# West Virginia SB 281: Authorizing Department of Homeland Security to promulgate legislative rules West Virginia SB 281, Authorizing Department of Homeland Security to promulgate legislative rules, is a 2026 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Patricia Rucker (Republican); status signed, last action 2026-06-25 (Chapter 215, Acts, Regular Session, 2026) (as of 2026-11-04). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/WV-SB281-2026rs - 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 281 - State: West Virginia - Session: 2026 Regular Session - Title: Authorizing Department of Homeland Security to promulgate legislative rules - Status: signed - Chamber: Senate - Introduced: 2026-01-15 - Last action: 2026-06-25, Chapter 215, Acts, Regular Session, 2026 - Sponsor: Patricia Rucker (Republican) - Cosponsors: 0 - Subjects: §64-6-1, §64-6-2, §64-6-3, §64-6-4 - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 4 (256 yes, 2 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 4 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Updated fire and emergency safety rules: benefit, low. The law authorizes two safety rules. It makes the updated state fire code (87 CSR 01), filed June 3, 2025 and modified after review, the official code. It also makes the emergency planning and community right-to-know rule (55 CSR 01), filed January 8, 2025 and modified after review, the state stand… - State Police promotions and grievances: benefit, low. The law approves two State Police rules filed July 23, 2025, as modified after review. The Career Progression System (81 CSR 03) sets promotion and assignment standards. The Member Grievance Procedure (81 CSR 08) sets the formal steps to resolve disputes. These rules give State Police members clear… - New rules for contracted security: mixed, low. The law authorizes the State Police rule on contracted police and security services (81 CSR 05), filed July 23, 2025 and modified after review. It sets standards and requirements for companies and workers who provide contracted security or police services under State Police oversight. Providers mus… - Change to police training rule: mixed, low. The law authorizes the police training and certification rule (149 CSR 02) as refiled. It removes the words "suspends or" from subdivision 3.3.1. The rule applies to West Virginia law-enforcement officers and agencies. This is an internal rule change and has no direct dollar effect. ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Patricia Rucker (Republican), Senate ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2026-03-12 | House | Passed House (Roll No. 418) | pass | 95 | 1 | | | 2026-03-12 | House | Effective from passage (Roll No. 419) | pass | 95 | 1 | | | 2026-01-28 | Senate | Passed Senate (Roll No. 11) | pass | 33 | 0 | | | 2026-01-28 | Senate | Effective from passage (Roll No. 12) | pass | 33 | 0 | | ## Actions (37) - 2026-06-25: Chapter 215, Acts, Regular Session, 2026 (Senate) - 2026-04-01: Approved by Governor 4/1/2026 (Senate) - 2026-03-18: To Governor 3/18/2026 (Senate) - 2026-03-14: To Governor 3/18/2026 - 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: House Message received (Senate) - 2026-03-12: On 3rd reading, Special Calendar (House) - 2026-03-12: Read 3rd time (House) - 2026-03-12: Passed House (Roll No. 418) (House) - 2026-03-12: Effective from passage (Roll No. 419) (House) - 2026-03-12: Communicated to Senate (House) - 2026-03-12: Completed legislative action (House) - 2026-03-11: On 2nd reading, Special Calendar (House) - 2026-03-11: Read 2nd time (House) - 2026-03-10: Markup Discussion (House) - 2026-03-10: Do pass (House) - 2026-03-10: Immediate consideration (House) - 2026-03-10: Read 1st time (House) - 2026-01-29: House received Senate message (House) - 2026-01-29: Introduced in House (House) - 2026-01-29: To Judiciary (House) - 2026-01-29: To House Judiciary (House) - 2026-01-28: On 3rd reading (Senate) - 2026-01-28: Read 3rd time (Senate) - 2026-01-28: Passed Senate (Roll No. 11) (Senate) - 2026-01-28: Effective from passage (Roll No. 12) (Senate) - 2026-01-28: Ordered to House (Senate) - 2026-01-27: Read 2nd time (Senate) - 2026-01-26: On 2nd reading (Senate) - 2026-01-23: On 1st reading (Senate) - 2026-01-23: Read 1st time (Senate) - 2026-01-22: 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/sb281 sub1.htm), [PDF](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/sb281 sub1.pdf) - Enrolled: [HTML](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/sb281 sub1 enr.htm), [PDF](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/sb281 sub1 enr.pdf) - Introduced Version: [HTML](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/sb281 intr.htm), [PDF](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/sb281 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/sb281 sub1.htm) - [Committee Substitute (PDF)](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/sb281 sub1.pdf) - [Enrolled (HTML)](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/sb281 sub1 enr.htm) - [Enrolled (PDF)](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/sb281 sub1 enr.pdf) - [Introduced Version (HTML)](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/sb281 intr.htm) - [Introduced Version (PDF)](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/sb281 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-SB281-2026rs (as of 2026-11-04).