SB459 is a bill in the West Virginia Legislature (2026 Regular Session): Ensuring meaningful contact between child and step-siblings.

What is the status of SB459?

Signed into law as of April 1, 2026. Latest action: Chapter 62, Acts, Regular Session, 2026 (June 25, 2026).

Where is the official record for SB459?

On the West Virginia Legislature website: https://www.wvlegislature.gov/bill_status/Bills_history.cfm?input=459&year=2026&sessiontype=RS&btype=bill

West Virginia legislation · 2026 Regular Session

West Virginia SB459: Ensuring meaningful contact between child and step-siblings

Q: What does SB459 do?

In its own words: An act to amend and reenact §48-9-102 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, relating to ensuring meaningful contact between a child and his or her step-siblings. ARTICLE 9. ALLOCATION OF CUSTODIAL RESPONSIBILITY AND DECISION-MAKING RESPONSIBILITY OF CHILDREN. §48-9-102. Objectives; best interests of the child. (a) The primary objective of this article is to serve the child's best interests, by (2) Parental planning and agreement about the child's custodial arrangements and upbringing; (3) Continuity of existing parent-child attachments; (4) Meaningful contact between a child and each.

Status: Signed into law, April 1, 2026

What the bill says

An act to amend and reenact §48-9-102 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, relating to ensuring meaningful contact between a child and his or her step-siblings. ARTICLE 9. ALLOCATION OF CUSTODIAL RESPONSIBILITY AND DECISION-MAKING RESPONSIBILITY OF CHILDREN. §48-9-102. Objectives; best interests of the child. (a) The primary objective of this article is to serve the child's best interests, by (2) Parental planning and agreement about the child's custodial arrangements and upbringing; (3) Continuity of existing parent-child attachments; (4) Meaningful contact between a child and each.

From the enrolled text, March 13, 2026:

AN ACT to amend and reenact §48-9-102 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, relating to ensuring meaningful contact between a child and his or her step-siblings. ARTICLE 9. ALLOCATION OF CUSTODIAL RESPONSIBILITY AND DECISION-MAKING RESPONSIBILITY OF CHILDREN. §48-9-102. Objectives; best interests of the child. (a) The primary objective of this article is to serve the child's best interests, by (2) Parental planning and agreement about the child's custodial arrangements and upbringing; (3) Continuity of existing parent-child attachments; (4) Meaningful contact between a child and each parent; (5) Caretaking and parenting relationships by adults who love the child, know how to provide for the child's needs, and who place a high priority on doing so; (6) Security from exposure to physical or emotional harm; (7) Expeditious, predictable decisionmaking, and avoidance of prolonged uncertainty respecting arrangements for the child's care and control; and (8) Meaningful contact between a child and his or her siblings, including half-siblings and step-siblings when the child has an established bond with the step-sibling and the step-sibling lives at least part-time with the biological parent. (b) A secondary objective of this article is to achieve fairness between the parents. 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 …

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West Virginia SB459: Ensuring meaningful contact between child and step-siblings

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