WEST VIRGINIA LEGISLATURE
2024 REGULAR SESSION
Committee Substitute for Senate Bill 616
BY SENATORS TRUMP, WOELFEL, AND DEEDS
[Originating in the Committee on the Judiciary;
reported February 7, 2024]
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1 A BILL to amend and reenact §48-27-204 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended,
2 relating to the definition of "family or household members" for purposes of prevention and
3 treatment of domestic violence; and adding brother-in-law and sister-in-law to the
4 definition of “family or household members” subject to domestic violence laws.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
ARTICLE 27. PREVENTION AND TREATMENT OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
PART II. DEFINITIONS.
§48-27-204. Family or household members defined.
1 "Family or household members" means persons who:
2 (1) Are or were married to each other;
3 (2) Are or were living together as spouses;
4 (3) Are or were sexual or intimate partners;
5 (4) Are or were dating: Provided, That a casual acquaintance or ordinary fraternization
6 between persons in a business or social context does not establish a dating relationship;
7 (5) Are or were residing together in the same household;
8 (6) Have a child in common regardless of whether they have ever married or lived together;
9 (7) Have the following relationships to another person:
10 (A) Parent;
11 (B) Stepparent;
12 (C) Brother or sister;
13 (D) Half-brother or half-sister;
14 (E) Stepbrother or stepsister;
15 (F) Father-in-law or mother-in-law;
16 (G) Stepfather-in-law or stepmother-in-law;
17 (H) Child or stepchild;
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18 (I) Daughter-in-law or son-in-law;
19 (J) Stepdaughter-in-law or stepson-in-law;
20 (K) Grandparent;
21 (L) Step grandparent;
22 (M) Aunt, aunt-in-law, or step aunt;
23 (N) Uncle, uncle-in-law, or step uncle;
24 (O) Brother-in-law or sister-in-law;
25 (O) (P) Niece or nephew;
26 (P) (Q) First or second cousin; or
27 (8) Have the relationships set forth in paragraphs (A) through (P), (Q), subdivision (7) of
28 this section to a family or household member, as defined in subdivisions (1) through (6) of this
29 section.
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Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 48-27-204
Committee Substitute: 48-27-204