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Read. Follow. Verify.West Virginia Senate Passes Bill to Establish Community-Based Child Welfare Pilot Program
Last action · March 10, 2026: To House FinanceSponsor: Tom Willis
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What This Bill Proposed
Senate Bill 937 creates a pilot program to shift ongoing child welfare case management and service coordination from the state to contracted private providers in designated counties beginning January 1, 2028. The measure establishes a negotiated case-rate financing model, sets provider qualifications, and requires the Bureau for Social Services to retain exclusive authority over initial investigations and decisions.
The measure restructures how child welfare services are delivered and funded across six initial counties by shifting daily case management to private contractors while maintaining state oversight of investigations.
- Child Protective Services in West Virginia operates under the Bureau for Social Services within the Department of Human Services. 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.
Bureau for Social Services
The bureau retains exclusive investigative authority while transferring ongoing case management to contracted providers and must manage bidding, reporting, and oversight.
Contracted community-based providers
Children and families in pilot counties
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 Kyneddi's Law?
Which counties are included in the initial implementation phase?
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News Coverage
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
This bill did not become law - Died at adjournment · passed the Senate · in House committee.
Procedural history
24 actions- Mar 10, 2026HouseCommitteeTo House Finance
- Mar 10, 2026HouseWith amendment, do pass, but first to Finance
- Mar 9, 2026HouseMarkup Discussion
- Mar 5, 2026HouseCommitteeTo House Judiciary
- Mar 5, 2026HouseCommitteeTo Judiciary then Finance
- Mar 5, 2026HouseIntroducedIntroduced in House
Show 18 earlier actions
- Mar 5, 2026HouseHouse received Senate message
- Mar 3, 2026SenateOrdered to House
- Mar 3, 2026SenateFloorPassed Senate (Roll No. 316)
- Mar 3, 2026SenateCharnock amendments adopted (Roll No. 315)
- Mar 3, 2026SenateGarcia amendment rejected (Voice vote)
- Mar 3, 2026SenateRead 3rd time
- Mar 3, 2026SenateDeferred until foot of 3rd reading
- Mar 3, 2026SenateOn 3rd reading with right to amend
- Mar 2, 2026SenateRead 2nd time
- Mar 2, 2026SenateOn 2nd reading
- Feb 27, 2026SenateMotion to refer bill to Finance rejected (Roll No. 269)
- Feb 27, 2026SenateRead 1st time
- Feb 27, 2026SenateOn 1st reading
- Feb 26, 2026SenateCommittee substitute reported
- Feb 12, 2026SenateCommitteeTo Judiciary
- Feb 12, 2026SenateIntroducedIntroduced in Senate
- Feb 12, 2026SenateCommitteeTo Judiciary
- Feb 12, 2026SenateIntroducedFiled 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
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Phased Privatization of Child Welfare Case Management
The legislation establishes a structured transition from direct state administration to contracted community-based lead agencies for ongoing child welfare services.
Connected Entities
Sources
www.wvlegislature.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance20Lowered because this bill did not pass (its text scored 80)
- Controversy55Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment10Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz40Current news / social attention level
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