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HB5444 • 2026
Relating to increasing the amount of fees to be paid by parolees for supervision.
This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.
The plain English breakdown is still being put together. The official documents below are already here.
Approved by Governor 3/17/2026 - House Journal
Approved by Governor 3/17/2026
Approved by Governor 3/17/2026 - Senate Journal
To Governor 3/11/2026 - Senate Journal
To Governor 3/11/2026
House received Senate message
Completed legislative action
Communicated to House
Passed Senate (Roll No. 415)
Read 3rd time
On 3rd reading
Read 2nd time
On 2nd reading
Read 1st time
Immediate consideration
Reported do pass
To Judiciary
To Judiciary
Introduced in Senate
Communicated to Senate
Passed House (Roll No. 189)
Read 3rd time
On 3rd reading, Special Calendar
Read 2nd time
On 2nd reading, Special Calendar
Read 1st time
On 1st reading, Special Calendar
By substitute, do pass
Markup Discussion
To House Judiciary
Markup Discussion
To House Homeland Security
To House Judiciary
Introduced in House
To Judiciary
Filed for introduction
Relating to increasing the amount of fees to be paid by parolees for supervision.
HB 5444 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 Enrolled Version - Final Version House Bill 5444 History OTHER VERSIONS - Committee Substitute (1) | Engrossed Version | Introduced Version | | Email Key: Green = existing Code. Red = new code to be enacted WEST virginia legislature 2026 regular session ENROLLED Committee Substitute for House Bill 5444 By Delegates Akers and Flanigan (By Request of the Department of Homeland Security – Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation) [Passed March 10, 2026; in effect 90 days from passage (June 8, 2026)] AN ACT to amend and reenact §62-12-17 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, relating to conditions of release on probation or parole; increasing monthly parole supervision fees; and making technical corrections. Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia: ARTICLE 12. PROBATION AND PAROLE. §62-12-17. Conditions of release on probation and parole. (a) Release and supervision on parole of any person, including the supervision by the Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation of any person paroled by any other state or by the federal government, shall be upon the following conditions: (1) That the parolee may not, during the period of his or her parole, violate any criminal law of this or any other state or of the United States; (2) That the parolee may not, during the period of his or her parole, leave the state without the consent of the Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation; (3) That the parolee complies with the rules prescribed by the Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation for his or her supervision by the parole officer; (4) That in every case in which the parolee for a conviction is seeking parole from an offense against a child, defined in §61-8-12 of this code, §61-8B-1 et seq. or §61-8D-1 et seq. of this code, or similar convictions from other jurisdictions where the parolee is returning or attempting to return to this state pursuant to the provisions of §15A-7-4 of this code, the parolee may not live in the same residence as any minor child nor exercise visitation with any minor child nor may he or she have any contact with the victim of the offense; and (5) That the parolee, and all federal or foreign state probationers and parolees whose supervision may have been undertaken by this state, pay a fee, based on his or her ability to pay, not to exceed $50 per month to defray the costs of supervision. (b) The Commissioner of the Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation shall keep a record of all actions taken and account for moneys received. All moneys shall be deposited in a special account in the State Treasury to be known as the Parolee's Supervision Fee Fund. Expenditures from the fund shall be for the purposes of providing the parole supervision required by the provisions of this code and are not authorized from collections, but are to be made only in accordance with appropriation by the Legislature and in accordance with the provisions of article three, chapter twelve of this code and upon the fulfillment of the provisions set forth in article two, chapter five-a of this code. Amounts collected which are found, from time to time, to exceed the funds needed for purposes set forth in this article may be transferred to other accounts or funds and redesignated for other purposes by appropriation of the Legislature. (c) The Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation shall consider the following factors in determining whether a parolee or probationer is financially able to pay the fee: (1) Current income prospects for the parolee or probationer, taking into account seasonal variations in income; (2) Liquid assets of the parolee or probationer, assets of the parolee or probationer that may provide collateral to obtain funds and assets of the parolee or probationer that may be liquidated to provide funds to pay the fee; (3) Fixed debts and obligations of the parolee or probationer, including federal, state and local taxes and medical expenses; (4) Child care, transportation and other reasonably necessary expenses of the parolee or probationer related to employment; and (5) The reasonably foreseeable consequences for the parolee or probationer if a waiver of, or reduction in, the fee is denied. (d) In addition, the Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation may impose, subject to modification at any time, any other conditions which the division considers advisable. (e) The Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation may order substance abuse treatment as a condition or as a modification of parole, only if the standardized risk and needs assessment indicates the offender has a high risk for reoffending and a need for substance abuse treatment. (f) The Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation may impose, as an initial condition of parole, a term of reporting to a day report center or other community corrections program only if the standardized risk and needs assessment indicates a moderate to high risk of reoffending and moderate to high criminogenic need. Any parolee required to report to a day report center or other community corrections program is subject to all the rules and regulations of the center or program and may be removed at the discretion of the center's or program's director. The Commissioner of the Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation shall enter into a master agreement with the Division of Administrative Services, Justice and Community Services section to provide reimbursement to counties for the use of community corrections programs by eligible parolees. Any placement by the Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation of a parolee in a day report center or other community corrections program may only be done with the center or program director's consent and the parolee is subject to all of the rules and regulations of the center or program and may be removed by the director. The Clerk of the House of Delegates and the Clerk of the Senate hereby certify that the foregoing bill is correctly enrolled. ............................................................... Clerk of the House of Delegates ............................................................... Clerk of the Senate Originated in the House of Delegates. In effect 90 days from passage. ............................................................... Speaker of the House of Delegates ............................................................... President of the Senate __________ The within is ................................................ this the........................................... Day of ..........................................................................................................., 2026. ............................................................. 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