West Virginia Senate Bill SB791

West Virginia 2025 Regular Session

• Introduced: 3/17/25
• Refer: 3/17/25

Caption

Supplemental appropriation to Bureau of Public Health, Office of Maternal, Child, and Family Health

Summary

SB 791 is a supplemental appropriations bill that increases an existing fiscal year 2025 General Revenue appropriation for the West Virginia Birth to Three program within the Department of Health’s Bureau for Public Health, Office of Maternal, Child, and Family Health. The bill authorizes the use of available unappropriated General Revenue balance to provide additional funding for this program for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025. The measure does not create a new program or change eligibility rules; instead, it amends the current budget to raise the amount available to the West Virginia Birth to Three line item to $6,589,343. The bill is framed as a supplemental appropriation based on the Governor’s budget documents and the existence of surplus funds in the State Fund, General Revenue.

Impact

SB 791 affects state budget law by modifying an existing appropriation in the fiscal year 2025 budget for Fund 0426, Organization 0506, under Chapter 16 of the West Virginia Code. Its practical effect is to increase funding available to the Birth to Three early intervention program, which serves infants and toddlers with developmental delays or disabilities and their families. The bill impacts the Department of Health and the program’s ability to spend additional General Revenue during FY 2025, but it does not amend substantive program statutes or alter service requirements.

Sentiment

The available record suggests a neutral to positive posture toward the bill, as it is an executive-request supplemental appropriation and there are no recorded committee transcripts or votes indicating opposition. The bill’s language presents the funding increase as a routine budget adjustment supported by available surplus revenue. Because no discussion or vote history is provided, there is no evidence of significant controversy in the materials supplied.

Contention

No specific points of contention are documented in the provided materials. The only potentially sensitive issue inherent in the bill is the use of unappropriated General Revenue surplus for an added appropriation, but there is no recorded objection, amendment, or debate identifying fiscal concerns, competing priorities, or disagreement over the Birth to Three program itself. In the absence of committee testimony or votes, the bill appears to have been treated as a straightforward supplemental funding measure.