House Bill 2819 aims to amend the Code of West Virginia by introducing a new section, 18-8-2a, which establishes penalties for county and state boards of education that provide misinformation to parents, custodians, and other individuals. The bill stipulates that a fine of $500 will be imposed for each incident of misinformation communicated through any medium, including letters, emails, and social media. Additionally, more severe penalties are outlined for misinformation disseminated via official websites and social media platforms, with fines of $5,000 per instance and an additional $100 per day for ongoing misinformation. These fines are intended to support organizations that educate parents about their homeschooling rights.

Furthermore, the bill specifies penalties for county or state boards of education that fail to file necessary paperwork for HOPE Scholarship recipients in a timely manner, requiring them to pay the amount of the lost scholarship directly to the affected families. The legislation emphasizes the importance of compliance with legal standards and aims to reinforce transparency while safeguarding the rights of parents and guardians in the educational process. Overall, the bill seeks to hold educational authorities accountable for the accuracy of the information they provide.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 18-8-2a