# West Virginia SB 256: Authorizing DEP to promulgate legislative rules West Virginia SB 256, Authorizing DEP to promulgate legislative rules, is a 2026 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Patricia Rucker (Republican); status signed, last action 2026-06-25 (Chapter 214, Acts, Regular Session, 2026) (as of 2026-11-04). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/WV-SB256-2026rs - 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 SB 256 - State: West Virginia - Session: 2026 Regular Session - Title: Authorizing DEP to promulgate legislative rules - Status: signed - Chamber: Senate - Introduced: 2026-01-15 - Last action: 2026-06-25, Chapter 214, Acts, Regular Session, 2026 - Sponsor: Patricia Rucker (Republican) - Cosponsors: 0 - Subjects: §64-3-1 - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 6 (302 yes, 22 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 4 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - New evidence rules for carbon storage: mixed, low. The law authorizes West Virginia’s environmental agency to issue the carbon dioxide storage fee rule, 47 CSR 09B. Section 4.7.1 adds other relevant evidence of fair market value when the Commission requests it. The rule was refiled January 8, 2026, after changes addressing legislative committee obj… - West Virginia can issue air rules: mixed, low. The law authorizes West Virginia’s Department of Environmental Protection to issue five air pollution rules, including approved amendments. They cover startup and shutdown emissions (45 CSR 01), outdoor air quality (45 CSR 08), and new stationary sources (45 CSR 16). They also cover hazardous air p… - West Virginia can issue waste rules: mixed, low. The law authorizes West Virginia’s environmental agency to issue three waste rules, including approved amendments. Two cover air pollution from burning solid waste (45 CSR 18) and hazardous waste treatment, storage, and disposal facilities (45 CSR 25). Both were filed July 23, 2025. The water and w… - West Virginia changes water quality rule: mixed, low. The law authorizes West Virginia’s environmental agency to issue the water quality rule, 47 CSR 02. It changes “20” to “120” on page 42, subsection 8.23. The rule was filed July 24, 2025, and refiled January 8, 2026, after changes addressing legislative committee objections. The provided text does… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Patricia Rucker (Republican), Senate ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2026-02-23 | Senate | Senate concurred in House amendments and passed bill (Roll No. 204) | pass | 33 | 0 | | | 2026-02-23 | Senate | Effective from passage (Roll No. 205) | pass | 33 | 0 | | | 2026-02-20 | House | Effective from passage (Roll No. 138) | pass | 86 | 10 | | | 2026-02-20 | House | Passed House (Roll No. 137) | pass | 84 | 12 | | | 2026-02-05 | Senate | Passed Senate (Roll No. 45) | pass | 33 | 0 | | | 2026-02-05 | Senate | Effective from passage (Roll No. 46) | pass | 33 | 0 | | ## Actions (46) - 2026-06-25: Chapter 214, Acts, Regular Session, 2026 (Senate) - 2026-03-02: Approved by Governor 3/2/2026 - House Journal (House) - 2026-03-02: Approved by Governor 3/2/2026 (Senate) - 2026-02-24: House received Senate message (House) - 2026-02-24: To Governor 2/24/2026 (Senate) - 2026-02-24: To Governor 2/24/2026 - House Journal (House) - 2026-02-23: House Message received (Senate) - 2026-02-23: Senate concurred in House amendments and passed bill (Roll No. 204) (Senate) - 2026-02-23: Effective from passage (Roll No. 205) (Senate) - 2026-02-23: Communicated to House (Senate) - 2026-02-23: Completed legislative action (Senate) - 2026-02-20: On 3rd reading, Special Calendar (House) - 2026-02-20: Read 3rd time (House) - 2026-02-20: Passed House (Roll No. 137) (House) - 2026-02-20: Title amendment adopted (Voice vote) (House) - 2026-02-20: Effective from passage (Roll No. 138) (House) - 2026-02-20: Communicated to Senate (House) - 2026-02-19: On 2nd reading, Special Calendar (House) - 2026-02-19: Read 2nd time (House) - 2026-02-19: Amendment reported by the Clerk (House) - 2026-02-19: Committee amendment adopted (Voice vote) (House) - 2026-02-19: Amendment reported by the Clerk (House) - 2026-02-19: Amendment rejected (Voice vote) (House) - 2026-02-18: On 1st reading, Special Calendar (House) - 2026-02-18: Read 1st time (House) - 2026-02-17: With amendments, do pass (House) - 2026-02-09: To Energy and Public Works (House) - 2026-02-06: House received Senate message (House) - 2026-02-06: Introduced in House (House) - 2026-02-06: To House Energy and Public Works (House) - 2026-02-05: On 3rd reading (Senate) - 2026-02-05: Read 3rd time (Senate) - 2026-02-05: Passed Senate (Roll No. 45) (Senate) - 2026-02-05: Effective from passage (Roll No. 46) (Senate) - 2026-02-05: Ordered to House (Senate) - 2026-02-04: Read 2nd time (Senate) - 2026-02-03: Laid over on 2nd reading 2/3/2026 (Senate) - 2026-02-02: On 2nd reading (Senate) - 2026-02-02: Laid over on 2nd reading 2/2/2026 (Senate) - 2026-01-30: On 1st reading (Senate) - 2026-01-30: Read 1st time (Senate) - 2026-01-29: Committee substitute reported (Senate) - 2026-01-15: Filed for introduction (Senate) - 2026-01-15: To Judiciary (Senate) - 2026-01-15: Introduced in Senate (Senate) - 2026-01-15: To Judiciary (Senate) ## Bill text - Committee Substitute: [HTML](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/sb256 sub1.htm), [PDF](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/sb256 sub1.pdf) - Enrolled: [HTML](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/sb256 sub1 enr.htm), [PDF](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/sb256 sub1 enr.pdf) - Introduced Version: [HTML](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/sb256 intr.htm), [PDF](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/sb256 intr.pdf) ## Related bills - HB 5694: Supplemental appropriation to Department of Education, fund 0313. (signed) - HB 5353: To bring virtual currency kiosks within the purview of money transmission licensure and create disclosure requirements and daily transaction limitations for ne… (signed) - 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) ## Sources - [Committee Substitute (HTML)](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/sb256 sub1.htm) - [Committee Substitute (PDF)](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/sb256 sub1.pdf) - [Enrolled (HTML)](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/sb256 sub1 enr.htm) - [Enrolled (PDF)](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/sb256 sub1 enr.pdf) - [Introduced Version (HTML)](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/sb256 intr.htm) - [Introduced Version (PDF)](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/sb256 intr.pdf) ## Related - [HB 5694: Supplemental appropriation to Department of Education, fund 0313.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/WV-HB5694-2026rs) - [HB 5353: To bring virtual currency kiosks within the purview of money transmission licen…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/WV-HB5353-2026rs) - [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) - [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-SB256-2026rs (as of 2026-11-04).