Bill > SB543

This bill requires the Bureau for Social Services to compile and file its entire policy manual, covering areas like Child Protective Services, foster care, youth services, licensing, and casework standards, as a formal legislative rule by July 1, 2026, and to file any future changes to these policies as amendments to that rule. A legislative rule is a formal regulation created by a state agency that has the force of law, following a specific process outlined in West Virginia Code §29A-3-1 et seq. The bill also clarifies that any internal guidance or emergency procedures that remain in effect for over 180 days must be incorporated into this legislative rule. Importantly, these changes are not intended to create new legal claims against the Bureau for Social Services or its staff, nor do they remove any existing legal protections, such as common law immunity or statutory privileges, that they may have.

Health and Social Services, Justice

http://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Status/Bills_history.cfm?input=543&year=2026&sessiontype=RS&btype=bill