West Virginia2026Enacted
HB4265
Law Allowing Agencies to Create Rules on Dog Tags, Food Standards, and Professional Licenses
Last scannedAug 22, 2026, 11:08 AM
In one sentence
This law gives the Department of Agriculture and various state boards the power to write new rules about dog registration tags, food standards like apples and milk, hemp products, and professional licensing requirements.
What it does
- Allows the Department of Agriculture to create a rule for dog registration forms and tax tags used for control.
- Authorizes the Department of Agriculture to set grades and standards for apples, public markets, Grade A pasteurized milk, agritourism, exempted dairy farms, hemp products, kratom derivatives, and livestock dealer licensing.
- Permits various boards to write rules about registration, fees, training exams, continuing education, and operational standards for professionals including architects, barbers, cosmetologists, contractors, counselors, funeral directors, medical staff, pharmacists, optometrists, osteopathic physicians, physical therapists, occupational therapists, landscape architects, and municipal pension oversight.
- Authorizes the Attorney General to create rules on third-party dispute mechanisms, fair treatment of crime victims and witnesses, home improvement transactions, sales of damaged goods, and preneed burial contracts.
- Directs certain agencies and boards to repeal current legislative rules that are no longer needed.
Who it affects
- Dog owners who must register their pets with tags for taxation and control purposes.
- Farmers, food processors, sellers of apples, milk, hemp products, kratom derivatives, agritourism operators, exempted dairy farms, and livestock dealers.
- Licensed professionals including architects, barbers, cosmetologists, contractors, counselors, funeral directors, medical staff (physicians, physician assistants, podiatric physicians), pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, optometrists, osteopathic physicians, physical therapists, occupational therapists, landscape architects, and municipal pension officials.
- State agencies such as the Department of Agriculture, Attorney General's office, State Auditor, and various professional licensing boards.
Limits and unknowns
- The text lists the topics for rules but does not include the specific details of what those future rules will say.
- The effective date is listed as 'in effect from passage' in March 2026, but no exact calendar day is provided in this excerpt.
Plain language
Terms to know
- Legislative rule
- A specific regulation written by a state agency that has the force of law after approval.
- Promulgate
- To officially create, publish, or put into effect a new rule or law.
Official record
Sources
Official summary
Relating to authorizing the Department of Agriculture to promulgate a legislative rule relating to registration forms and tags for registration, taxation, and control of dogs.
Official activity
Bill history
- Chapter 220, Acts, Regular Session, 2026H
- Approved by Governor 4/1/2026H
- To Governor 3/18/2026H
- Approved by Governor 4/1/2026 - House JournalH
- Approved by Governor 4/1/2026 - Senate JournalS
- To Governor 3/18/2026 - Senate JournalS
- House Message receivedS
- Completed legislative actionH
- Communicated to SenateH
- Effective from passage (Roll No. 690)H
- House concurred in Senate amendment and passed bill (Roll No. 689)H
- House received Senate messageH
- Senate requests House to concurS
- Effective from passage (Roll No. 457)S
- Passed Senate (Roll No. 456)S
- Read 3rd timeS
- On 3rd readingS
- Committee amendment adopted (Voice vote)S
- Read 2nd timeS
- Laid over on 2nd reading 3/9/2026S