Senate 542

WEST VIRGINIA LEGISLATURE

2025 REGULAR SESSION

Introduced

Senate Bill 542

By Senator Tarr

[Introduced February 19, 2025; referred
to the Select Committee on Substance Use Disorder and Mental Health; and then to the Committee on the Judiciary]

A BILL to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by adding a new section, designated §16B-3-11a, relating to violations and felony penalty for stand-alone methadone treatment programs or clinics.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:

ARTICLE 3. HOSPITALS AND SIMILAR INSTITUTIONS.

§16B-3-11a. Violations; penalties.

Any person, partnership, association, or corporation establishing, conducting, managing, or operating a standalone methadone treatment program or clinic, that is not a part of a comprehensive primary care clinic, is guilty of a felony, and, upon conviction thereof, shall be punished for the first offense by a fine of not more than $1000, or by imprisonment in a state correctional facility for not less than one year, or both fined and imprisoned. Each day of a continuing violation after conviction shall be considered a separate offense.

NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to provide that standalone methadone treatment programs or clinics not operated as part  of a comprehensive primary care clinic are guilty of a felony offense.

Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from a heading or the present law and underscoring indicates new language that would be added.