West Virginia legislation · 2026 Regular Session
West Virginia HB5370: Require a 24 -hour hospital hold for persons deemed addicted to specific substances
Status: Introduced, February 9, 2026
What the bill says
To amend and reenact §27-5-2 the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, relating to enacting "Caitlyn's Law," requiring a mandatory 24-hour hold in a hospital or other qualified facility pending an evaluation from a mental hygiene commissioner for all individuals suspected or known to have an addiction or dependency on pending evaluation from a mental hygiene commissioner. article 5. involuntary hospitalization. §27-5-2. Institution of proceedings for involuntary custody for examination; custody; probable cause hearing; examination of individual. (a) Any adult person may make an appli.
From the introduced text, February 9, 2026:
A BILL to amend and reenact §27-5-2 the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, relating to enacting "Caitlyn's Law," requiring a mandatory 24-hour hold in a hospital or other qualified facility pending an evaluation from a mental hygiene commissioner for all individuals suspected or known to have an addiction or dependency on pending evaluation from a mental hygiene commissioner. article 5. involuntary hospitalization. §27-5-2. Institution of proceedings for involuntary custody for examination; custody; probable cause hearing; examination of individual. (a) Any adult person may make an application for involuntary hospitalization for examination of an individual when the person making the application has reason to believe that the individual to be examined has a substance use disorder as defined by the most recent edition of the American Psychiatric Association in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, inclusive of substance use withdrawal, or is mentally ill and because of his or her substance use disorder or mental illness, the individual is likely to cause serious harm to himself, herself, or to others if allowed to remain at liberty while awaiting an examination and certification by a physician, psychologist, licensed professional counselor, licensed independent social worker, an advanced nurse practitioner, or physician assistant as provided in subsection (e) of this section: Provided, That a diagnosis of dementia, epilepsy, or intellectual …