HB 4403
West Virginia Homeless Shelter Oversight & Safety Act
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Sign in to take action- Introduced
- Passed House of Delegates
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Bill overview
This bill, the West Virginia Homeless Shelter Oversight and Safety Act, aims to establish consistent regulations and safety standards for homeless shelters operating in the state. It requires shelters to register annually, obtain a Certificate of Operation meeting specific health, fire, and safety requirements, and adhere to minimum standards for operations and resident rights. The Bureau for Public Health will oversee compliance through inspections and enforce penalties for violations.
Key provisions
- Requires annual registration of all homeless shelters with the Bureau for Public Health.
- Mandates the issuance of a Homeless Shelter Certificate of Operation upon meeting health, fire, and safety standards.
- Establishes minimum standards for cleaning, staffing, infection control, resident rights, and incident reporting.
- Requires criminal background checks for staff and volunteers with resident contact.
- Authorizes civil penalties for violations, including fines and temporary suspension of operations.
- Allows local governments to adopt additional safety or zoning requirements.
- Guarantees residents certain rights, including a safe environment, freedom from discrimination, and access to grievance procedures.
- Grants the Bureau for Public Health rulemaking authority to implement the Act.
Who is affected
- Homeless shelters
- Operators of homeless shelters
- Residents of homeless shelters
- Local governments
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