POLISCOPE
Back to bills
Part ofCrime →

The civic record

Read. Follow. Verify.
SB 30WEST VIRGINIASession 2026State Billdead
Did Not Advance

West Virginia Bill Lowers Age to 18 to Carry Concealed Firearms Without a Permit

Original title: Allowing 18 to 20-year-olds to carry concealed weapon without permit

Last action · February 12, 2026: To House JudiciarySponsors: Chris Rose and 8 others

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

Track this bill to get notified when it advances a stage. One tap to stop, anytime.

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

What This Bill Proposed

West Virginia Senate Bill 30 allows citizens aged 18 to 20 to carry concealed deadly weapons without first obtaining a license, provided they are legally eligible to possess a firearm. The measure repeals the previous criminal penalties for individuals under 21 carrying a deadly weapon without a and establishes clear rules and penalties for firearm possession by minors under 18.

Why it matters

Young adults aged 18 to 20 gain the legal right to carry concealed weapons in public spaces without undergoing the state's previous permit and licensing process, altering firearm carrying rules for this demographic across the state.

Background
  • Senate Bill 30 was introduced during the 2026 regular legislative session in West Virginia to modify state firearm carrying age requirements. context
  • West Virginia previously required residents between 18 and 21 to obtain a provisional license to carry concealed handguns under specific statutory provisions. 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

Persons 18 to 20 years of age

Individuals between 18 and 20 years old gain the legal right to carry concealed deadly weapons without obtaining a provisional license.

Directly affected

Minors under 18 years of age

Unmarried and unemancipated minors face specific statutory prohibitions on carrying deadly weapons and new felony or misdemeanor penalties for violations.

Directly affected

Judicial officers and prosecutors

Supreme court justices, circuit judges, magistrates, and prosecuting attorneys are exempt from paying handgun application and licensure fees.

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

Who is eligible to carry a concealed deadly weapon without a license under this bill?
Any United States citizen or legal resident who is at least 18 years old, is not prohibited from possessing a firearm under state or federal law, and meets standard eligibility criteria is allowed to carry a concealed deadly weapon without a license.
Does the bill change firearm rules for minors under the age of 18?
Yes. Unmarried and unemancipated minors under 18 are generally prohibited from possessing or carrying deadly weapons, except in specific situations such as hunting, target practice, on family property, or with direct permission from parents, guardians, and property owners.
What happens if a prohibited person is caught carrying a concealed firearm?
A prohibited person who carries a concealed firearm commits a felony and upon conviction can be confined in a state correctional facility for up to three years or fined up to $5,000, or both. Those with specific prior violent felony convictions face up to 10 years in prison or a $10,000 fine.

What else do you want to know?

News Coverage

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

Follow the record

Votes, people, money & the original source

Where This Stands

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

Procedural history

17 actions
  1. Feb 12, 2026HouseCommittee
    To House Judiciary
  2. Feb 12, 2026HouseCommittee
    To Judiciary
  3. Feb 12, 2026HouseIntroduced
    Introduced in House
  4. Feb 12, 2026House
    House received Senate message
  5. Feb 10, 2026Senate
    Ordered to House
  6. Feb 10, 2026SenateFloor
    Passed Senate (Roll No. 59)
Show 11 earlier actions
  1. Feb 10, 2026Senate
    Read 3rd time
  2. Feb 10, 2026Senate
    On 3rd reading
  3. Feb 9, 2026Senate
    Read 2nd time
  4. Feb 9, 2026Senate
    On 2nd reading
  5. Feb 6, 2026Senate
    Read 1st time
  6. Feb 6, 2026Senate
    On 1st reading
  7. Feb 5, 2026Senate
    Committee substitute reported
  8. Jan 14, 2026SenateCommittee
    To Judiciary
  9. Jan 14, 2026SenateIntroduced
    Introduced in Senate
  10. Jan 14, 2026SenateCommittee
    To Judiciary
  11. Jan 14, 2026SenateIntroduced
    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

Chris RoseSenateRepublicanPrimary sponsor
Rupie PhillipsSenateRepublicanSponsor
Darren ThorneSenateRepublicanSponsor
Craig HartSenateRepublicanSponsor
Tom WillisSenateRepublicanSponsor
Show 4 more sponsors
Patricia RuckerSenateRepublicanSponsor
Vince DeedsSenateRepublicanSponsor
Mike AzingerSenateRepublicanSponsor
Jay TaylorSenateRepublicanSponsor

Discoveries

1 pattern noticed across the record

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

policy shift98% confidence

Lowering Concealed Carry Age Threshold

The legislation reduces the age requirement for carrying concealed firearms without a permit from 21 to 18, repealing prior provisional licensing structures.

West Virginia LegislatureRose

Connected Entities

Chris Rose, Darren Thorne, Vince Deeds and 9 more
PersonChris Rose“Lead sponsor of Senate Bill 30”Map →
PersonDarren Thorne“Cosponsor of Senate Bill 30”Map →
PersonVince Deeds“Cosponsor of Senate Bill 30”Map →
PersonPatricia Rucker“Cosponsor of Senate Bill 30”Map →
PersonCraig Hart“Cosponsor of Senate Bill 30”Map →
PersonTom Willis“Cosponsor of Senate Bill 30”Map →
PersonMike Azinger“Cosponsor of Senate Bill 30”Map →
OrganizationWest Virginia Legislature“Legislative body considering the bill”Map →
OrganizationSupreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia“State supreme court whose justices are exempt from handgun licensing fees”Map →
OrganizationWest Virginia Division of Corrections“State corrections agency whose on-duty employees are exempt from certain firearm”Map →
PersonJay Taylor“Cosponsor of Senate Bill 30”Map →
PersonRupie Phillips“Cosponsor of Senate Bill 30”Map →

Sources

Open source document

www.wvlegislature.gov

Analysis Score

0–100
  • Significance20
    Lowered because this bill did not pass (its text scored 85)
  • Controversy80
    Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
  • Entertainment10
    Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
  • Buzz65
    Current news / social attention level

Publisher tools

Share or embed this record

POLISCOPE publisher tools

Share or embed this record