Bills: Morrisey signs 200-plus into law, nearly 100 remain on desk
As of Thursday (ET), Governor Patrick Morrisey has signed over 200 bills into law and almost 100 more are currently on the governor’s desk awaiting his signature. The wave of new law follows the 2026 legislative session and enacts measures affecting police interactions and investigations, DUI testing after deadly crashes, school leadership hiring rules and programs tied to addiction treatment and traffic stops. Charleston, W. Va., now faces immediate implementation questions as these bills move from statute to practice.
Bills signed and pending on Morrisey’s desk
Governor Morrisey’s actions put more than 200 enacted measures into state law while leaving nearly 100 additional bills pending on his desk. Among the enacted measures are several Senate bills with direct operational effects on law enforcement and education oversight. Listed measures include Senate Bill 4, Senate Bill 84, Senate Bill 499, Senate Bill 694 and Senate Bill 862, each changing existing rules or adding new statutory language that agencies and local boards will need to apply.
Key changes becoming law
Senate Bill 4 makes it illegal to be within 30 feet of law enforcement, firefighters or emergency responders engaged in their duties if the responder asks someone to step back; a violation is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of $50 to $500, jail time of up to one year, or both. Senate Bill 84 restricts when law enforcement can place surveillance cameras on private land: officers generally must have the property owner’s consent or a valid search warrant before installing a camera, and the law defines “private land” as posted, cultivated or fenced land owned by a non-government individual or entity. SB 84 also includes exceptions that permit installation without consent or a warrant in limited circumstances, including a public-view exception and exigent circumstances.
Senate Bill 499, identified in the session as “Miranda’s Law, ” authorizes police to require preliminary breath tests and, in some cases, follow-up blood or breath testing when a vehicle crash results in a death. The bill amends state code by adding a new section (§17C-5B-1a) to clarify when and how law enforcement may request alcohol or drug testing from a surviving motor vehicle operator; the bill states that, unless express consent is given, a blood test as the secondary test cannot be performed unless a warrant is issued and signed by a magistrate or circuit judge.
On school administration, Senate Bill 694 gives county boards of education greater flexibility in hiring superintendents by removing a statewide residency requirement. Under SB 694 a county superintendent must remain a West Virginia resident, but the law no longer requires the superintendent to live in the county where they serve; instead, a county board may require residency within the county as a condition of a superintendent’s contract and may prohibit remote work or establish exceptions in that contract. Finally, Senate Bill 862 repeals the section of state law known as the Addiction Treatment Pilot Program.
What’s next
Implementation will begin as state agencies, county boards and law enforcement translate these statutory changes into policy and practice. With almost 100 additional bills still on the governor’s desk, expect further announcements about signatures, vetoes or administrative guidance as state officials act on the remaining measures. For now, these enacted bills set new legal standards that officials in Charleston and across West Virginia must apply and enforce.
