# West Virginia HB 2164: To allow for public and private schools in West Virginia to employ security personnel. West Virginia HB 2164, To allow for public and private schools in West Virginia to employ security personnel., is a 2025 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Joe Statler (Republican); status signed, last action 2025-07-30 (Chapter 94, Acts, Regular Session, 2025); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-17). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/WV-HB2164-2025rs - As of: 2026-10-17 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: West Virginia HB 2164 - State: West Virginia - Session: 2025 Regular Session - Title: To allow for public and private schools in West Virginia to employ security personnel. - Status: signed - Chamber: House - Introduced: 2025-02-12 - Last action: 2025-07-30, Chapter 94, Acts, Regular Session, 2025 - Sponsor: Joe Statler (Republican) - Cosponsors: 8 - Subjects: §15-2D-3, §18-5-52, §18-5-53, §18-5-54, §61-7-11a - Touches household money: yes - Roll calls: 4 (256 yes, 0 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 8 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Private schools can allow weapons: benefit, low. Private primary and secondary schools can adopt written policies allowing firearms or other deadly weapons in their buildings or grounds. Possession allowed by such a policy is not unlawful under this school-weapons provision. This exception does not apply to private schools without an authorizing… - Private school guards face screening requirements: cost, low. Private-firm school guards must be U.S. and West Virginia citizens, have a high school diploma or equivalent, and pass concealed-carry requirements. Required training covers professional standards, firearms, less-lethal force, crisis de-escalation, emergencies, bomb threats, disability awareness, a… - School detentions come with student safeguards: mixed, low. School safety officers cannot arrest people, but may reasonably detain someone committing an act that breaches the peace. Detention must end once no breach is found or a certified law-enforcement officer takes custody, as applicable. Officers generally cannot question a detained minor without a par… - School officers face armed service requirements: mixed, low. School safety officers can carry firearms on duty only with school permission and written approval from the state protective-services director. They need at least 10 total years of qualifying law-enforcement service or similar duties within the 10 years before hiring. They must have left service in… - Retired officers can become school Guardians: mixed, low. County boards may use available county money to hire retired officers as independent school Guardians; participation creates no state funding duty. Eligible retirees include state troopers, deputy sheriffs, municipal police, natural resources police, state fire marshals, and federal law-enforcement… - School officers train yearly with sheriffs: mixed, low. School safety officers must train every year with the sheriff's department in the county where they work. State-approved standards govern their training and certification. Training may cover law, liability, school security, de-escalation, emergencies, student development, and working with students… - Schools gain private security contracting options: mixed, low. School boards, public charter schools, and private or religious schools can hire licensed security firms current on state obligations, including taxes. Firm employees are not law enforcement, cannot arrest people, and may carry weapons only after meeting the school-security requirements. Schools mu… - Schools gain security options and costs: mixed, low. West Virginia school boards, public charter schools, and private or religious schools can hire safety officers or contract for security. Schools employing officers must provide needed equipment and maintain insurance for liability, property loss, and injuries involving students or staff. The law se… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Joe Statler (Republican), House - Cosponsor: David Cannon (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Joe Ellington (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Joe Funkhouser (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Scot C. Heckert (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Josh Holstein (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Michael Hornby (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Jonathan Pinson (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Pritt ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2025-04-12 | Senate | Senate concurred in House amendments and passed bill (Roll No. 585) | pass | 33 | 0 | | | 2025-04-12 | House | House concurred in Senate amend with title amend, passed (Roll No. 563) | pass | 96 | 0 | | | 2025-04-11 | Senate | Passed Senate with amended title (Roll No. 514) | pass | 34 | 0 | | | 2025-03-13 | House | Passed House (Roll No. 82) | pass | 93 | 0 | | ## Actions (50) - 2025-07-30: Chapter 94, Acts, Regular Session, 2025 (House) - 2025-04-29: Approved by Governor 4/29/2025 (House) - 2025-04-22: To Governor 4/22/2025 (House) - 2025-04-12: House received Senate message (House) - 2025-04-12: House concurred in Senate amend with title amend, passed (Roll No. 563) (House) - 2025-04-12: Communicated to Senate (House) - 2025-04-12: House Message received (Senate) - 2025-04-12: Senate concurred in House amendments and passed bill (Roll No. 585) (Senate) - 2025-04-12: Communicated to House (Senate) - 2025-04-12: Completed legislative action (Senate) - 2025-04-12: To Governor 4/22/2025 - House Journal (House) - 2025-04-12: To Governor 4/22/2025 - Senate Journal (Senate) - 2025-04-12: Approved by Governor 4/29/2025 - Senate Journal (Senate) - 2025-04-12: Approved by Governor 4/29/2025 - House Journal (House) - 2025-04-11: Deferred until foot of 3rd reading (Senate) - 2025-04-11: Read 3rd time (Senate) - 2025-04-11: Passed Senate with amended title (Roll No. 514) (Senate) - 2025-04-11: Senate requests House to concur (Senate) - 2025-04-10: On 3rd reading (Senate) - 2025-04-10: Laid over on 3rd reading 4/10/2025 (Senate) - 2025-04-09: Read 2nd time (Senate) - 2025-04-09: Committee Amendment Reported (Senate) - 2025-04-09: Amendment to committee amendment adopted (Voice vote) (Senate) - 2025-04-09: Committee amendment as amended adopted (Voice vote) (Senate) - 2025-04-08: On 2nd reading (Senate) - 2025-04-08: Laid over on 2nd reading 4/8/2025, com. amends. pending (Senate) - 2025-04-07: Reported do pass, with amendment and title amendment (Senate) - 2025-04-07: Immediate consideration (Senate) - 2025-04-07: Read 1st time (Senate) - 2025-04-02: Reported do pass, but first to Finance (Senate) - 2025-04-02: To Finance (Senate) - 2025-03-18: Introduced in Senate (Senate) - 2025-03-18: To Education then Finance (Senate) - 2025-03-18: To Education (Senate) - 2025-03-13: On 3rd reading, Special Calendar (House) - 2025-03-13: Read 3rd time (House) - 2025-03-13: Passed House (Roll No. 82) (House) - 2025-03-13: Communicated to Senate (House) - 2025-03-12: On 2nd reading, Special Calendar (House) - 2025-03-12: Read 2nd time (House) - 2025-03-11: On 1st reading, Special Calendar (House) - 2025-03-11: Read 1st time (House) - 2025-03-10: By substitute, do pass (House) - 2025-03-05: Markup Discussion (House) - 2025-02-27: By substitute, do pass, but first to Judiciary (House) - 2025-02-27: To House Judiciary (House) - 2025-02-12: Filed for introduction (House) - 2025-02-12: To Education then Judiciary (House) - 2025-02-12: Introduced in House (House) - 2025-02-12: To House Education (House) ## Bill text - Committee Substitute: [HTML](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2025_SESSIONS/RS/bills/hb2164 sub2.htm), [PDF](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2025_SESSIONS/RS/bills/hb2164 sub2.pdf) - Engrossed: [HTML](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2025_SESSIONS/RS/bills/hb2164 sub2 eng.htm), [PDF](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2025_SESSIONS/RS/bills/hb2164 sub2 eng.pdf) - Enrolled: [HTML](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2025_SESSIONS/RS/bills/hb2164 sub2 enr.htm), [PDF](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2025_SESSIONS/RS/bills/hb2164 sub2 enr.pdf) - Introduced Version: [HTML](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2025_SESSIONS/RS/bills/hb2164 intr.htm), [PDF](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2025_SESSIONS/RS/bills/hb2164 intr.pdf) ## Related bills - HB 2451: To facilitate the creation of home-based businesses (signed) - SB 464: Creating license plate for recipients of Medal of Valor (signed) - SB 138: Enhancing penalties for fleeing officer (signed) - SB 270: Declaring sale and manufacture of firearms essential business during declared emergency (signed) - SB 196: Lauren's Law (signed) - SB 102: Modifying form of certain deeds (signed) ## Sources - [Committee Substitute (HTML)](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2025_SESSIONS/RS/bills/hb2164 sub2.htm) - [Committee Substitute (PDF)](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2025_SESSIONS/RS/bills/hb2164 sub2.pdf) - [Engrossed (HTML)](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2025_SESSIONS/RS/bills/hb2164 sub2 eng.htm) - [Engrossed (PDF)](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2025_SESSIONS/RS/bills/hb2164 sub2 eng.pdf) - [Enrolled (HTML)](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2025_SESSIONS/RS/bills/hb2164 sub2 enr.htm) - [Enrolled (PDF)](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2025_SESSIONS/RS/bills/hb2164 sub2 enr.pdf) - [Introduced Version (HTML)](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2025_SESSIONS/RS/bills/hb2164 intr.htm) - [Introduced Version (PDF)](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2025_SESSIONS/RS/bills/hb2164 intr.pdf) ## Related - [HB 2451: To facilitate the creation of home-based businesses](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/WV-HB2451-2025rs) - [SB 464: Creating license plate for recipients of Medal of Valor](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/WV-SB464-2025rs) - [SB 138: Enhancing penalties for fleeing officer](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/WV-SB138-2025rs) - [SB 270: Declaring sale and manufacture of firearms essential business during declared e…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/WV-SB270-2025rs) - [SB 196: Lauren's Law](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/WV-SB196-2025rs) - [SB 102: Modifying form of certain deeds](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/WV-SB102-2025rs) - [West Virginia bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/west-virginia/bills) - [West Virginia state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/west-virginia) - [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/WV-HB2164-2025rs (as of 2026-10-17).