# West Virginia SB 503: Allowing sheriffs to appoint more than one chief deputy with consent of county commission

West Virginia SB 503, Allowing sheriffs to appoint more than one chief deputy with consent of county commission, is a 2025 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Brian Helton (Republican); status failed, last action 2025-04-12 (House Message received) (as of 2026-10-17).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/WV-SB503-2025rs
- As of: 2026-10-17
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: West Virginia SB 503
- State: West Virginia
- Session: 2025 Regular Session
- Title: Allowing sheriffs to appoint more than one chief deputy with consent of county commission
- Status: failed
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2025-02-14
- Last action: 2025-04-12, House Message received
- Sponsor: Brian Helton (Republican)
- Cosponsors: 1
- Subjects: §6-3-1
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 2 (130 yes, 2 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: Brian Helton (Republican), Senate
- Cosponsor: Chris Rose (Republican), Senate

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2025-04-11 | House | Passed House (Roll No. 506) | pass | 96 | 2 |   |
| 2025-03-07 | Senate | Passed Senate (Roll No. 74) | pass | 34 | 0 |   |

## Actions (32)

- 2025-04-12: House Message received (Senate)
- 2025-04-12: Senate refused to concur; requested House recede(Voice vote) (Senate)
- 2025-04-12: Communicated to House (Senate)
- 2025-04-11: On 3rd reading, Special Calendar (House)
- 2025-04-11: Read 3rd time (House)
- 2025-04-11: Passed House (Roll No. 506) (House)
- 2025-04-11: Communicated to Senate (House)
- 2025-04-10: On 2nd reading, Special Calendar (House)
- 2025-04-10: Read 2nd time (House)
- 2025-04-10: Amendment reported by the Clerk (House)
- 2025-04-10: Committee amendment adopted (Voice vote) (House)
- 2025-04-09: With amendment, do pass (House)
- 2025-04-09: Immediate consideration (House)
- 2025-04-09: Read 1st time (House)
- 2025-03-18: Markup Discussion (House)
- 2025-03-10: House received Senate message (House)
- 2025-03-10: Introduced in House (House)
- 2025-03-10: To Government Organization (House)
- 2025-03-10: To House Government Organization (House)
- 2025-03-07: On 3rd reading (Senate)
- 2025-03-07: Read 3rd time (Senate)
- 2025-03-07: Passed Senate (Roll No. 74) (Senate)
- 2025-03-07: Ordered to House (Senate)
- 2025-03-06: On 2nd reading (Senate)
- 2025-03-06: Read 2nd time (Senate)
- 2025-03-05: On 1st reading (Senate)
- 2025-03-05: Read 1st time (Senate)
- 2025-03-04: Committee substitute reported (Senate)
- 2025-02-14: Filed for introduction (Senate)
- 2025-02-14: To Judiciary (Senate)
- 2025-02-14: Introduced in Senate (Senate)
- 2025-02-14: To Judiciary (Senate)

## Bill text

- Committee Substitute: [HTML](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2025_SESSIONS/RS/bills/sb503 sub1.htm), [PDF](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2025_SESSIONS/RS/bills/sb503 sub1.pdf)
- Introduced Version: [HTML](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2025_SESSIONS/RS/bills/sb503 intr.htm), [PDF](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2025_SESSIONS/RS/bills/sb503 intr.pdf)

## Related bills

- HB 2451: To facilitate the creation of home-based businesses (signed)
- SB 464: Creating license plate for recipients of Medal of Valor (signed)
- SB 196: Lauren's Law (signed)
- SB 138: Enhancing penalties for fleeing officer (signed)
- SB 270: Declaring sale and manufacture of firearms essential business during declared emergency (signed)
- SB 617: Discouraging gang activity (signed)

## Sources
- [Committee Substitute (HTML)](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2025_SESSIONS/RS/bills/sb503 sub1.htm)
- [Committee Substitute (PDF)](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2025_SESSIONS/RS/bills/sb503 sub1.pdf)
- [Introduced Version (HTML)](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2025_SESSIONS/RS/bills/sb503 intr.htm)
- [Introduced Version (PDF)](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2025_SESSIONS/RS/bills/sb503 intr.pdf)

## Related
- [HB 2451: To facilitate the creation of home-based businesses](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/WV-HB2451-2025rs)
- [SB 464: Creating license plate for recipients of Medal of Valor](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/WV-SB464-2025rs)
- [SB 196: Lauren's Law](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/WV-SB196-2025rs)
- [SB 138: Enhancing penalties for fleeing officer](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/WV-SB138-2025rs)
- [SB 270: Declaring sale and manufacture of firearms essential business during declared e…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/WV-SB270-2025rs)
- [SB 617: Discouraging gang activity](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/WV-SB617-2025rs)
- [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-SB503-2025rs (as of 2026-10-17).