# West Virginia HB 5101: The Joanna Phillips Domestic Violence Prevention Act West Virginia HB 5101, The Joanna Phillips Domestic Violence Prevention Act, is a 2026 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Tristan Leavitt (Republican); status signed, last action 2026-06-29 (Chapter 95, Acts, Regular Session, 2026) (as of 2026-11-04). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/WV-HB5101-2026rs - 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 5101 - State: West Virginia - Session: 2026 Regular Session - Title: The Joanna Phillips Domestic Violence Prevention Act - Status: signed - Chamber: House - Introduced: 2026-02-03 - Last action: 2026-06-29, Chapter 95, Acts, Regular Session, 2026 - Sponsor: Tristan Leavitt (Republican) - Cosponsors: 10 - Subjects: §61-2-9D, §61-2-28 - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 4 (257 yes, 0 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 2 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Tougher penalties for domestic violence: cost, high. Beginning June 12, 2026, the law sets clear crimes for domestic battery and domestic assault against family or household members. Domestic battery can bring up to 12 months in jail or up to $2,000 in fines. Domestic assault can bring up to 6 months or up to $500 in fines. Penalties rise for repeat… - Harsher penalties for strangulation crimes: cost, medium. Beginning June 12, 2026, the law makes strangling, suffocating, or asphyxiating someone a felony if it causes injury or unconsciousness. Prison is 1–5 years, and courts may fine up to $2,500. When the victim is a family or household member, or the act happens during certain felonies, prison is 2–10… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Tristan Leavitt (Republican), House - Cosponsor: James Robert "JB" Akers II (Republican), House - Cosponsor: David Cannon (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Lori Dittman (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Sarah Drennan (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Dana Ferrell (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Tresa Howell (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Laura Kimble (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Jordan Maynor (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Erica Moore (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Carl "Bill" Roop (Republican), House ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2026-03-14 | Senate | Senate concurred in House amendments and passed bill (Roll No. 683) | pass | 33 | 0 | | | 2026-03-14 | House | House concurred in Senate amendment with amendment and title amendment (Roll No. 645) | pass | 97 | 0 | | | 2026-03-13 | Senate | Passed Senate (Roll No. 557) | pass | 34 | 0 | | | 2026-02-17 | House | Passed House (Roll No. 112) | pass | 93 | 0 | | ## Actions (48) - 2026-06-29: Chapter 95, Acts, Regular Session, 2026 (House) - 2026-04-01: Approved by Governor 4/1/2026 (House) - 2026-03-25: To Governor 3/25/26 (House) - 2026-03-14: House received Senate message (House) - 2026-03-14: House concurred in Senate amendment with amendment and title amendment (Roll No. 645) (House) - 2026-03-14: Communicated to Senate (House) - 2026-03-14: House Message received (Senate) - 2026-03-14: Senate concurred in House amendments and passed bill (Roll No. 683) (Senate) - 2026-03-14: Communicated to House (Senate) - 2026-03-14: Completed legislative action (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) - 2026-03-13: On 3rd reading (Senate) - 2026-03-13: Read 3rd time (Senate) - 2026-03-13: Unanimous consent to amend on 3rd reading (Senate) - 2026-03-13: Amended on 3rd reading (Voice vote) (Senate) - 2026-03-13: Passed Senate (Roll No. 557) (Senate) - 2026-03-13: Com. title amendment withdrawn by unanimous consent (Senate) - 2026-03-13: Title amendment adopted (Senate) - 2026-03-13: Senate requests House to concur (Senate) - 2026-03-12: On 2nd reading (Senate) - 2026-03-12: Read 2nd time (Senate) - 2026-03-12: Committee amendment adopted (Voice vote) (Senate) - 2026-03-11: Reported do pass, with amendment (Senate) - 2026-03-11: Immediate consideration (Senate) - 2026-03-11: Read 1st time (Senate) - 2026-02-18: Introduced in Senate (Senate) - 2026-02-18: To Judiciary (Senate) - 2026-02-18: To Judiciary (Senate) - 2026-02-17: On 3rd reading, Special Calendar (House) - 2026-02-17: Read 3rd time (House) - 2026-02-17: Passed House (Roll No. 112) (House) - 2026-02-17: Title amendment adopted (Voice vote) (House) - 2026-02-17: Communicated to Senate (House) - 2026-02-16: On 2nd reading, Special Calendar (House) - 2026-02-16: Read 2nd time (House) - 2026-02-13: On 1st reading, Special Calendar (House) - 2026-02-13: Read 1st time (House) - 2026-02-12: By substitute, do pass (House) - 2026-02-06: Markup Discussion (House) - 2026-02-05: To House Judiciary (House) - 2026-02-04: To House Legal Services (House) - 2026-02-04: Markup Discussion (House) - 2026-02-03: Filed for introduction (House) - 2026-02-03: To Judiciary (House) - 2026-02-03: Introduced in House (House) - 2026-02-03: To House Judiciary (House) ## Bill text - Committee Substitute: [HTML](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/hb5101 sub1.htm), [PDF](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/hb5101 sub1.pdf) - Engrossed: [HTML](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/hb5101 sub1 eng.htm), [PDF](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/hb5101 sub1 eng.pdf) - Enrolled: [HTML](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/hb5101 sub1 enr.htm), [PDF](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/hb5101 sub1 enr.pdf) - Introduced Version: [HTML](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/hb5101 intr.htm), [PDF](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/hb5101 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 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/hb5101 sub1.htm) - [Committee Substitute (PDF)](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/hb5101 sub1.pdf) - [Engrossed (HTML)](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/hb5101 sub1 eng.htm) - [Engrossed (PDF)](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/hb5101 sub1 eng.pdf) - [Enrolled (HTML)](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/hb5101 sub1 enr.htm) - [Enrolled (PDF)](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/hb5101 sub1 enr.pdf) - [Introduced Version (HTML)](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/hb5101 intr.htm) - [Introduced Version (PDF)](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/hb5101 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 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-HB5101-2026rs (as of 2026-11-04).