Ensuring meaningful contact between child and step-siblings, the official text

WEST VIRGINIA LEGISLATURE

         2026 REGULAR SESSION

                     Enrolled
           Committee Substitute

                         for

           Senate Bill 459

                          By Senator Chapman
         [Passed March 13, 2026; in effect 90 days from

                        passage (June 11, 2026)]
    Enr CS for SB 459

1 AN ACT to amend and reenact §48-9-102 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended,

2   relating to ensuring meaningful contact between a child and his or her step-siblings.

    Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:

    ARTICLE 9. ALLOCATION OF CUSTODIAL RESPONSIBILITY AND DECISION-

    MAKING RESPONSIBILITY OF CHILDREN.

    §48-9-102.         Objectives;  best                 interests  of       the  child.

1   (a) The primary objective of this article is to serve the child’s best interests, by facilitating:

2   (1) Stability of the child;

3   (2) Parental planning and agreement about the child’s custodial arrangements and

4 upbringing;

5   (3) Continuity of existing parent-child attachments;

6   (4) Meaningful contact between a child and each parent;

7   (5) Caretaking and parenting relationships by adults who love the child, know how to

8 provide for the child’s needs, and who place a high priority on doing so;

9   (6) Security from exposure to physical or emotional harm;

10  (7) Expeditious, predictable decisionmaking, and avoidance of prolonged uncertainty

11 respecting arrangements for the child’s care and control; and

12  (8) Meaningful contact between a child and his or her siblings, including half-siblings and

13 step-siblings when the child has an established bond with the step-sibling and the step-sibling

14 lives at least part-time with the biological parent.

15  (b) A secondary objective of this article is to achieve fairness between the parents.

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Enr CS for SB 459
              The Clerk of the Senate and the Clerk of the House of Delegates hereby

         certify that the foregoing bill is correctly enrolled.
         ...............................................................

                       Clerk of the Senate
                           ...............................................................
                               Clerk of the House of Delegates

         Originated in the Senate.
         In effect 90 days from passage.

                                       ...............................................................
                                                 President of the Senate
                                                           ...............................................................
                                                             Speaker of the House of Delegates
                                                        __________

              The within is ................................................ this the...........................................
         Day of ..........................................................................................................., 2026.

                                                                   .............................................................
                                                                                         Governor

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