WEST VIRGINIA LEGISLATURE

2026 REGULAR SESSION

Introduced

House Bill 4849

By Delegates Dillon, Butler, Adkins, Parsons, Pritt, Masters, Ferrell, Foggin, and T. Howell

[Introduced January 27, 2026; referred to the Committee on Education]

A BILL to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by adding a new section, designated §18-9D-22, relating to authorizing the Superintendent of the county school district or the local School Improvement Committee to apply to the School Building Authority for emergency funding to remediate hazards from natural processes.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:

article 9d. school building authority.

§18-9D-22. Remediation of hazards to school buildings from natural causes.

When natural processes create hazards to school structures which could reasonably be remedied and future occurrences prevented, the Superintendent of the county school district or the Local School Improvement Committee of the school, shall be authorized to apply to the School Building Authority for emergency funding to facilitate remediation of the hazard.

The SBA shall immediately assess the hazard and facilitate an RFP process to address the necessary remediation. If the projected cost of remediation as reflected in the RFP process is less than 50% of the value of the school as reflected in the Comprehensive Education Facilities Plan, the SBA shall prioritize funding the remediation effort to protect and preserve the existing school structure.

NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to authorize the Superintendents of the county school districts or the local School Improvement Committees to apply to the School Building Authority for emergency funding to remediate hazards from natural processes.

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