Plain English Breakdown
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HB4495 • 2026
To allow municipalities to regulate sober living housing in the cities
To allow municipalities to regulate sober living housing in the cities
Housing
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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2026-01-19
H
To House Health and Human Resources
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2026-01-19
H
Introduced in House
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2026-01-19
H
To Health and Human Resources then Judiciary
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2026-01-19
H
Filed for introduction
Official Summary Text
To allow municipalities to regulate sober living housing in the cities
Current Bill Text
Read the full stored bill text
HB 4495 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 4495 History | Email Key: Green = existing Code. Red = new code to be enacted WEST VIRGINIA LEGISLATURE 2026 REGULAR SESSION Introduced House Bill 4495 By Delegates Amos and Heckert [Introduced January 19, 2026; referred to the Committee on Health and Human Resources then the Judiciary] A BILL to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by adding a new article, designated §8-40-1, relating to providing municipalities with the authority to regulate sober living housing within the cities, and requiring that applications must be submitted and approved by the city prior to the facility commencing its operations. Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia: article 40. sober living residences. §8-40-1. Municipalities and sober living residences; authority, requirements. (a) Any sober living or other recovery residence, as defined by §16-59-1 of this code, that is to be placed within the limits of a municipality within this state, must apply for permission from the municipality and receive that permission from the municipality after the recovery residence or sober living facility has received certification under §16-59-2 of this code. (b) A municipality may waive or require the voluntary certification for sober living residences listed in §16-59-2 of this code in determining whether to permit a recovery residence to be established within the municipality's limits. (c) A municipality may require renewals and inspections of sober living facilities as it determines. NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to provide municipalities with the authority to regulate sober living housing within the cities, require that applications must be submitted and approved by the city prior to the facility commencing its operations, granting the municipalities the right to waive or require voluntary certification, and granting municipalities the right to require renewals and inspections of sober living facilities. 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: