CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The West Virginia Senate on April 4, 2025 approved a broad set of bills and procedural motions, advancing budget language, criminal‑law changes, administrative updates and multiple supplemental appropriations.

The chamber recorded roll‑call results on more than a dozen measures. Most passed unanimously or with overwhelming support; the Senate also approved changes to permit fee caps under the West Virginia Water Pollution Control Act on a 28–6 vote.

The actions at a glance

- Senate Bill 22 — The Senate concurred with the House amendment to the bill (title change only) and passed the measure (machine vote: 34 yays, 0 nays, 0 absent). The motion to concur was made by the Senator from Lewis.

- Senate Bill 459 — The Senate concurred in a title amendment and passed the bill (34–0). The Senator from Lewis urged adoption of the title amendment.

- Senate Bill 538 — The House changed the effective date; the Senate concurred and later voted to make the bill effective from passage (final machine vote: 34 yays, 0 nays, 0 absent). The Senator from Lewis moved concurrence and moved the bill be made effective from passage.

- Committee substitute for House Bill 20 42 — The Senate concurred in the House amendment to the Senate amendment and passed the bill after a machine vote (34–0). A senator described the amendment as clarifying the appointment of court‑appointed special advocates.

- Committee substitute for House Bill 23 31 — The Senate concurred in a House amendment to a Senate amendment and passed the bill (34–0). The change was described on the floor as a title amendment only.

- Committee substitute for House Bill 21 23 — The Senate passed the bill on third reading (34–0). A senator explained the bill increases penalties for certain child abuse and neglect offenses depending on injury severity or risk created.

- Committee substitute for House Bill 22 17 — The Senate passed the bill on third reading (34–0). The sponsor said it increased penalties for conspiracies to commit crimes of violence and offenses against minors.

- Committee substitute for House Bill 23 60 — The Senate passed the bill on third reading (34–0). The bill clarified who qualifies as the victim in crimes against law‑enforcement officers; a title amendment was later adopted.

- Committee substitute for House Bill 23 99 — The Senate passed the bill changing reporting requirements for managed timberland classification (34–0). Sponsors said the bill moves reporting from annually to every five years and authorizes rule‑making for certification.

- House Bill 30 30 (Water Pollution Control Act) — The Senate passed legislation removing permit fee caps for initial and renewal applications under the Water Pollution Control Act. The sponsor said the measure would allow fee schedule updates; the vote was 28 yays, 6 nays, 0 absent. Floor sponsors said the increase would be the first in roughly 30 years.

- Committee substitute for House Bill 30 89 — The Senate passed a bill mandating electronic lien and title use by certain entities and shortening insurer wait periods after total‑loss payments; final vote 33 yays, 1 nay, 0 absent. The Senate later set the bill’s effective date to July 1, 2025 (machine vote to set effective date: 34–0).

- House Bill 33 58 — Supplemental appropriation to the Department of Human Services (temporary assistance for needy families), increasing authority by $21,000,000; passed 34–0 and made effective from passage (34–0 on effectiveness).

- House Bill 33 65 — Supplemental appropriation to the Department of Health, Birth to 3 fund, increasing special‑revenue authority by $5,888,483; passed 34–0 and made effective from passage (34–0 on effectiveness).

- House Bill 33 66 — Supplemental appropriation to the Department of Health, Office of the Inspector General, increasing federal spending authority by $980,387 with line‑item breakdowns; passed 34–0 and made effective from passage (34–0 on effectiveness).

- Gross House Bill 33 67 — Supplemental realignment for the Division of Natural Resources (Lisonbee fund/wildlife resources), net increase $2,317,193 with decreases to capital/land purchase; passed 34–0 and made effective from passage (34–0).

- House Bill 33 70 — Supplemental appropriation for Summer EBT, increasing federal spending authority by $32,132,229 with specified allocations; passed 34–0 and made effective from passage (34–0).

- House Bill 33 72 — Supplemental appropriation for the Department of Veterans Assistance, $60,700 to personal services and benefits; passed 34–0 and made effective from passage (34–0).

What it means and next steps

Most measures will be sent back to the House or to the governor as required by legislative process; several were made effective from passage or were assigned specific effective dates on the floor (for example, the electronic‑lien title bill was set to become effective July 1, 2025). The water pollution permit fee change will allow the Department of Environmental Protection to move forward with updated permit fee schedules and related rules the department has been processing.

Several bills were described on the floor as technical or clarifying amendments; other measures carried fiscal impact, especially the supplemental appropriations and the change in water pollution permit fees. The Senate recessed at 5 p.m. with additional committee meetings scheduled later in the day.

Ending note

Roll‑call tallies and final actions noted above are based on the Senate floor record for April 4, 2025. Where the transcript recorded only a machine tally and not individual member votes, the article reports the official machine counts as read on the floor.