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 these boards will incur a fine of $500 for each incident of misinformation communicated through various channels, including letters, emails, and social media. Specific instances of misinformation that would incur penalties include incorrect guidance on homeschooling procedures, misleading claims about homeschool diplomas, and inaccurate information regarding public school participation for homeschool students.

Additionally, the bill imposes a more substantial fine of $5,000 for misinformation disseminated through official websites and social media, with an extra $100 per day for ongoing misinformation. It also includes penalties for failure to file necessary paperwork for HOPE Scholarship recipients, requiring boards to pay the amount of the lost scholarship directly to affected families. The collected fines are intended to promote compliance with legal standards and protect the rights of parents and guardians in the educational process.

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