Senate 1077

WEST virginia legislature

2026 regular session

Committee Substitute

for

Senate Bill 1077

By Senators Smith (Mr. President), Taylor, and Hamilton

[Reported February 26, 2026, from the Committee on Education]

A BILL to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by adding a new section, designated §18-5-55, relating to requiring vocational education agriculture programs to be offered to all students; making findings; allowing termination of a vocational education agriculture program only if enrollment is the lowest enrollment of all vocational education programs; requiring if a county school district terminates its vocational education agriculture program that the district submit a report to the Legislative Oversight Commission on Education Accountability explaining the reasoning for terminating its program.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:

ARTICLE 5. COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION.

§18-5-55.  Protection of vocational education agriculture programs.

(a) The Legislature finds that agriculture offers many benefits to the state and its individual citizens such as enhanced self-sufficiency, additional food security, contributions to the economy, and the enjoyment and satisfaction that can be experienced from various forms of agriculture.

(b) Vocational education agriculture programs shall be offered to all students, and these programs may only be terminated if the enrollment is the lowest enrollment of all vocational education programs. If a county school district terminates its program, the county school district shall submit a report to the Legislative Oversight Commission on Education Accountability explaining the reasoning for terminating its program.