# West Virginia SB 538: Allowing certain entities to purchase qualifying tax-delinquent properties before they are offered at public auction West Virginia SB 538, Allowing certain entities to purchase qualifying tax-delinquent properties before they are offered at public auction, is a 2025 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Brian Helton (Republican); status signed, last action 2025-08-08 (Chapter 223, Acts, Regular Session, 2025) (as of 2026-10-17). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/WV-SB538-2025rs - 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 538 - State: West Virginia - Session: 2025 Regular Session - Title: Allowing certain entities to purchase qualifying tax-delinquent properties before they are offered at public auction - Status: signed - Chamber: Senate - Introduced: 2025-02-19 - Last action: 2025-08-08, Chapter 223, Acts, Regular Session, 2025 - Sponsor: Brian Helton (Republican) - Cosponsors: 1 - Subjects: §31-18E-9 - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 4 (238 yes, 20 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: Scott Fuller (Republican), Senate ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2025-04-07 | Senate | Effective from passage (Roll No. 324) | pass | 34 | 0 | | | 2025-04-04 | House | House reconsidered effective date (Roll No. 383) | pass | 85 | 8 | | | 2025-04-03 | House | Passed House (Roll No. 379) | pass | 88 | 10 | | | 2025-03-19 | Senate | Passed Senate (Roll No. 133) | pass | 31 | 2 | | ## Actions (38) - 2025-08-08: Chapter 223, Acts, Regular Session, 2025 (Senate) - 2025-04-30: Approved by Governor 4/30/2025 (Senate) - 2025-04-12: Approved by Governor 4/30/2025 - Senate Journal (Senate) - 2025-04-10: To Governor 4/9/2025 - House Journal (House) - 2025-04-09: To Governor 4/9/2025 (Senate) - 2025-04-07: House Message received (Senate) - 2025-04-07: Senate concurred in House changed effective date (Senate) - 2025-04-07: Effective from passage (Roll No. 324) (Senate) - 2025-04-07: Communicated to House (Senate) - 2025-04-07: House received Senate message (House) - 2025-04-04: House reconsidered effective date (Roll No. 383) (House) - 2025-04-04: Communicated to Senate (House) - 2025-04-03: On 3rd reading, Special Calendar (House) - 2025-04-03: Read 3rd time (House) - 2025-04-03: Passed House (Roll No. 379) (House) - 2025-04-03: Completed legislative action (Senate) - 2025-04-02: On 2nd reading, Special Calendar (House) - 2025-04-02: Read 2nd time (House) - 2025-04-01: On 1st reading, Special Calendar (House) - 2025-04-01: Read 1st time (House) - 2025-03-31: Do pass (House) - 2025-03-20: House received Senate message (House) - 2025-03-20: Introduced in House (House) - 2025-03-20: To Government Organization (House) - 2025-03-20: To House Government Organization (House) - 2025-03-19: On 3rd reading (Senate) - 2025-03-19: Read 3rd time (Senate) - 2025-03-19: Passed Senate (Roll No. 133) (Senate) - 2025-03-19: Ordered to House (Senate) - 2025-03-18: On 2nd reading (Senate) - 2025-03-18: Read 2nd time (Senate) - 2025-03-17: On 1st reading (Senate) - 2025-03-17: Read 1st time (Senate) - 2025-03-14: Committee substitute reported (Senate) - 2025-02-19: Filed for introduction (Senate) - 2025-02-19: To Government Organization (Senate) - 2025-02-19: Introduced in Senate (Senate) - 2025-02-19: To Government Organization (Senate) ## Bill text - Committee Substitute: [HTML](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2025_SESSIONS/RS/bills/sb538 sub1.htm), [PDF](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2025_SESSIONS/RS/bills/sb538 sub1.pdf) - Enrolled: [HTML](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2025_SESSIONS/RS/bills/sb538 sub1 enr.htm), [PDF](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2025_SESSIONS/RS/bills/sb538 sub1 enr.pdf) - Introduced Version: [HTML](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2025_SESSIONS/RS/bills/sb538 intr.htm), [PDF](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2025_SESSIONS/RS/bills/sb538 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/sb538 sub1.htm) - [Committee Substitute (PDF)](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2025_SESSIONS/RS/bills/sb538 sub1.pdf) - [Enrolled (HTML)](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2025_SESSIONS/RS/bills/sb538 sub1 enr.htm) - [Enrolled (PDF)](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2025_SESSIONS/RS/bills/sb538 sub1 enr.pdf) - [Introduced Version (HTML)](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2025_SESSIONS/RS/bills/sb538 intr.htm) - [Introduced Version (PDF)](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2025_SESSIONS/RS/bills/sb538 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-SB538-2025rs (as of 2026-10-17).