Plain English Breakdown
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HB4139 • 2026
Allow female inmates to work on state convict road crews.
Allow female inmates to work on state convict road crews.
Passed Legislature
This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.
Bill History
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2026-01-14
H
To House Judiciary
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2026-01-14
H
Introduced in House
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2026-01-14
H
To Judiciary
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2026-01-14
H
Filed for introduction
Official Summary Text
Allow female inmates to work on state convict road crews.
Current Bill Text
Read the full stored bill text
HB 4139 Text skip navigation SENATE PRESIDENT SENATORS COMMITTEES VIDEO/AUDIO DISTRICT MAPS SENATE CLERK SENATE RULES HOUSE SPEAKER DELEGATES COMMITTEES VIDEO/AUDIO DISTRICT MAPS HOUSE CLERK HOUSE RULES HOUSE STAFF JOINT INTERIM COMMITTEES LEGISLATIVE ADMINISTRATOR LEGISLATIVE SERVICES DIVISION PUBLIC INFORMATION LEGISLATIVE AUTOMATED SYSTEMS DIVISION LEGISLATIVE AUDITOR'S OFFICE PERFORMANCE EVALUATION & RESEARCH DIVISION POST AUDIT DIVISION BUDGET DIVISION REGULATORY AND FISCAL AFFAIRS DIVISION CLAIMS COMMISSION CRIME VICTIMS RULE-MAKING REVIEW SPECIAL INVESTIGATIONS JUDICIAL COMP. COMMISSION JOINT RULES STAFF INFO BILL STATUS BILL STATUS BILL TRACKING STATE LAW WEST VIRGINIA CODE ACTS OF THE LEGISLATURE CODE OF 1931 WV CONSTITUTION US CONSTITUTION REPORTS AGENCY REPORTS AGENCY GRANT AWARDS PERFORMANCE EVALUATIONS POST AUDITS EDUCATIONAL CITIZEN’S GUIDE INTERNSHIP PROGRAM PAGE PROGRAM PUBLICATIONS PHOTO GALLERY CAPITOL HISTORY HOW A BILL BECOMES LAW CONTACT SENATE ROSTER HOUSE ROSTER PUBLIC INFO. NEWS RELEASES HELPFUL LINKS Introduced Version House Bill 4139 History | Email Key: Green = existing Code. Red = new code to be enacted FISCAL NOTE WEST VIRGINIA LEGISLATURE 2026 REGULAR SESSION Introduced House Bill 4139 By Delegate C. Martin [Introduced January 14, 2026; referred to the Committee on the Judiciary] A BILL to amend and reenact §17-5-1 of the Code of West Virginia,1931, as amended, relating to the state convict road force; making all inmates, regardless of sex, eligible to work on a state convict road force; and providing no road crew be mixed sex. Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia: ARTICLE 5. STATE CONVICT ROAD FORCE. §17-5-1. State convict road force; how used. All male persons convicted of a felony and, sentenced to imprisonment or confinement in the penitentiary a correctional facility by any court, or who may hereafter be sentenced for a felony, whether actually sentenced to labor or not, or so many thereof as may be required by the state road commissioner, shall, as incident to such sentence or confinement, constitute the state convict road force and as such may be employed under the supervision of the state road commissioner in building, surfacing and maintaining roads under the supervision of the state road commissioner, including all roads in the state road system, and in and about any quarries, gravel pits, sandbanks, crushers, brick kilns, or other plants and places operated by the state road commission for the manufacture and acquisition of materials for use in the construction, maintenance and repair of such roads: Provided , That no road crew assembled under this article shall be composed of both male and female persons. NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to permit female inmates to become members of the state convict road force. Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from a heading or the present law and underscoring indicates new language that would be added. Bill Status | Bill Tracking | Legacy WV Code | Bulletin Board | District Maps | Senate Roster | House Roster | Live | Blog | Jobs | Links | Home This Web site is maintained by the West Virginia Legislature's Office of Reference & Information. | Terms of Use | Webmaster | © 2026 West Virginia Legislature ** Print On Demand Name: Email: Phone: