WEST virginia legislature

2026 regular session

Enrolled

Committee Substitute

for

Senate Bill 4

By Senators Oliverio, Deeds, Woelfel, Thorne, Takubo, Willis, Woodrum, Rucker, and Tarr

[Passed March 14, 2026; in effect 90 days from passage (June 12, 2026)]

AN ACT to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by adding a new section, designated §61-5-30, relating to crimes against the public justice; defining terms; creating a barrier around first responders; and creating criminal penalties.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:

ARTICLE 5. Crimes Against the Public Justice.

§61-5-30. Bystanders shall stand 30 feet back from first responders engaged in the lawful performance of their duties.

(a) As used in this section, the term:

"First responder" includes a law-enforcement officer as defined in §30-29-1 of this code, a probation officer as described in §62-12-6 of this code, or a firefighter or emergency responder as defined in §5H-1-2 of this code.

(b) It is unlawful for a person, after receiving a verbal warning to not approach from a person he or she knows or reasonably should know is a first responder, who is engaged in the lawful performance of a legal duty, to knowingly and willfully violate such warning and approach or remain within 30 feet of the first responder acting in a way to:

(1) Impede or interfere with the first responder's ability to perform such duty; or

(2) Threaten or menace the first responder with physical harm.

(c) A person who violates this subsection is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall be fined not less than $50 nor more than $500 or confined in jail not more than one year, or both fined and confined.

The Clerk of the Senate and the Clerk of the House of Delegates hereby certify that the foregoing bill is correctly enrolled.

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Clerk of the Senate

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Clerk of the House of Delegates

Originated in the Senate.

In effect 90 days from passage.

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President of the Senate

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Speaker of the House of Delegates

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The within is ................................................ this the...........................................

Day of ..........................................................................................................., 2026.

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Governor