Higher Education Administrative Rules and Mental Health Loan Program Authorization
Summary
West Virginia Governor signed HB5354 into law, authorizing the Higher Education Policy Commission to promulgate rules regarding administrative exemptions and a mental health loan program. The legislation also authorizes the Council for Community and Technical College Education to promulgate rules for the STAND program while repealing existing rules on purchasing efficiencies and the research trust fund program.
What changed
HB5354 enacts new legislative authorization for two West Virginia higher education agencies to promulgate administrative rules. The Higher Education Policy Commission gains authority to establish rules for an administrative exemption process and a mental health loan program for students. The Council for Community and Technical College Education receives authority to create rules for the STAND program. The bill simultaneously repeals existing rules related to purchasing efficiencies and the research trust fund program.
Affected parties including higher education institutions, students seeking mental health financial assistance, and community college students in STAND programs should monitor for forthcoming rulemaking from both agencies. Institutions previously operating under the repealed purchasing efficiencies and research trust fund rules should review any transitional provisions and updated program requirements that may emerge from the new rulemaking processes.
What to do next
- Monitor for Higher Education Policy Commission rulemaking on administrative exemptions and mental health loan program
- Monitor for Council for Community and Technical College Education rulemaking on STAND program
Source document (simplified)
ChangeBridge / West Virginia / HB5354 Signed by Governor HB5354 House Bill Signed by Governor 2026-03-14
Relating to authorizing legislative rules regarding higher education
The purpose of this bill is to authorize the Higher Education Policy Commission to promulgate rules regarding administrative exemption and mental health loan program; and to repeal rules regarding purchasing efficiencies and research trust fund program; and to authorize the Council for Community and Technical College Education to promulgate a rule regarding the STAND program; and to repeal a rule regarding purchasing efficiencies.
Bill Details
State West Virginia
Session 2026 Regular Session
Chamber House
Official Source www.wvlegislature.gov/BillStatus/Billshi...
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Sponsors
Joseph Statler (Rep - R) Christopher Toney (Rep - R)
Action History
2026-04-01 H Approved by Governor 4/1/2026 2026-03-14 H Approved by Governor 4/1/2026 - House Journal 2026-03-14 S Approved by Governor 4/1/2026 - Senate Journal 2026-03-18 H To Governor 3/18/2026 2026-03-14 S To Governor 3/18/2026 - Senate Journal 2026-03-14 S House Message received 2026-03-13 H Completed legislative action 2026-03-13 H Communicated to Senate 2026-03-13 H Effective from passage (Roll No. 503) 2026-03-13 H House received Senate message 2026-03-11 S Senate requests House to concur in changed effective date 2026-03-11 S Effective from passage (Roll No. 469) 2026-03-11 S Passed Senate (Roll No. 468) 2026-03-11 S Read 3rd time 2026-03-11 S On 3rd reading 2026-03-10 S Read 2nd time 2026-03-09 S Laid over on 2nd reading 3/9/2026 2026-03-09 S On 2nd reading 2026-03-06 S Read 1st time 2026-03-06 S On 1st reading 2026-03-05 S Reported do pass 2026-03-04 S To Education 2026-03-04 S To Education 2026-03-04 S Introduced in Senate 2026-03-02 H Communicated to Senate 2026-03-02 H Passed House (Roll No. 243) 2026-03-02 H Read 3rd time 2026-03-02 H On 3rd reading, Special Calendar 2026-02-27 H Read 2nd time 2026-02-27 H On 2nd reading, Special Calendar 2026-02-26 H Read 1st time 2026-02-26 H On 1st reading, Special Calendar 2026-02-25 H Do pass 2026-02-23 H Markup Discussion 2026-02-09 H To House Education 2026-02-09 H Introduced in House 2026-02-09 H To Education 2026-02-09 H Filed for introduction
Votes
2026-03-02 Passed House (Roll No. 243) Yea: 94 Nay: 2 2026-03-11 Passed Senate (Roll No. 468) Yea: 34 Nay: 0 2026-03-11 Effective from passage (Roll No. 469) Yea: 34 Nay: 0 2026-03-13 Effective from passage (Roll No. 503) Yea: 94 Nay: 2
Committee Referrals
2026-02-09 H Education 2026-03-04 S Education
Bill Text Versions
0000-00-00 Introduced 0000-00-00 Engrossed 0000-00-00 Enrolled
Subjects
Education (Higher) Legislative data powered by LegiScan (CC BY 4.0)
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