This bill proposes the establishment of a new Department of Workforce Services in West Virginia, aimed at consolidating various workforce-related programs, including vocational rehabilitation, adult education, and public assistance. The bill mandates the transfer of existing agencies such as the Bureau for Family Assistance and the Division of Rehabilitation Services into this new department by July 1, 2027. It also integrates work requirements for SNAP, TANF, and Medicaid populations in alignment with the federal One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB) Act of 2025. The Secretary of the Department will oversee the new system and is empowered to enter into contracts and grants with federal and state agencies.

In addition to creating the new department, the bill includes several repeals and amendments to existing laws, particularly those related to the previous workforce investment framework. It repeals sections concerning the Workforce Development Board's definitions, structures, and duties, while updating the executive departments to reflect the new Department of Workforce Services. The bill also modifies the salary structure for state officers, removing the Commissioner of Workforce West Virginia from the salary list and establishing a salary for the Secretary of Workforce Services. New provisions for work requirements under SNAP and TANF are introduced, ensuring automatic enrollment in a job-matching database for individuals subject to these requirements, while also providing exemptions for those in full-time programs under the Division of Rehabilitation Services or the Office of Adult Education.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 5F-1-2, 5F-2-1a, 6-7-2a, 9-5-5, 18-5-19c, 18-10A-2, 21B-1-1, 21B-1-2, 21B-1-3, 21B-1-4, 21B-1-5, 21B-1-6, 21B-1-7, 21B-2-1, 21B-2-2, 21B-2-3, 21B-3-1, 21B-3-2, 5B-2B-1, 5B-2B-2, 5B-2B-3, 5B-2B-4, 5B-2B-4b, 5B-2B-5, 5B-2B-6, 5B-2B-8, 5B-2B-9, 9-3-1, 9-3-2, 9-3-3, 9-3-4, 9-3-5, 9-3-6, 9-8-1, 9-8-2, 9-8-3, 9-8-4, 9-8-5, 9-8-6, 9-8-7, 9-8-8, 9-8-9, 9-8-10, 9-8-11, 9-8-12, 9-9-1, 9-9-2, 9-9-3, 9-9-4, 9-9-5, 9-9-6, 9-9-7, 9-9-8, 9-9-9, 9-9-10, 9-9-11, 9-9-12, 9-9-13, 9-9-14, 9-9-15, 9-9-16, 9-9-17, 9-9-18, 9-9-19, 9-9-20, 9-9-21, 9-9-22