---
type: "Bill"
title: "Regarding fines in DOH work zones"
description: "Regarding fines in DOH work zones"
jurisdiction: "us/states/wv"
legislature: "West Virginia Legislature"
session: "2026"
identifier: "HB 4538"
citation: "West Virginia HB 4538 (2026)"
classification: ["bill"]
subjects: ["Roads and Transportation"]
status: "enacted"
primary_sponsors: ["Howell, G."]
version_count: 9
action_count: 45
vote_count: 3
first_action: "2026-01-19"
last_action: "2026-06-29"
source: "openstates"
source_identifier: "ocd-bill/b78ffbca-8a1b-4693-80ff-e962a1cc1c9d"
source_url: "https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Status/Bills_history.cfm?input=4538&year=2026&sessiontype=RS&btype=bill"
source_hash: "18e336be2bc60e2c01605609327fa1ad47210ad75b62cd40bfdda0663e91fcac"
vintage: "2026-07-01"
source_snapshot: "https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump"
retrieved_at: "2026-07-06"
confidence: "reported"
tags: ["legislation", "bill", "us-wv"]
---

# West Virginia HB 4538 (2026) — Regarding fines in DOH work zones

## Version chain

The bill's text revisions, in order — the diff chain from filing to enrollment.

1. **Committee Substitute** (committee substitute) — [source](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Status/bills_text.cfm?billdoc=hb4538%20sub1.htm&yr=2026&sesstype=RS&i=4538)
2. **Engrossed Committee Substitute** (committee substitute) — [source](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Status/bills_text.cfm?billdoc=hb4538%20sub1%20eng.htm&yr=2026&sesstype=RS&i=4538)
3. **Enrolled Committee Substitute** (committee substitute) — [source](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Status/bills_text.cfm?billdoc=hb4538%20sub1%20enr.htm&yr=2026&sesstype=RS&i=4538)
4. **Introduced Version** (committee substitute) — [source](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Status/bills_text.cfm?billdoc=hb4538%20intr.htm&yr=2026&sesstype=RS&i=4538)
5. **hb4538 hfa flanigan akers 3-2 _1 adopted.htm** (committee substitute) — [source](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/legisdocs/chamber/2026/RS/floor_amends/hb4538%20hfa%20flanigan%20akers%203-2%20_1%20adopted.htm)
6. **hb4538 hfat akers 3-3 adopted.htm** (committee substitute) — [source](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/legisdocs/chamber/2026/RS/floor_amends/hb4538%20hfat%20akers%203-3%20adopted.htm)
7. **hb4538 sfa m. maynard _1 3-11 adopted.htm** (committee substitute) — [source](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/legisdocs/chamber/2026/RS/floor_amends/hb4538%20sfa%20m.%20maynard%20_1%203-11%20adopted.htm)
8. **hb4538 sfa m. maynard _1 3-12 adopted.htm** (committee substitute) — [source](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/legisdocs/chamber/2026/RS/floor_amends/hb4538%20sfa%20m.%20maynard%20_1%203-12%20adopted.htm)
9. **hb4538 sfat m. maynard _1 3-12 adopted.htm** (committee substitute) — [source](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/legisdocs/chamber/2026/RS/floor_amends/hb4538%20sfat%20m.%20maynard%20_1%203-12%20adopted.htm)

## Votes

- Passage — **34–0** (pass) · upper
- PASSAGE-SENATE AMENDED HB — **97–0** (pass) · lower
- PASSAGE — **94–0** (pass) · lower

## Sponsors

- Howell, G. — primary (person)
- Sheedy — cosponsor (person)

## Timeline

The legislative action history — every referral, reading, and vote.

- **2026-01-19** Filed for introduction `filing`
- **2026-01-19** To Judiciary `referral-committee`
- **2026-01-19** Introduced in House `introduction`
- **2026-01-19** To House Judiciary `referral-committee`
- **2026-02-26** Markup Discussion
- **2026-02-28** By substitute, do pass
- **2026-03-02** On 1st reading, Special Calendar
- **2026-03-02** Read 1st time `reading-1`
- **2026-03-03** On 2nd reading, Special Calendar
- **2026-03-03** Read 2nd time `reading-2`
- **2026-03-03** Amendment reported by the Clerk
- **2026-03-03** Amendment adopted (Voice vote)
- **2026-03-04** On 3rd reading, Special Calendar
- **2026-03-04** Read 3rd time `reading-3`
- **2026-03-04** Passed House (Roll No. 287) `passage`
- **2026-03-04** Title amendment adopted (Voice vote)
- **2026-03-04** Communicated to Senate
- **2026-03-05** Introduced in Senate `introduction`
- **2026-03-05** To Transportation and Infrastructure
- **2026-03-05** To Transportation and Infrastructure
- **2026-03-10** Reported do pass `committee-passage`
- **2026-03-10** Immediate consideration
- **2026-03-10** Read 1st time `reading-1`
- **2026-03-11** On 2nd reading
- **2026-03-11** Read 2nd time `reading-2`
- **2026-03-11** Floor amendment adopted (Voice vote)
- **2026-03-12** On 3rd reading
- **2026-03-12** Read 3rd time `reading-3`
- **2026-03-12** Deferred until foot of 2nd reading
- **2026-03-12** Unanimous consent to amend on 3rd reading
- **2026-03-12** Amended on 3rd reading (Voice vote)
- **2026-03-12** Passed Senate (Roll No. 519) `passage`
- **2026-03-12** Title amendment adopted
- **2026-03-12** Senate requests House to concur
- **2026-03-14** House received Senate message
- **2026-03-14** House concurred in Senate amendment and title amendment and passed bill (Roll No. 637)
- **2026-03-14** Communicated to Senate
- **2026-03-14** Completed legislative action
- **2026-03-14** House Message received
- **2026-03-31** To Governor 3/31/2026 `executive-receipt`
- **2026-03-14** To Governor 3/31/2026 - Senate Journal `executive-receipt`
- **2026-03-14** Approved by Governor 4/1/2026 - Senate Journal `executive-signature`
- **2026-03-14** Approved by Governor 4/1/2026 - House Journal `executive-signature`
- **2026-04-01** Approved by Governor 4/1/2026 `executive-signature`
- **2026-06-29** Chapter 198, Acts, Regular Session, 2026 `became-law`

## Source

OpenStates / OpenCivicData bulk snapshot [2026-07-01](https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump); origin `ocd-bill/b78ffbca-8a1b-4693-80ff-e962a1cc1c9d`. Confidence: reported (aggregated from official West Virginia legislature records).