PRIA Logo™
West VirginiaHB 27732025 Regular SessionHouseWALLET

Higher Ed Rules

Sponsored By: Joe Ellington (Republican)

Signed by Governor

§18B-17-2§18B-17-3

Personalized for You

How does this bill affect your finances?

Personalize government policy and PRIA will tell you what this bill means for your household, plus every other piece of legislation we track. PRIA reads each provision against your financial profile to show you exactly what matters to your wallet.

Free to download

Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

8 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 4 costs, 2 mixed.

Tighter rules for PROMISE scholarship applicants

Beginning April 10, 2025, PROMISE applicants generally must finish high school in West Virginia and earn at least half their graduation credits there. Students need at least a 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale in both core courses and overall required coursework. Home-school applicants also must complete specified core and elective coursework in both grades 11 and 12. Qualifying military dependents and students commuting to out-of-state schools are exempt from the in-state graduation and credit rules. The student and a parent or legal guardian must meet West Virginia residency requirements, subject to exceptions including military dependents. The supplied text does not state the required residency duration.

Mental health nurses gain loan-help eligibility

Beginning April 10, 2025, psychiatric mental health nurse practitioners join the professions eligible to seek mental health loan repayment help. The supplied text does not state repayment amounts or the program's other eligibility requirements.

College authorization preserves private school protections

Beginning April 10, 2025, the degree authorization rule allows one or more listed grounds to establish good cause. The supplied text does not identify those grounds. The rule also preserves due-process and other protections for proprietary schools under state law and existing rules.

Medical student loans require citizenship qualifications

Beginning April 10, 2025, West Virginia medical student loan recipients must be U.S. citizens or legal immigrants actively pursuing U.S. citizenship. Other noncitizen students do not meet this requirement. The supplied text does not state loan amounts or other eligibility terms.

Mental health loan rule adds ceiling

Beginning April 10, 2025, one mental health loan repayment provision changes “at least” to “up to.” This turns a stated minimum into a maximum. The supplied text does not identify the amount or measure being limited.

Public colleges face campus project controls

Beginning April 10, 2025, public college boards cannot carry out campus plans or updates without state confirmation or approval. The Higher Education Policy Commission confirms plans for its institutions; the community and technical college council approves its institutions' plans. Acquiring property for a facility outside an existing plan requires an approved or confirmed update before acquisition. This covers purchases and other ways of acquiring property. Project funding priorities must follow those plans, promote efficient space use, and consider facility use rates. Schools gain presumptive priority for new facilities when both net asset value and capacity use meet or exceed annual agency thresholds.

State college advanced placement rules repealed

Beginning April 10, 2025, West Virginia repeals both higher education agencies' rules on accepting Advanced Placement credit. These are the commission rule filed January 22, 2019, and the community college council rule filed September 26, 2018. The supplied text does not identify replacement policies or establish whether students receive more or fewer credits.

State college accountability rules repealed

Beginning April 10, 2025, West Virginia repeals both higher education agencies' Accountability System rules. These are the commission rule filed October 4, 2019, and the community college council rule filed July 26, 2023. The supplied text does not describe their requirements or replacement policies. It does not establish a change in student costs or school performance.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

  • Joe Ellington

    Republican • House

Cosponsors

  • Clark, T.

    Affiliation unavailable

  • Kathie Hess Crouse

    Republican • House

  • Lori Dittman

    Republican • House

  • Michael Hornby

    Republican • House

  • D. Rolland Jennings

    Republican • House

  • Phil Mallow

    Republican • House

  • Pritt

    Affiliation unavailable

  • Joe Statler

    Republican • House

  • Christopher W. Toney

    Republican • House

  • Jimmy Willis

    Republican • House

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 260 • No: 0

House vote • 4/10/2025

House concurred in Senate effective date (Roll No. 452)

Yes: 99 • No: 0

Senate vote • 4/8/2025

Effective from passage (Roll No. 368)

Yes: 33 • No: 0

Senate vote • 4/8/2025

Passed Senate (Roll No. 367)

Yes: 33 • No: 0

House vote • 3/20/2025

Passed House (Roll No. 124)

Yes: 95 • No: 0

Actions Timeline

  1. Chapter 146, Acts, Regular Session, 2025

    7/31/2025House

  2. Approved by Governor 4/25/2025

    4/25/2025House

  3. To Governor 4/15/2025

    4/15/2025House

  4. To Governor 4/15/2025 - House Journal

    4/12/2025House

  5. To Governor 4/15/2025 - Senate Journal

    4/12/2025Senate

  6. Approved by Governor 4/25/2025 - House Journal

    4/12/2025House

  7. Approved by Governor 4/25/2025 - Senate Journal

    4/12/2025Senate

  8. House Message received

    4/11/2025Senate

  9. House received Senate message

    4/10/2025House

  10. House concurred in Senate effective date (Roll No. 452)

    4/10/2025House

  11. Communicated to Senate

    4/10/2025House

  12. Completed legislative action

    4/10/2025House

  13. On 3rd reading

    4/8/2025Senate

  14. Read 3rd time

    4/8/2025Senate

  15. Passed Senate (Roll No. 367)

    4/8/2025Senate

  16. Effective from passage (Roll No. 368)

    4/8/2025Senate

  17. Senate requests House to concur in changed effective date

    4/8/2025Senate

  18. On 2nd reading

    4/7/2025Senate

  19. Read 2nd time

    4/7/2025Senate

  20. Reported do pass

    4/4/2025Senate

  21. Immediate consideration

    4/4/2025Senate

  22. Read 1st time

    4/4/2025Senate

  23. Introduced in Senate

    3/21/2025Senate

  24. To Education

    3/21/2025Senate

  25. To Education

    3/21/2025Senate

Bill Text

Related Bills

Back to State Legislation