West Virginia 2026 Session Status: Enacted 1 R cosponsors

SB 944 — Expanding categories of eligible federal law-enforcement officers authorized to enforce state laws

Last action — Chapter 208, 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 February 16, 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 74% · moderate confidence

  • Enacted

    Current position in the legislative process.

  • 2 sponsors

    1 primary, 1 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.

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 expands which federal law-enforcement officers can enforce state laws.

This bill allows additional categories of federal law-enforcement officers to enforce certain state laws. It aims to broaden the cooperation between federal and state law enforcement agencies.

Summary

Expanding categories of eligible federal law-enforcement officers authorized to enforce state laws

Bill Text

What changed in the latest version

27 added · 8 removed

Plain-language change summary

The bill SB 944 has been updated to include a specific effective date of June 12, 2026, which is 90 days after its passage on March 14, 2026. Additionally, the wording indicates that the bill has been formally enrolled by the legislative clerks, which confirms its final version has been approved. These changes clarify when the new provisions will take effect, ensuring that everyone understands the timeline for implementation, which is important for regulatory compliance.

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WEST VIRGINIA LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION Introduced Senate Bill 944 BYSENATORW ELD ANDEEDS [Introduced February 16, 2026;
WEST VIRGINIA LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION Enrolled Senate Bill 944 BYSENATORW ELD ANDEEDS [Passed March 14, 2026;
referred to the Committee on Military] Intr SB 944 A BILL to amend and reenact §15-10-5 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, relating to expanding the categories of eligible federal law-enforcement officers authorized to enforce the laws of this state if certain circumstances exist.
in effect 90 days from passage (June 12, 2026)] Enr SB 944 AN ACT to amend and reenact §15-10-5 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, relating to expanding the categories of eligible federal law-enforcement officers authorized to enforce the laws of this state if certain circumstances exist.
Intr SB 944 (1) Federal Bureau of Investigation special agents;
Enr SB 944 (1) Federal Bureau of Investigation special agents;
and (19) Immigration and Customs Enforcement special agents and law enforcement;
(19) Immigration and Customs Enforcement special agents and law enforcement;
Intr SB 944 (c) Notwithstanding any provision of this code to the contrary, law-enforcement commissioned rangers of the National Park Service have the powers of arrest, search, and seizure as to any offense under the laws of this state committed within the boundaries of a national park, national recreation area, or on other real property included in the National Park System.
Enr SB 944 (c) Notwithstanding any provision of this code to the contrary, law-enforcement commissioned rangers of the National Park Service have the powers of arrest, search, and seizure as to any offense under the laws of this state committed within the boundaries of a national park, national recreation area, or on other real property included in the National Park System.
Enr SB 944 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 5
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Action History

  1. Filed for introduction

  2. To Military

  3. Introduced in Senate

  4. To Military

  5. Reported do pass

  6. On 1st reading

  7. Read 1st time

  8. On 2nd reading

  9. Read 2nd time

  10. On 3rd reading

  11. Read 3rd time

  12. Passed Senate (Roll No. 218)

  13. Ordered to House

  14. House received Senate message

  15. Introduced in House

  16. To Judiciary

  17. To House Judiciary

  18. Markup Discussion

  19. Do pass

  20. On 1st reading, Special Calendar

  21. Read 1st time

  22. On 2nd reading, Special Calendar

  23. Read 2nd time

  24. On 3rd reading, Special Calendar

  25. On 3rd reading, Special Calendar

  26. Read 3rd time

  27. Passed House (Roll No. 609)

  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. Approved by Governor 3/19/2026

  34. Approved by Governor 3/19/2026 - Senate Journal

  35. Approved by Governor 3/19/2026 - House Journal

  36. Chapter 208, Acts, Regular Session, 2026

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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1 sponsors · 1 co-sponsors · 150 not signed on · 4 voted No

Sponsors (1)

  • Weld

Co-sponsors (1)

Not signed on (150)

150 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 150 →

"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 87 Yea · 4 Nay · 8 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Republican 78208
Unaffiliated 2000
Democrat 7200
Total 87408
% of votes cast 88%4%0%8%
How each member voted (99)
Member Party Vote
Flanigan — Yea
Linville — Yea
Anitra Hamilton Democrat Yea
Evan Hansen Democrat Yea
Hollis Lewis Democrat Nay
John Williams Democrat Yea
Kayla Young Democrat Yea
Mike Pushkin Democrat Nay
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 Yea
Bob Fehrenbacher Republican Yea
Bryan Smith Republican Not Voting
Bryan Ward Republican Not Voting
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 Nay
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 Not Voting
Gary G. Howell Republican Yea
Geno Chiarelli Republican Yea
George Miller Republican Yea
George Street Republican Yea
Gregory A. Watt Republican Yea
Guy Ward Republican Yea
Henry Dillon Republican Not Voting
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 Not Voting
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 Not Voting
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 Yea
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 Yea
Roy Cooper Republican Yea
Ryan Browning Republican Yea
S. Chris Anders Republican Nay
Sarah Drennan Republican Not Voting
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 →

Subjects

public-safety veterans
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 944 do?
Expanding categories of eligible federal law-enforcement officers authorized to enforce state laws
Who sponsors SB 944?
SB 944 is sponsored by Weld and Vince Deeds (Republican).
What is the current status of SB 944?
This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced February 16, 2026. Enacted.
Where can I track SB 944?
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