Shown verbatim: the complete text as captured from the official PDF posted by the West Virginia Legislature, fetched 2026-09-25. Page and line markers are part of the official record; nothing is edited or removed. The official bill page.
WEST VIRGINIA LEGISLATURE
2026 REGULAR SESSION
ENROLLED
House Bill 4437
BY DELEGATES SHEEDY, D. CANNON, MCCORMICK,
ADKINS, GREEN, WATT, VANCE, CLAY, WILLIS, JENNINGS,
AND COOPER
[Passed March 14, 2026; in effect 90 days from
passage (June 12, 2026)]
Enr HB 4437
1 AN ACT to amend and reenact §17A-3-14b of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended,
2 relating to Gold Star Family license plates; exempting a gold star parent from registration
3 fees for one Gold Star Family license plate; defining “gold star parent”; and clarifying
4 definition of “gold star spouse”.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
ARTICLE 3. ORIGINAL AND RENEWAL OF REGISTRATION; ISSUANCE OF
CERTIFICATES OF TITLE.
§17A-3-14b. Special registration plates for military personnel.
1 (a) The division may continue to issue special plates for any plate class authorized by
2 enactments of §17A-3-14 of this code prior to the year 2023 for active, retired, or honorably
3 discharged military personnel, or the next of kin of a member of any branch of the armed services
4 of the United States killed in combat. The division shall charge an initial application fee of $10 for
5 each special registration plate issued pursuant to this section, which is in addition to all other fees
6 required by this chapter. A surviving spouse may continue to use his or her deceased spouse’s
7 military license plate until the surviving spouse dies, remarries, or does not renew the license
8 plate.
9 (b) The applicant shall present documentation as determined by the commissioner as
10 evidence of qualification for any plate authorized in this section.
11 (c) The division may issue a special registration plate pursuant to this section to any
12 number of vehicles titled in the name of the applicant.
13 (d) If a new special plate as authorized in this section recognizes members of a military
14 organization chartered by the United States Congress, the division may produce such plate upon
15 receipt of a guarantee from the organization of a minimum of 100 applicants.
16 (e) A gold star spouse shall be exempt from all registration fees otherwise required by the
17 provisions of this chapter for the registration of one Gold Star Family license plate for personal
1
Enr HB 4437
18 use. For purposes of this section, a “gold star spouse” means a veteran’s widow (remarried or
19 not) or widower (remarried or not) who is eligible to receive a gold star lapel button under 10
20 U.S.C. § 1126.
21 (f) A gold star parent shall be exempt from all registration fees otherwise required by the
22 provisions of this chapter for the registration of one Gold Star Family license plate for personal
23 use. For purposes of this section, "gold star parent" means a veteran’s parent who is eligible to
24 receive a gold star lapel button under 10 U.S.C. § 1126.
2
Enr HB 4437
The Clerk of the House of Delegates and the Clerk of the Senate hereby
certify that the foregoing bill is correctly enrolled.
...............................................................
Clerk of the House of Delegates
...............................................................
Clerk of the Senate
Originated in the House of Delegates.
In effect 90 days from passage.
...............................................................
Speaker of the House of Delegates
...............................................................
President of the Senate
__________
The within is ................................................ this the...........................................
Day of ..........................................................................................................., 2026.
.............................................................
Governor
3Every fact on this page links to its source, starting with the official bill record.