# West Virginia SB 644: Requiring Economic Development Authority participate in federal tax credit scholarship program

West Virginia SB 644, Requiring Economic Development Authority participate in federal tax credit scholarship program, is a 2026 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Patricia Rucker (Republican); status failed, last action 2026-03-03 (House received Senate message) (as of 2026-11-04).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/WV-SB644-2026rs
- 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 644
- State: West Virginia
- Session: 2026 Regular Session
- Title: Requiring Economic Development Authority participate in federal tax credit scholarship program
- Status: failed
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2026-01-28
- Last action: 2026-03-03, House received Senate message
- Sponsor: Patricia Rucker (Republican)
- Cosponsors: 2
- Subjects: §31-15D-1, §31-15D-2, House Education
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 2 (62 yes, 0 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 1

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- West Virginia scholarship groups get federal listing: benefit, low. Effective upon passage, the law requires West Virginia to participate in the federal tax-credit scholarship program. The Economic Development Authority and Secretary of Commerce or designee must accept scholarship group applications year-round. Both must identify qualified groups located in West Vi…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Patricia Rucker (Republican), Senate
- Cosponsor: Chris Rose (Republican), Senate
- Cosponsor: Tom Willis (Republican), Senate

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-03-02 | Senate | Effective from passage (Roll No. 274) | pass | 32 | 0 |   |
| 2026-03-02 | Senate | Passed Senate (Roll No. 273) | pass | 30 | 0 |   |

## Actions (21)

- 2026-03-03: House received Senate message (House)
- 2026-03-03: Introduced in House (House)
- 2026-03-03: To Education (House)
- 2026-03-03: To House Education (House)
- 2026-03-02: On 3rd reading (Senate)
- 2026-03-02: Read 3rd time (Senate)
- 2026-03-02: Passed Senate (Roll No. 273) (Senate)
- 2026-03-02: Title amendment adopted (Senate)
- 2026-03-02: Effective from passage (Roll No. 274) (Senate)
- 2026-03-02: Ordered to House (Senate)
- 2026-02-27: Read 2nd time (Senate)
- 2026-02-27: Floor amendment adopted (Voice vote) (Senate)
- 2026-02-26: On 2nd reading (Senate)
- 2026-02-26: Laid over on 2nd reading 2/26/26 (Senate)
- 2026-02-25: Committee substitute reported (Senate)
- 2026-02-25: Immediate consideration (Senate)
- 2026-02-25: Read 1st time (Senate)
- 2026-01-28: Filed for introduction (Senate)
- 2026-01-28: To School Choice (Senate)
- 2026-01-28: Introduced in Senate (Senate)
- 2026-01-28: To School Choice (Senate)

## Bill text

- Committee Substitute: [HTML](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/sb644 sub1.htm), [PDF](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/sb644 sub1.pdf)
- Engrossed: [HTML](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/sb644 sub1 eng.htm), [PDF](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/sb644 sub1 eng.pdf)
- Introduced Version: [HTML](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/sb644 intr.htm), [PDF](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/sb644 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/sb644 sub1.htm)
- [Committee Substitute (PDF)](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/sb644 sub1.pdf)
- [Engrossed (HTML)](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/sb644 sub1 eng.htm)
- [Engrossed (PDF)](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/sb644 sub1 eng.pdf)
- [Introduced Version (HTML)](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/sb644 intr.htm)
- [Introduced Version (PDF)](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/sb644 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-SB644-2026rs (as of 2026-11-04).