# West Virginia HB 4656: Relating to chronic absenteeism

West Virginia HB 4656, Relating to chronic absenteeism, is a 2026 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Joe Ellington (Republican); status failed, last action 2026-03-11 (Without recommendation, but first rereferred to Education then Finance); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-11-04).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/WV-HB4656-2026rs
- 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 4656
- State: West Virginia
- Session: 2026 Regular Session
- Title: Relating to chronic absenteeism
- Status: failed
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2026-01-21
- Last action: 2026-03-11, Without recommendation, but first rereferred to Education then Finance
- Sponsor: Joe Ellington (Republican)
- Cosponsors: 9
- Subjects: §18-8-1A, §18-8-2, §18-8-4, §18-8-5, §18-8-6A, §21-6-9, §49-1-202, §49-1-206, §49-4-701, §49-4-702, §49-4-02A, §49-4-711, §49-4-712, Senate Education
- Touches household money: yes
- Roll calls: 1 (96 yes, 0 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 0

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview

No economic impacts identified for this bill.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Joe Ellington (Republican), House
- Cosponsor: James Robert "JB" Akers II (Republican), House
- Cosponsor: Kathie Hess Crouse (Republican), House
- Cosponsor: Lori Dittman (Republican), House
- Cosponsor: Michael Hornby (Republican), House
- Cosponsor: Phil Mallow (Republican), House
- Cosponsor: Pritt
- Cosponsor: Joe Statler (Republican), House
- Cosponsor: Christopher W. Toney (Republican), House
- Cosponsor: Jimmy Willis (Republican), House

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-02-24 | House | Passed House (Roll No. 171) | pass | 96 | 0 |   |

## Actions (24)

- 2026-03-11: Without recommendation, but first rereferred to Education then Finance (Senate)
- 2026-03-11: Immediate consideration (Senate)
- 2026-03-11: Read 1st time (Senate)
- 2026-03-11: On 2nd reading, rereferred to Education (Senate)
- 2026-02-25: Introduced in Senate (Senate)
- 2026-02-25: To Education then Finance (Senate)
- 2026-02-25: To Education (Senate)
- 2026-02-24: On 3rd reading, Special Calendar (House)
- 2026-02-24: Read 3rd time (House)
- 2026-02-24: Passed House (Roll No. 171) (House)
- 2026-02-24: Communicated to Senate (House)
- 2026-02-23: On 2nd reading, Special Calendar (House)
- 2026-02-23: Read 2nd time (House)
- 2026-02-20: On 1st reading, Special Calendar (House)
- 2026-02-20: Read 1st time (House)
- 2026-02-19: By substitute, do pass (House)
- 2026-02-17: Markup Discussion (House)
- 2026-01-28: Do pass, but first to Judiciary (House)
- 2026-01-28: To House Judiciary (House)
- 2026-01-23: Markup Discussion (House)
- 2026-01-21: Filed for introduction (House)
- 2026-01-21: To Education then Judiciary (House)
- 2026-01-21: Introduced in House (House)
- 2026-01-21: To House Education (House)

## Bill text

- Committee Substitute: [HTML](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/hb4656 sub1.htm), [PDF](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/hb4656 sub1.pdf)
- Engrossed: [HTML](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/hb4656 sub1 eng.htm), [PDF](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/hb4656 sub1 eng.pdf)
- Introduced Version: [HTML](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/hb4656 intr.htm), [PDF](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/hb4656 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 4138: Relating to persons convicted of a crime (signed)
- HB 4106: Allowing constitutional carry for 18- to 20-year-olds (signed)

## Sources
- [Committee Substitute (HTML)](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/hb4656 sub1.htm)
- [Committee Substitute (PDF)](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/hb4656 sub1.pdf)
- [Engrossed (HTML)](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/hb4656 sub1 eng.htm)
- [Engrossed (PDF)](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/hb4656 sub1 eng.pdf)
- [Introduced Version (HTML)](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/hb4656 intr.htm)
- [Introduced Version (PDF)](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/hb4656 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 4138: Relating to persons convicted of a crime](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/WV-HB4138-2026rs)
- [HB 4106: Allowing constitutional carry for 18- to 20-year-olds](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/WV-HB4106-2026rs)
- [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-HB4656-2026rs (as of 2026-11-04).