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HB 4656WEST VIRGINIASession 2026State Billdead
Did Not Advance

West Virginia Bill HB 4656 Establishes New Interventions for Chronic Absenteeism and Removes Criminal Penalties for Truancy

Original title: Relating to chronic absenteeism

Last action · March 11, 2026: On 2nd reading, rereferred to EducationSponsors: Joe Ellington and 9 others

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

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

What This Bill Proposed

West Virginia House Bill 4656 redefines chronic absenteeism, ends compulsory school attendance on a student's 18th birthday, removes criminal penalties for 18-year-old students, and transitions truancy status offenses into a "" framework.

Why it matters

The measure shifts the state's legal response to chronic student absenteeism from criminal prosecution and traditional truancy status offenses toward coordinated school-based support services and community diversion programs, impacting school districts, county prosecutors, circuit courts, and families of students with excessive absences.

Background
  • West Virginia's compulsory school attendance laws previously mandated attendance through age 17 and relied heavily on criminal penalties and truancy status offenses to address unexcused absences. 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

Students

Students face modified compulsory attendance ages, new attendance support measures, and altered legal procedures regarding chronic absenteeism instead of traditional truancy status offenses.

Directly affected

Parents, guardians, and custodians

Parents and guardians of students under 18 remain subject to legal notices and potential misdemeanor complaints for unexcused absences, while gaining access to coordinated support plans and diversion services.

Directly affected

County attendance directors

Attendance directors must manage new notification timelines, coordinate wraparound services with the Department of Human Services, and ensure the implementation of the State Board's System of Support Plan.

Directly affected

Circuit courts and county prosecutors

Courts and prosecutors oversee new child in need of supervision petitions, monitor prepetition diversion programs, and handle the transition and dismissal of legacy truancy status offenses.

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

Can a child in need of supervision be placed in a Bureau of Juvenile Services facility?
No. The bill explicitly prohibits placing a who is being monitored by the circuit court into a Bureau of Juvenile Services facility.

What else do you want to know?

News Coverage

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

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Where This Stands

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

Procedural history

24 actions
  1. Mar 11, 2026Senate
    On 2nd reading, rereferred to Education
  2. Mar 11, 2026Senate
    Read 1st time
  3. Mar 11, 2026Senate
    Immediate consideration
  4. Mar 11, 2026Senate
    Without recommendation, but first rereferred to Education then Finance
  5. Feb 25, 2026SenateCommittee
    To Education
  6. Feb 25, 2026SenateCommittee
    To Education then Finance
Show 18 earlier actions
  1. Feb 25, 2026SenateIntroduced
    Introduced in Senate
  2. Feb 24, 2026House
    Communicated to Senate
  3. Feb 24, 2026HouseFloor
    Passed House (Roll No. 171)
  4. Feb 24, 2026House
    Read 3rd time
  5. Feb 24, 2026House
    On 3rd reading, Special Calendar
  6. Feb 23, 2026House
    Read 2nd time
  7. Feb 23, 2026House
    On 2nd reading, Special Calendar
  8. Feb 20, 2026House
    Read 1st time
  9. Feb 20, 2026House
    On 1st reading, Special Calendar
  10. Feb 19, 2026House
    By substitute, do pass
  11. Feb 17, 2026House
    Markup Discussion
  12. Jan 28, 2026HouseCommittee
    To House Judiciary
  13. Jan 28, 2026House
    Do pass, but first to Judiciary
  14. Jan 23, 2026House
    Markup Discussion
  15. Jan 21, 2026HouseCommittee
    To House Education
  16. Jan 21, 2026HouseIntroduced
    Introduced in House
  17. Jan 21, 2026HouseCommittee
    To Education then Judiciary
  18. Jan 21, 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

Joe EllingtonHouse · District 38RepublicanPrimary sponsor
Joe StatlerHouse · District 77RepublicanSponsor
Chris ToneyHouse · District 43RepublicanSponsor
J.B. AkersHouse · District 55RepublicanSponsor
Jimmy WillisHouse · District 3RepublicanSponsor
Show 5 more sponsors
Mike HornbyHouse · District 93RepublicanSponsor
Kathie Hess CrouseHouse · District 19RepublicanSponsor
PrittHouseSponsorNo profile match
Phil MallowHouse · District 75RepublicanSponsor
Lori DittmanHouse · District 63RepublicanSponsor

Discoveries

1 pattern noticed across the record

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

policy shift98% confidence

Decriminalization of Truancy and Transition to Support Services

The legislation marks a definitive policy shift by removing criminal penalties for 18-year-olds and replacing traditional truancy status offenses with civil child in need of supervision protections and mandatory diversion programs.

Department of Human ServicesWest Virginia Department of Education

Connected Entities

Joe Ellington, Department of Human Services, J.B. Akers and 10 more
PersonJoe Ellington“Lead sponsor of House Bill 4656”Map →
OrganizationDepartment of Human Services“State agency tasked with providing wraparound services and family support”Map →
PersonJ.B. Akers“Co-sponsor of House Bill 4656”Map →
PersonMike Hornby“Co-sponsor of House Bill 4656”Map →
PersonKathie Hess Crouse“Co-sponsor of House Bill 4656”Map →
PersonJimmy Willis“Co-sponsor of House Bill 4656”Map →
PersonJoe Statler“Co-sponsor of House Bill 4656”Map →
PersonPhil Mallow“Co-sponsor of House Bill 4656”Map →
OrganizationBureau of Juvenile Services“Juvenile correctional and detention agency prohibited from housing certain statu”Map →
PersonPritt“Co-sponsor of House Bill 4656”Map →
PersonLori Dittman“Co-sponsor of House Bill 4656”Map →
PersonChris Toney“Co-sponsor of House Bill 4656”Map →
OrganizationWest Virginia Department of Education“State educational agency receiving legislative appropriations and developing sup”Map →

Sources

Open source document

www.wvlegislature.gov

Analysis Score

0–100
  • Significance20
    Lowered because this bill did not pass (its text scored 85)
  • Controversy40
    Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
  • Entertainment5
    Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
  • Buzz30
    Current news / social attention level

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