for SB 697 (2) Temporary activities such as logging and agricultural harvests make use of long- established entrances to state highways which entrances were never intended to be restricted or classified as new development.
CS for SB 697 "Routine agricultural operations" includes crop production, seasonal harvest, livestock movement, equipment access, and other customary agricultural activities.
Enr CS for SB 697 "Routine agricultural operations" includes crop production, seasonal harvest, livestock movement, equipment access, and other customary agricultural activities.
CS for SB 697 A documented safety or operational deficiency under this subdivision shall not, by itself, be sufficient to determine that a change of use has occurred to an entrance and may not, by itself, be used by the commissioner as the basis for requiring the owner or owners of the real property affected to obtain a new entrance or driveway permit or to otherwise modify, relocate, or reconstruct the existing entrance.
Enr CS for SB 697 A documented safety or operational deficiency under this subdivision shall not, by itself, be sufficient to determine that a change of use has occurred to an entrance and may not, by itself, be used by the commissioner as the basis for requiring the owner or owners of the real property affected to obtain a new entrance or driveway permit or to otherwise modify, relocate, or reconstruct the existing entrance.
CS for SB 697 (2) Routine safety maintenance consistent with the historic use of an entrance covered by subdivision (1) of this subsection may only be requested by the division when one or more of the following conditions occurs:
Enr CS for SB 697 (2) Routine safety maintenance consistent with the historic use of an entrance covered by subdivision (1) of this subsection may only be requested by the division when one or more of the following conditions occurs:
CS for SB 697 (g) The commissioner may propose rules for legislative approval pursuant to §29A-3-1 et seq.
Enr CS for SB 697 (g) The commissioner may propose rules for legislative approval pursuant to §29A-3-1 et seq.
Enr CS for SB 697 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 9
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Action History

  1. Filed for introduction

  2. To Agriculture then Finance

  3. Introduced in Senate

  4. To Agriculture

  5. Committee substitute reported, but first to Finance

  6. To Finance

  7. Reported do pass

  8. Immediate consideration

  9. Read 1st time

  10. On 2nd reading

  11. Read 2nd time

  12. On 3rd reading

  13. Read 3rd time

  14. Passed Senate (Roll No. 239)

  15. Ordered to House

  16. House received Senate message

  17. Introduced in House

  18. To Energy and Public Works

  19. To House Energy and Public Works

  20. Do pass

  21. On 1st reading, Special Calendar

  22. Read 1st time

  23. On 2nd reading, Special Calendar

  24. Read 2nd time

  25. On 3rd reading, Special Calendar

  26. Read 3rd time

  27. Passed House (Roll No. 551)

  28. Communicated to Senate

  29. Completed legislative action

  30. House Message received

  31. To Governor 3/18/2026

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

  33. Vetoed by Governor 4/1/2026

  34. Vetoed by Governor 4/1/2026 - Senate Journal

  35. Vetoed by Governor 4/1/2026 - House Journal

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

Export CSV (upgrade) →

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

Sponsors (1)

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

PASSAGE

Passed 93 Yea · 0 Nay · 6 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Republican 82006
Democrat 9000
Unaffiliated 2000
Total 93006
% of votes cast 94%0%0%6%
How each member voted (99)
Member Party Vote
Flanigan — Yea
Linville — Yea
Anitra Hamilton Democrat Yea
Evan Hansen Democrat Yea
Hollis Lewis Democrat Yea
John Williams Democrat Yea
Kayla Young Democrat Yea
Mike Pushkin Democrat Yea
Rick Garcia Democrat Yea
Sean Hornbuckle Democrat Yea
Shawn Fluharty Democrat Yea
Adam Burkhammer Republican Yea
Adam Vance Republican Yea
Andy Shamblin Republican Yea
Betsy Kelly Republican Yea
Bill Bell Republican Yea
Bill Ridenour Republican Not Voting
Bob Fehrenbacher Republican Yea
Bryan Smith Republican Not Voting
Bryan Ward Republican Yea
Carl "Bill" Roop Republican Yea
Carl Martin Republican Yea
Charles Sheedy Republican Yea
Chris Phillips Republican Yea
Christopher W. Toney Republican Yea
Chuck Horst Republican Yea
Clay Riley Republican Yea
D. Rolland Jennings Republican Yea
Dana Ferrell Republican Yea
Dave Foggin Republican Yea
David Cannon Republican Yea
David Green Republican Yea
David McCormick Republican Yea
Dean Jeffries Republican Yea
Doug Smith Republican Yea
Elias Coop-Gonzalez Republican Yea
Eric Brooks Republican Yea
Erica Moore Republican Yea
Evan Worrell Republican Yea
Gary G. Howell Republican Yea
Geno Chiarelli Republican Yea
George Miller Republican Yea
George Street Republican Yea
Gregory A. Watt Republican Not Voting
Guy Ward Republican Yea
Henry Dillon Republican Yea
Ian T. Masters Republican Yea
James Robert "JB" Akers II Republican Yea
Jarred Cannon Republican Yea
Jeff Campbell Republican Yea
Jeff Eldridge Republican Yea
Jeffrey Stephens Republican Yea
Jim Butler Republican Yea
Jimmy Willis Republican Yea
Joe Ellington Republican Yea
Joe Funkhouser Republican Yea
Joe Parsons Republican Yea
Joe Statler Republican Yea
John Jordan Republican Yea
John Paul Hott Republican Yea
Jonathan Kyle Republican Yea
Jonathan Pinson Republican Yea
Jordan Bridges Republican Yea
Jordan Maynor Republican Yea
Josh Holstein Republican Yea
Kathie Hess Crouse Republican Yea
Keith Marple Republican Yea
Laura Kimble Republican Yea
Lisa White Republican Yea
Lori Dittman Republican Yea
Margitta Mazzocchi Republican Yea
Mark Dean Republican Yea
Mark Zatezalo Republican Yea
Marshall W. Clay Republican Yea
Marty Gearheart Republican Yea
Matthew Rohrbach Republican Yea
Michael Amos Republican Not Voting
Michael Hite Republican Yea
Michael Hornby Republican Yea
Mickey Petitto Republican Not Voting
Pat McGeehan Republican Yea
Patrick Lucas Republican Yea
Phil Mallow Republican Yea
Ray Canterbury Republican Yea
Rick Hillenbrand Republican Yea
Roger Hanshaw Republican Not Voting
Roy Cooper Republican Yea
Ryan Browning Republican Yea
S. Chris Anders Republican Yea
Sarah Drennan Republican Yea
Scot C. Heckert Republican Yea
Stanley Adkins Republican Yea
Tresa Howell Republican Yea
Tristan Leavitt Republican Yea
Vacant1 Republican Yea
Vernon Criss Republican Yea
Walter Hall Republican Yea
Wayne Clark Republican Yea
William Anderson Republican Yea

Official roll call →

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 →

Subjects

transportation
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 697 do?
Relating to state road system
Who sponsors SB 697?
SB 697 is sponsored by Morris, Bill Hamilton (Republican), and Vince Deeds (Republican).
What is the current status of SB 697?
This bill died with 2026 Session. It reached “Introduced” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.
Where can I track SB 697?
Track SB 697 free on One Click Politics — get push/email alerts when it moves.

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