SB402 is a bill in the West Virginia Legislature (2026 Regular Session): Workforce Readiness and Opportunity Act.

What is the status of SB402?

Signed into law as of April 1, 2026. Latest action: Chapter 293, Acts, Regular Session, 2026 (June 25, 2026).

Smith, Randy E. (R, 14), with 1 co-sponsor.

Where is the official record for SB402?

On the West Virginia Legislature website: https://www.wvlegislature.gov/bill_status/Bills_history.cfm?input=402&year=2026&sessiontype=RS&btype=bill

West Virginia legislation · 2026 Regular Session

West Virginia SB402: Workforce Readiness and Opportunity Act

Q: What does SB402 do?

In its own words: An act to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by adding a new section, designated §18B-3D-8, relating to creating the West Virginia Micro-Credential Program under the authority of the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission. ARTICLE 3D. WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE. §18B-3D-8. West Virginia Micro-Credential Program. (a) The Legislature finds (2) Students and employees often attain the mastery of valuable skills but lack the ability to demonstrate this mastery in a manner that is meaningful or credible for school districts, charter schools, institutions of higher edu.

Status: Signed into law, April 1, 2026

What the bill says

An act to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by adding a new section, designated §18B-3D-8, relating to creating the West Virginia Micro-Credential Program under the authority of the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission. ARTICLE 3D. WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE. §18B-3D-8. West Virginia Micro-Credential Program. (a) The Legislature finds (2) Students and employees often attain the mastery of valuable skills but lack the ability to demonstrate this mastery in a manner that is meaningful or credible for school districts, charter schools, institutions of higher edu.

From the enrolled text, March 14, 2026:

AN ACT to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by adding a new section, designated §18B-3D-8, relating to creating the West Virginia Micro-Credential Program under the authority of the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission. ARTICLE 3D. WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE. §18B-3D-8. West Virginia Micro-Credential Program. (a) The Legislature finds (2) Students and employees often attain the mastery of valuable skills but lack the ability to demonstrate this mastery in a manner that is meaningful or credible for school districts, charter schools, institutions of higher education, or employers; (3) School districts, nonprofit organizations, institutions of higher education, and employers have created micro-credentialing systems in the past. In these systems, an entity that provides educational opportunities for students and adults establishes the criteria, including curriculum and competencies, and assessments for determining whether a person has acquired the necessary skills for the micro-credential. Individuals who earn the micro-credential can then share the credential with formal or informal education providers or employers or other groups that have a need for persons with the skills represented by the micro-credential; (4) A micro-credentialing system enables individuals to earn micro-credentials from a variety of issuers and use the micro-credentials to provide a much more complete picture of the range of knowledge and skills that the individual has developed. The individual can then incorporate the …

Read the full official text

West Virginia SB402: Workforce Readiness and Opportunity Act

What the bill says

Sponsors

Latest actions

Votes

Common questions