POLISCOPE
Back to bills
Part ofHuman Services →

The civic record

Read. Follow. Verify.
HB 4604WEST VIRGINIASession 2026State Billdead
Did Not Advance

West Virginia Bill 4604 increases panel attorney and guardian ad litem compensation rates and establishes assistant guardian ad litem positions

Original title: Relating to abuse and neglect cases

Last action · February 23, 2026: To House FinanceSponsors: Adam Burkhammer and 8 others

Bill progressHistory & official text ↓
Introduced
Committee
Floor Vote
Passed
Law

Track this bill to get notified when it advances a stage. One tap to stop, anytime.

Public stanceCommunity reactions are separate from the official record and reporting.

What This Bill Proposed

House Bill 4604 sets a minimum compensation rate of $100 per hour for s and creates a new assistant role to assist in child abuse and neglect proceedings. The measure also establishes annual publishing requirements for compensation rates by West Virginia Public Defender Services and mandates regular reporting on guardian ad litem services beginning December 1, 2026.

Why it matters

The measure directly impacts public defense compensation rates, court-appointed representation structures, and reporting obligations for child welfare proceedings across the state.

Background
  • House Bill 4604 was recommended for introduction by the Joint Committee on Children and Families during the 2026 regular session of the West Virginia Legislature. context
  • West Virginia Public Defender Services administers panel attorney programs and sets guidelines for fee and expense reimbursements for indigent legal representation across the state. context

Who It Would Have Affected

Groups the bill's text would have affected, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.

Directly affected

panel attorneys

Panel attorneys are subject to new minimum compensation rates of $100 per hour, revised voucher submission rules, and annual rate publication schedules.

Directly affected

guardians ad litem

Guardians ad litem are affected by educational requirements, supervisory guidelines, and the establishment of assistant guardian ad litem positions.

Directly affected

West Virginia Public Defender Services

Public Defender Services is required to process vouchers under revised timelines, adjust compensation rates, and submit annual reports on guardian ad litem services.

Key Facts

You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the role of an assistant guardian ad litem under the bill?
An assistant is appointed by the court to assist the guardian ad litem by conducting visits, speaking directly with the child, meeting in person without the guardian ad litem present after an initial meeting, providing periodic written reports, and attending hearings and multidisciplinary team meetings.

What else do you want to know?

News Coverage

No news coverage found yet. Articles are indexed twice daily.

Follow the record

Votes, people, money & the original source

Where This Stands

This bill did not become law - Died at adjournment · in House committee.

Procedural history

10 actions
  1. Feb 23, 2026HouseCommittee
    To House Finance
  2. Feb 23, 2026House
    By substitute, do pass, but first to Finance
  3. Feb 19, 2026House
    Markup Discussion
  4. Feb 18, 2026HouseCommittee
    To House Courts
  5. Feb 17, 2026House
    Markup Discussion
  6. Feb 17, 2026HouseCommittee
    To House Courts
Show 4 earlier actions
  1. Jan 20, 2026HouseCommittee
    To House Judiciary
  2. Jan 20, 2026HouseIntroduced
    Introduced in House
  3. Jan 20, 2026HouseCommittee
    To Judiciary then Finance
  4. Jan 20, 2026HouseIntroduced
    Filed for introduction

Version history

Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.

View official text →

Lobbying Activity

No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.

Full breakdown

Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.

Sponsors

Adam BurkhammerHouse · District 64RepublicanPrimary sponsor
Margitta MazzocchiHouse · District 31RepublicanSponsor
Geno ChiarelliHouse · District 78RepublicanSponsor
FlaniganHouseSponsorNo profile match
Scot HeckertHouse · District 13RepublicanSponsor
Show 4 more sponsors
Laura KimbleHouse · District 71RepublicanSponsor
George MillerHouse · District 90RepublicanSponsor
Jonathan PinsonHouse · District 17RepublicanSponsor
Bill RidenourHouse · District 100RepublicanSponsor

Discoveries

1 pattern noticed across the record

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift95% confidence

Codification of Assistant Guardian Ad Litem Roles

The legislation formally establishes assistant guardian ad litem positions to support court-appointed child representatives and details their training and operational duties.

Supreme Court of Appeals

Connected Entities

Bill Ridenour, Laura Kimble, Supreme Court of Appeals and 10 more
PersonBill Ridenour“Cosponsor of House Bill 4604”Map →
PersonLaura Kimble“Cosponsor of House Bill 4604”Map →
OrganizationSupreme Court of Appeals“State court entity responsible for approving training for attorneys and assistan”Map →
PersonScot Heckert“Cosponsor of House Bill 4604”Map →
PersonFlanigan“Cosponsor of House Bill 4604”Map →
PersonAdam Burkhammer“Lead sponsor of House Bill 4604”Map →
PersonMargitta Mazzocchi“Cosponsor of House Bill 4604”Map →
PersonJonathan Pinson“Cosponsor of House Bill 4604”Map →
PersonGeorge Miller“Cosponsor of House Bill 4604”Map →
OrganizationFoster Care Ombudsman“Recipient of the annual report summarizing guardian ad litem services”Map →
OrganizationWest Virginia Public Defender Services“State agency responsible for reviewing vouchers, managing panel attorney compens”Map →
OrganizationLegislative Oversight Commission on Health and Human Resources“Recipient of the annual report summarizing legal services provided by guardian a”Map →
PersonGeno Chiarelli“Cosponsor of House Bill 4604”Map →

Sources

Open source document

www.wvlegislature.gov

Analysis Score

0–100
  • Significance20
    Lowered because this bill did not pass (its text scored 75)
  • Controversy20
    Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
  • Entertainment5
    Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
  • Buzz30
    Current news / social attention level

Publisher tools

Share or embed this record

POLISCOPE publisher tools

Share or embed this record