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 ongoing daily fine of $100 until the misinformation is corrected. The fines collected will be split between the West Virginia Home Educators Association and Christian Home Educators of West Virginia to support their efforts in educating parents about 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 overarching goal of this legislation is to ensure compliance with legal standards, promote transparency, and protect the rights of parents and guardians in the educational process.

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