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West Virginia Senate opens 2026 session week, approves journal, introduces guests and refers bills to committees
Summary
At its Jan. 15, 2026 floor session the West Virginia Senate opened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, approved the journal by unanimous consent, introduced guests including Dr. Matthew Davis and senior center directors, received committee reports on SB 42 and SB 231, introduced bills 430–471 by unanimous consent, granted leaves of absence and adjourned until Monday at 11 a.m.
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The West Virginia Senate convened Jan. 15 for the first week of its 2026 session, opening with a prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance before moving through routine floor business.
The presiding officer called the body to order and asked those without floor privileges to vacate. The senator from Wood led the opening prayer and the senator from Taylor led the Pledge of Allegiance. The Senate then took up the reading of the journal for Jan. 15, 2026; Senator for Mason requested unanimous consent to dispense with further reading and to approve the journal, and the chair heard no objection.
Senators introduced guests on the floor: the senator from Lewis introduced Dr. Matthew Davis of Lewisburg; the senator from Harrison introduced Beth Fitzgerald and Bill Ohfield of Harrison County and Sally Mathis of Gilmore County and asked the Senate to welcome them.
The floor received committee reports from the Health and Human Resources Committee. Chair Brian Helton reported the committee's recommendation that Senate Bill 42, authorizing over‑the‑counter sale of ivermectin, "do pass" but be referred to the Judiciary Committee under the original double committee reference. Helton also reported a committee substitute for Senate Bill 231 relating to value‑based payment requirements and recommended the substitute "do pass" subject to referral to the Committee on Finance under the original double committee reference.
Later in the session the senator from Lewis requested unanimous consent to introduce Senate Bills 430 through 471, read by title and referred to the appropriate committees via the chamber automation system; the chair heard no objection and the bills were ordered introduced and referred. The clerk read Senate Concurrent Resolution 1, sponsored by senators Smith, Morris Phillips, Martin, Grady, Deeds, Woodrum and M. Maynard, requesting the Department of Highways name certain transportation infrastructure; under Senate rules the resolution will lie over one day.
The Senate granted leaves of absence for several members as requested and heard committee meeting and caucus announcements, including Judiciary Committee and pensions committee schedules. Subject to announcements, the senator from Lewis moved to adjourn; a voice vote showed the ayes had it and the president declared the Senate adjourned until Monday at 11 a.m.
The session on Jan. 15 was primarily procedural: no final floor votes on the bills mentioned were recorded during this sitting, and the committee reports set the path for further committee consideration.
