# West Virginia HB 4871: Make available vegetarian meal option for students enrolled in schools, provided that such meals comply with all applicable federal nutritional guidelines

West Virginia HB 4871, Make available vegetarian meal option for students enrolled in schools, provided that such meals comply with all applicable federal nutritional guidelines, is a 2026 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Gary G. Howell (Republican); status failed, last action 2026-02-17 (To House Education) (as of 2026-11-04).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/WV-HB4871-2026rs
- 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 4871
- State: West Virginia
- Session: 2026 Regular Session
- Title: Make available vegetarian meal option for students enrolled in schools, provided that such meals comply with all applicable federal nutritional guidelines
- Status: failed
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2026-01-28
- Last action: 2026-02-17, To House Education
- Sponsor: Gary G. Howell (Republican)
- Cosponsors: 10
- Subjects: §18-5H-1, §18-5H-2, §18-5H-3, §18-5H-4, §18-5H-5, §18-5H-6, House Education
- Touches household money: no
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 0

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview

No economic impacts identified for this bill.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Gary G. Howell (Republican), House
- Cosponsor: Jeff Campbell (Republican), House
- Cosponsor: Mark Dean (Republican), House
- Cosponsor: Lori Dittman (Republican), House
- Cosponsor: Joe Ellington (Republican), House
- Cosponsor: Dave Foggin (Republican), House
- Cosponsor: Rick Garcia (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Pritt
- Cosponsor: Joe Statler (Republican), House
- Cosponsor: Jeffrey Stephens (Republican), House
- Cosponsor: Christopher W. Toney (Republican), House

## Actions (7)

- 2026-02-17: To House Education (House)
- 2026-02-03: Markup Discussion (House)
- 2026-01-30: To House Public Education (House)
- 2026-01-28: Filed for introduction (House)
- 2026-01-28: To Education (House)
- 2026-01-28: Introduced in House (House)
- 2026-01-28: To House Education (House)

## Bill text

- Introduced Version: [HTML](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/hb4871 intr.htm), [PDF](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/hb4871 intr.pdf)

## Related bills

- HB 4452: To remove Mortmain restrictions on religious organizations (signed)
- HB 4390: Relating to the temporary payment to a kinship parent of a subsidy equal to that of a foster parent (signed)
- HB 4354: Relating to necessity allowance (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
- [Introduced Version (HTML)](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/hb4871 intr.htm)
- [Introduced Version (PDF)](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/hb4871 intr.pdf)

## Related
- [HB 4452: To remove Mortmain restrictions on religious organizations](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/WV-HB4452-2026rs)
- [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 4354: Relating to necessity allowance](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/WV-HB4354-2026rs)
- [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-HB4871-2026rs (as of 2026-11-04).