House 4375

WEST VIRGINIA LEGISLATURE

2026 REGULAR SESSION

Introduced

House Bill 4375

By Delegates Burkhammer and Pinson

[Introduced January 15, 2026; referred to the Committee on Health and Human Resources]

A BILL to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by adding a new section, designated §49-2-131, relating to requiring the Bureau for Social Services to promulgate an emergency rule; and requiring all subsequent revisions to be filed as a legislative rule.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:

ARTICLE 2. STATE RESPONSIBILITIES FOR CHILDREN.

§49-2-131. Rulemaking.

The Bureau for Social Services shall promulgate an emergency rule for legislative approval in accordance with the provisions of §29A-3-15 of this code to incorporate the now-current version of the Social Services Manual previously incorporated by reference and effective on July 1, 1986, at 78 CSR 5, which contains the procedures for foster care services among other items. This manual has subsequently been revised outside of the legislative rulemaking process. All subsequent revisions to this manual are required to be filed as a legislative rule.

NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to require the Bureau for Social Services to file the Social Services Manual as a legislative rule. All subsequent revisions shall be filed as a legislative rule.

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