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Read. Follow. Verify.West Virginia Bill Requires Voter Approval Before Closing or Consolidating Public Schools
Last action · February 19, 2026: To EducationSponsors: Glenn Jeffries and 2 others
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What This Bill Proposed
Senate Bill 1004 requires county boards of education to hold a countywide referendum and secure majority voter approval before finalizing any public school closure or , unless the action was already included in a voter-approved construction bond issue.
Local taxpayers and parents gain direct veto power over school board closure and decisions through the ballot box, shifting final authority from appointed or elected board members to the electorate.
- County boards of education in West Virginia hold administrative authority over local public schools, including decisions regarding facility closures and consolidations. 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.
County boards of education
County boards must organize a countywide referendum and secure majority voter approval before any school closure or consolidation can be finalized.
Local voters
Local voters receive the authority to approve or reject school closure and consolidation proposals at the ballot box.
Public school students and personnel
Students and staff face altered timelines and procedural requirements for any proposed school closures, consolidations, or relocations.
Key Facts
- County boards of education must conduct a countywide referendum and obtain majority voter approval before making any final decision to close or consolidate a school.
- School closures or consolidations included in a previously passed voter construction bond issue are exempt from the new voter approval requirement.
- The required referendum may be held during a regularly scheduled primary or general election or during a special election.
- County boards must continue to prepare written reasons, detailed impact statements, and hold public hearings with proper notice prior to any closure proposal.
Show all 5 facts
- Impact statements must evaluate effects on student transportation times, county financial health, receiving school capacity, school personnel levels, and the local community.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this bill apply to all school closures and consolidations?
When can the required voter referendum take place?
What else do you want to know?
News Coverage
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
This bill did not become law - Died at adjournment · in Senate committee.
Procedural history
4 actions- Feb 19, 2026SenateCommitteeTo Education
- Feb 19, 2026SenateIntroducedIntroduced in Senate
- Feb 19, 2026SenateCommitteeTo Education then Judiciary
- Feb 19, 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
Connected Entities
Sources
www.wvlegislature.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance20Lowered because this bill did not pass (its text scored 75)
- Controversy45Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment10Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz30Current news / social attention level
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