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HB 5369WEST VIRGINIASession 2026State Billdead
Did Not Advance

West Virginia Bill Restricts Rural School Closures with Supermajorities, Voter Approval, and Transit Limits

Original title: West Virginia Rural School Protection Act

Last action · February 9, 2026: To House EducationSponsors: Corby Dillon and 2 others

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

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What This Bill Proposed

Official description

West Virginia Rural School Protection Act

Why it matters

Rural communities face heightened procedural barriers to losing local educational facilities, while county school boards must clear multi-tiered approval processes including mandatory student transit caps, independent forensic audits under specific conditions, and new per-pupil funding weights.

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

County boards of education

County boards must adhere to supermajority voting requirements, prepare 90-day impact statements, and secure state and voter approvals before closing or consolidating protected rural schools.

Directly affected

Protected rural school students

Students benefit from strict limits on one-way transportation times and mandatory mitigation and transition plans during any consolidation.

Directly affected

Registered voters in affected attendance areas

Voters gain the authority to trigger ballot referenda to ratify or reject proposed school closures or consolidations.

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 criteria make a rural school eligible for protection under this bill?
A school is protected if it is in a county with fewer than 100 residents per square mile, if closure causes students to exceed maximum travel times, if the nearest same-grade school is more than 15 road miles away, or if it is the sole public school facility in its attendance area.
Can a county school board close a protected rural school with a simple majority vote?
No. The bill requires a two-thirds supermajority vote of the full membership of the county board of education, along with an impact statement, voter ratification if petitioned, and approval from the State Board of Education.
What are the maximum one-way student transportation limits established by the bill?
The maximum one-way travel time is 30 minutes for elementary school students and 40 minutes for middle and high school students.

What else do you want to know?

News Coverage

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Where This Stands

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

Procedural history

4 actions
  1. Feb 9, 2026HouseCommittee
    To House Education
  2. Feb 9, 2026HouseIntroduced
    Introduced in House
  3. Feb 9, 2026HouseCommittee
    To Education then Finance
  4. Feb 9, 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

Corby DillonHouse · District 29RepublicanPrimary sponsor
Tresa HowellHouse · District 52RepublicanSponsor
PrittHouseSponsorNo profile match

Discoveries

1 pattern noticed across the record

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

policy shift95% confidence

Shift from Local Board Autonomy to Multi-Tiered Statewide Restrictions on Closures

The legislation markedly shifts authority away from unilateral county board closure decisions by superimposing impact statements, supermajorities, voter referenda, and state board veto power.

State Board of EducationOffice of the State Auditor

Connected Entities

Corby Dillon, Office of the State Auditor, State Board of Education and 1 more
PersonCorby Dillon“Lead sponsor of House Bill 5369”Map →
OrganizationOffice of the State Auditor“Conducts forensic audits of qualifying counties”Map →
OrganizationState Board of Education“Approves or denies school closures and transportation waivers”Map →
PersonPritt“Co-sponsor of House Bill 5369”Map →

Sources

Open source document

www.wvlegislature.gov

Analysis Score

0–100
  • Significance20
    Lowered because this bill did not pass (its text scored 85)
  • Controversy65
    Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
  • Entertainment10
    Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
  • Buzz45
    Current news / social attention level

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