# West Virginia HB 4552: Relating to the law-enforcement powers of correctional officers West Virginia HB 4552, Relating to the law-enforcement powers of correctional officers, is a 2026 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Eric Brooks (Republican); status signed, last action 2026-06-29 (Chapter 78, Acts, Regular Session, 2026) (as of 2026-11-04). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/WV-HB4552-2026rs - As of: 2026-11-04 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: West Virginia HB 4552 - State: West Virginia - Session: 2026 Regular Session - Title: Relating to the law-enforcement powers of correctional officers - Status: signed - Chamber: House - Introduced: 2026-01-20 - Last action: 2026-06-29, Chapter 78, Acts, Regular Session, 2026 - Sponsor: Eric Brooks (Republican) - Cosponsors: 5 - Subjects: §15A-3-10 - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 3 (222 yes, 0 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 4 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Some staff may commute in state cars: benefit, low. The Commissioner may let designated employees use state vehicles to drive to and from work. The Commissioner must supervise this use. The travel must be directly tied to the worker’s official duties and needs. - Special Operations Team is first responder: benefit, low. The law keeps the Corrections Special Operations Team in place as the Division’s first responder. The Team includes the Emergency Response Team, K9 unit, and Crisis Negotiations Team. It has limited law‑enforcement authority at jails, correctional centers, and juvenile centers, including arresting… - Correctional officers gain law-enforcement powers: mixed, low. The law treats Division correctional officers as law‑enforcement officers after they finish the Commissioner’s training. Officers can arrest people who surrender to them, arrest for crimes they see in custody, and detain or arrest for state‑law violations on facility property. They can also investi… - Firearm carry rules for officers: mixed, low. The Commissioner can certify trained correctional staff to carry firearms while on duty, including travel to and from worksites. Certified staff must pass an annual firearms qualification equal to certified law‑enforcement officers. Officers with arrest power and firearms authorization qualify unde… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Eric Brooks (Republican), House - Cosponsor: David Green (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Michael Hornby (Republican), House - Cosponsor: John Paul Hott (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Carl Martin (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Pritt ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2026-03-14 | House | House concurred in Senate amendment and passed bill (Roll No. 691) | pass | 96 | 0 | | | 2026-03-12 | Senate | Passed Senate (Roll No. 484) | pass | 34 | 0 | | | 2026-02-06 | House | Passed House (Roll No. 55) | pass | 92 | 0 | | ## Actions (41) - 2026-06-29: Chapter 78, Acts, Regular Session, 2026 (House) - 2026-04-01: Approved by Governor 4/1/2026 (House) - 2026-03-25: To Governor 3/25/2026 (House) - 2026-03-14: House received Senate message (House) - 2026-03-14: House concurred in Senate amendment and passed bill (Roll No. 691) (House) - 2026-03-14: Communicated to Senate (House) - 2026-03-14: Completed legislative action (House) - 2026-03-14: House Message received (Senate) - 2026-03-14: To Governor 3/25/2026 - Senate Journal (Senate) - 2026-03-14: Approved by Governor 4/1/2026 - Senate Journal (Senate) - 2026-03-14: Approved by Governor 4/1/2026 - House Journal (House) - 2026-03-12: On 3rd reading (Senate) - 2026-03-12: Read 3rd time (Senate) - 2026-03-12: Passed Senate (Roll No. 484) (Senate) - 2026-03-12: Senate requests House to concur (Senate) - 2026-03-11: On 2nd reading (Senate) - 2026-03-11: Read 2nd time (Senate) - 2026-03-11: Committee amendment adopted (Voice vote) (Senate) - 2026-03-10: Reported do pass, with amendment (Senate) - 2026-03-10: Immediate consideration (Senate) - 2026-03-10: Read 1st time (Senate) - 2026-02-09: Introduced in Senate (Senate) - 2026-02-09: To Judiciary (Senate) - 2026-02-09: To Judiciary (Senate) - 2026-02-06: On 3rd reading, Special Calendar (House) - 2026-02-06: Read 3rd time (House) - 2026-02-06: Passed House (Roll No. 55) (House) - 2026-02-06: Communicated to Senate (House) - 2026-02-05: On 2nd reading, Special Calendar (House) - 2026-02-05: Read 2nd time (House) - 2026-02-04: On 1st reading, Special Calendar (House) - 2026-02-04: Read 1st time (House) - 2026-02-03: By substitute, do pass (House) - 2026-01-30: Markup Discussion (House) - 2026-01-29: To House Judiciary (House) - 2026-01-28: To House Homeland Security (House) - 2026-01-28: Markup Discussion (House) - 2026-01-20: Filed for introduction (House) - 2026-01-20: To Judiciary (House) - 2026-01-20: Introduced in House (House) - 2026-01-20: To House Judiciary (House) ## Bill text - Committee Substitute: [HTML](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/hb4552 sub1.htm), [PDF](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/hb4552 sub1.pdf) - Engrossed: [HTML](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/hb4552 sub1 eng.htm), [PDF](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/hb4552 sub1 eng.pdf) - Enrolled: [HTML](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/hb4552 sub1 enr.htm), [PDF](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/hb4552 sub1 enr.pdf) - Introduced Version: [HTML](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/hb4552 intr.htm), [PDF](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/hb4552 intr.pdf) ## Related bills - HB 4452: To remove Mortmain restrictions on religious organizations (signed) - HB 4354: Relating to necessity allowance (signed) - HB 4390: Relating to the temporary payment to a kinship parent of a subsidy equal to that of a foster parent (signed) - HB 4191: Relating to providing child care generally (became law) - HB 4106: Allowing constitutional carry for 18- to 20-year-olds (signed) - HB 4138: Relating to persons convicted of a crime (signed) ## Sources - [Committee Substitute (HTML)](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/hb4552 sub1.htm) - [Committee Substitute (PDF)](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/hb4552 sub1.pdf) - [Engrossed (HTML)](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/hb4552 sub1 eng.htm) - [Engrossed (PDF)](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/hb4552 sub1 eng.pdf) - [Enrolled (HTML)](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/hb4552 sub1 enr.htm) - [Enrolled (PDF)](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/hb4552 sub1 enr.pdf) - [Introduced Version (HTML)](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/hb4552 intr.htm) - [Introduced Version (PDF)](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/hb4552 intr.pdf) ## Related - [HB 4452: To remove Mortmain restrictions on religious organizations](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/WV-HB4452-2026rs) - [HB 4354: Relating to necessity allowance](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/WV-HB4354-2026rs) - [HB 4390: Relating to the temporary payment to a kinship parent of a subsidy equal to tha…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/WV-HB4390-2026rs) - [HB 4191: Relating to providing child care generally](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/WV-HB4191-2026rs) - [HB 4106: Allowing constitutional carry for 18- to 20-year-olds](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/WV-HB4106-2026rs) - [HB 4138: Relating to persons convicted of a crime](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/WV-HB4138-2026rs) - [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-HB4552-2026rs (as of 2026-11-04).