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HB 5577WEST VIRGINIASession 2026State Billdead
Did Not Advance

West Virginia Bill HB 5577 requires county school boards to reevaluate bullying policies and collect student and parent feedback

Original title: Strengthen school bullying laws.

Last action · February 16, 2026: To House EducationSponsor: Kathie Hess Crouse

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

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What This Bill Proposed

House Bill 5577 requires county school boards to reevaluate their existing anti-bullying and harassment policies, provide students and parents an opportunity to give feedback on those policies, and report on policy effectiveness to the when requested.

Why it matters

Students and parents gain a formal avenue to provide feedback and participate in open board actions regarding local anti-bullying rules, while s face new mandates to assess and report on policy performance.

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

students

Students gain the formal opportunity to provide feedback to county boards on anti-bullying policies and participate in open policy modification actions.

Directly affected

parents or guardians

Parents and guardians gain the right to provide feedback on county anti-bullying policies and attend open board actions modifying those policies.

Directly affected

county board

County boards must reevaluate their anti-bullying policies, open policy modification actions to families, and report on policy effectiveness to LOCEA upon request.

Directly affected

Legislative Oversight Commission on Education Accountability

LOCEA gains the discretion to receive reports from county boards regarding the effectiveness of their anti-bullying policies.

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 new requirements are placed on county school boards regarding bullying policies?
s must reevaluate their existing anti-bullying policies, allow students and parents to provide feedback on those policies, ensure any policy modification actions are open to families and students, and report on policy effectiveness to the when requested.
Who can provide feedback on the anti-bullying policies under this bill?
Parents or guardians of students enrolled within a county, as well as students within the county, must be provided the opportunity to provide feedback.

What else do you want to know?

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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 16, 2026HouseCommittee
    To House Education
  2. Feb 16, 2026HouseIntroduced
    Introduced in House
  3. Feb 16, 2026HouseCommittee
    To Education
  4. Feb 16, 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

Kathie Hess CrouseHouse · District 19RepublicanPrimary sponsor

Discoveries

1 pattern noticed across the record

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

policy shift95% confidence

Expansion of Public Participation in Anti-Bullying Rules

The bill introduces mandatory feedback channels and open modification meetings for parents and students concerning local school board anti-bullying policies.

Legislative Oversight Commission on Education Accountability

Connected Entities

House of Delegates, Committee on Education, West Virginia Education Information System and 4 more
OrganizationHouse of Delegates“Originating chamber”Map →
OrganizationCommittee on Education“House committee referred to”Map →
OrganizationWest Virginia Education Information System“Uniform integrated regional computer information system for reporting bullying i”Map →
OrganizationWest Virginia Legislature“Legislative body passing the bill”Map →
PersonState Superintendent of Schools“Recipient of county board policy copies”Map →
OrganizationWest Virginia Department of Education“Department developing model policies and compiling reports”Map →
OrganizationLegislative Oversight Commission on Education Accountability“Commission receiving effectiveness reports”Map →

Sources

Open source document

www.wvlegislature.gov

Analysis Score

0–100
  • Significance20
    Lowered because this bill did not pass (its text scored 50)
  • Controversy15
    Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
  • Entertainment5
    Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
  • Buzz25
    Current news / social attention level

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