The Voice of Agriculture in the Mountain State
2025 Legislative Handbook
Would you like to become more involved in the legislative process but don’t know where to start? Well, look no further!
This 12 page guide will help you find your representative’s contact information, the committees upon which they serve, and will even give you tips on how to most effectively communicate with them. A must-have for every civic-minded voter.
Today in the Legislature
Legislative Action Report
Today in the Legislature is a daily synopsis of legislative activities maintained by the West Virginia Legislature’s Office
February 14, 2025
The 2025 West Virginia Legislative Session began in earnest on February 12. Governor Patrick Morrisey, in his first state-of-the-state address, proposed a $5.323 billion budget and announced the establishment of the West Virginia Power Tech Center that will address making West Virginia a supplier of energy to the growing technology industry. He also called for the repeal of certificate of needs requirements for medical services. This has been an ongoing legislative issue for several years, as some legislators believe this change could put rural healthcare facilities out of business. Other major issues of concern include a possible $397 million budget funding gap, PEIA insurance, education/school success, and Medicaid spending.
The West Virginia Senate, under direction of President Randy Smith, began the 87th Legislature session. The House of Delegates was convened by Speaker Roger Hanshaw.
Over 800 bills were submitted for consideration during the opening week. All proposed legislation and committee assignments may be found at www.wvlegislature.gov.
The following bills were introduced during Week 1 (February 12-14) of the 60-day session. Those of interest to agricultural producers and rural West Virginians included:
SB 10 By Senator Smith (Mr. President). Bill exempts the processing of beef, pork, and lamb by a slaughterhouse for an individual owner from the 6 percent consumer sales and service tax. Sent to Agriculture Committee. (Similar Bill HB 2146.) WVFB supports.
SB 11 By Senator Smith. Purpose of bill is to prevent oil/gas wells from being orphaned on surface owners’ land. Bill addresses bonding and sets aside money per mcf from producing wells to the Treasurer’s Office. Sent to Energy, Industry, & Mining. WVFB monitoring.
SB 22 By Senator Smith. Bill addresses unpaid royalties due to owners from conventional vertical wells. Sent to Energy. WVFB supports.
SB 34 By Senator Oliverio. Purpose of bill is to create community solar program where subscribers can purchase interest in a solar facility. Bill provides for rule making and administration by the Public Service Commission. It addresses agrivoltaics or co-location of solar and agriculture beneath or between photovoltaic panels. Sent to Energy, Industry, & Mining. WVFB monitoring.
SB 68 By Senator Maynard. Purpose of bill is to limit landowner liability on non-commercial land used for recreation, law enforcement training, or military training. Sent to Judiciary. WVFB monitoring.
SB 91 By Senator Rucker. Bill requires sheriffs to send notices to owners of record and to each resident or occupant of real property prior to selling of property for unpaid taxes. Sent to Government Organization. WVFB monitoring.
SB 107 By Senator Tarr. Bill addresses carbon offset agreements. It restricts private agreements to 20 years, requires registration with the State Tax Department, and imposes a 15 percent excise tax. Sent to Natural Resources. WVFB opposes.
SB 150 By Senator Weld. Bill creates felony offense of cruelty to animals. Bill contains strong agricultural exemptions. Sent to Judiciary. WVFB monitoring.
SB 174 By Senator Chapman. Bill provides for shelter requirement so that no animal shall be kept outside for more than 30 minutes during extreme weather, such as temperatures above 85 degrees or below 32 degrees. It includes a weak agricultural exemption. Sent to Agriculture. WVFB opposes.
SB 185 By Senator Chapman. Bill establishes new code on labeling of lab-grown meat sold in West Virginia. Sent to Agriculture. WVFB monitoring.
SB 224 By Senator Woodrum. Bill authorizes Director of the Division of Forestry to contract management of state owned and leased land for the purpose of preventing forest fires. Sent to Natural Resources. WVFB monitoring.
SB 227 By Senator Woodrum. Bill authorizes the Division of Forestry to administer carbon exchange programs on private property. Sent to Natural Resources. WVFB opposes.
SB 241 By Senator Hamilton. Bill exempts both heated and non-heated high tunnels from property tax. Sent to Agriculture. WVFB supports.
SB 242 By Senator Hamilton. Bill known as Right to Repair Act addresses farm, forestry, and lawn equipment and responsibilities of dealers/equipment manufacturers in regard to parts and tools. Sent to Agriculture. (Similar Bill HB 2373.) WVFB monitoring.
SB 281 By Senator Tarr. Bill requires current and future carbon offset agreements to be registered with State Tax Department. It provides for 50 percent tax on gross payment paid under carbon offset agreement. Sent to Natural Resources. WVFB opposes.
SB 295 By Senator Rucker. Bill clarifies that “solar farms” are not agricultural operations for the purpose of taxation. Sent to Agriculture. WVFB monitoring.
HB 2023 By Delegate Kump. Bill removes office of county surveyor from ballot process. Sent to Government Organization. WVFB monitoring.
HB 2054 By Delegate W. Clark. Bill removes the requirement that private farmers’ markets have two unrelated vendors apply for a license. It removes the requirement among all vendors, acknowledging that each vendor is jointly and severally liable to any violation. Sent to Government Organization. WVFB monitoring.
HB 2060 By Delegate W. Clark. Bill establishes exemption from business & occupation tax for agricultural cooperatives. Sent to Government Organization. WVFB monitoring.
HB 2102 By Delegate G. Howell. Purpose of bill is to create West Virginia Title Protection Act. Bill ensures rightful property owners’ title to their property in the event fraudulent or wrongful claims are listed against their property. Sent to House Judiciary. WVFB supports.
HB 2284 By Delegate Smith. Bill authorizes West Virginia Department of Agriculture to promulgate rules for meat and poultry inspection. Sent to House Government Organization. WVFB supports.
HB 2374 By Delegate Cooper. Bill exempts all-terrain vehicles from sales tax when used for agricultural purposes. Sent to House Finance. WVFB supports.
February 21, 2025
The following bills were introduced during Week 2 (February 17-21) of the 60-day session. Those of interest to agricultural producers and rural West Virginians included:
SB 459 By Senator Thorne. Bill provides five-year residency requirement for West Virginia citizens to serve on development authority boards. Sent to Government Organization. WVFB supports.
SB 502 By Senator Rucker. Bill amends Chapter 7 to specifically authorize floodplain enforcement by county commissioners. Sent to Government Organization. WVFB opposes, as authorization is already granted in 7-1-3V of the West Virginia Code.
SB 530 By Senator Rose. Bill amends Chapter 37 by prohibiting a designated foreign entity from purchasing real property in West Virginia. Bill authorizes West Virginia Attorney General to bring action for injunction relief and possible sale of property purchased by foreign entities. Sent to Judiciary. WVFB monitoring.
SB 532 By Senator Clements. Bill clarifies the county to which ad valorem taxes should be paid when location of a natural gas well is in a different county. Sent to Finance. (Similar bill HB 2706.) WVFB supports.
SB 546 By Senator Jeffries. Bill authorizes county commissions to levy additional excise tax on the privilege of transferring real property for the purpose of funding local economical development. Sent to Government Organization. WVFB opposes.
HB 2399 By Delegate Hillenbrand. Bill changes the managed timberland certification requirement from one year to every five years for tax assessment purposes. Sent to Finance. WVFB monitoring.
HB 2043 By Delegate Burkhammer. Bill authorizes use of drones and dogs to track or locate certain wounded game. Committee Sub adds protection as critical infrastructure classification of commercial poultry facilities, licensed slaughter facilities, and stockyards. Sent to Government Organization. WVFB monitoring.
HB 2386 By Delegate Horst. Bill addresses warrantless entry of private land and clarifies procedures for law enforcement to enter private land. It also abolishes the “open field doctrine” and surveillance cameras with certain exceptions. Sent to Courts. (Similar bill HB 2617.) WVFB monitoring.
HB 2449 By Delegate Anders. Bill repeals the practice known as the “Open Field Doctrine” on private property for search and seizure. Sent to Judiciary. WVFB monitoring.
HB 2454 By Delegate Hornby. Bill expands Right to Farm law to include agricultural residential land used for the purpose of urban agriculture. Sent to Agriculture, Commerce, & Tourism. WVFB monitoring.
HB 2551 By Delegate Foggin. Bill allows for increase to criminal penalty for the misdemeanor offense of negligently permitting livestock to run at large and trespass on property of other owners of livestock which then injures another person or destroys property of another. Sent to Judiciary. WVFB monitoring.
