House Education Committee Advances Raylee’s Law and Several School‑Related Bills

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The House Education Committee advanced a series of education‑related bills Monday evening, including a proposal known as Raylee’s Law, which would temporarily restrict homeschooling in cases involving active child abuse or neglect investigations.
House Bill 5669, named Raylee’s Law, would prohibit a parent or guardian from withdrawing a child from public school to homeschool if there is a pending abuse or neglect investigation. Supporters say the measure is intended to prevent children from being removed from the oversight of teachers and school personnel during active investigations. The committee suspended the rules to move the bill forward, and it now heads to the House Judiciary Committee.
Lawmakers also considered several Senate bills. Senate Bill 155 would allow individuals holding adjunct teaching permits to be hired to fill vacant classroom positions. The measure is intended to give counties more flexibility amid ongoing teacher shortages. The bill was advanced to markup and further discussion.
Senate Bill 694 would remove the requirement that county superintendents live within the county they serve. Counties would have discretion to set residency expectations when negotiating contracts with new superintendents. This bill was also moved to markup.
The committee additionally reviewed Senate Bill 802, which would create “Leave Teachers Alone” days—two noninstructional days each year during which teachers could work in their classrooms without interruption from administrators. Supporters say the days would help educators manage workloads and prepare instructional materials.
All four measures continue through the legislative process as lawmakers enter the final weeks of the session.