West Virginia House Passes Domestic Violence Registry Bill

Legislation aims to prevent future incidents and protect victims

Published on Feb. 25, 2026

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The West Virginia House of Delegates unanimously passed House Bill 5341, which would create a domestic violence registry managed by the West Virginia State Police. Individuals on the registry would have to remain on the list for 5 years to life, with options for rehabilitation to have their name removed. The bill's sponsors say it is focused on prevention rather than punishment and could help identify abusers, especially with the rise of online dating.

Why it matters

Domestic violence is a major issue in West Virginia, with over 39% of women and 36% of men experiencing it according to the state's Coalition Against Domestic Violence. This registry aims to provide a tool to help identify repeat offenders and potentially prevent future incidents, which supporters say could save lives.

The details

The domestic violence registry bill was sponsored by Delegate Jonathan Kyle (R-Randolph) at the request of a constituent. It would require individuals to be placed on the registry after a second offense, or a first offense deemed severe enough by a judge. Those on the registry would have to remain listed for 5 years to life, but could petition to have their name removed through rehabilitation programs. Supporters, including Delegate Mike Pushkin (D-Kanawha), say the registry is meant to be informative rather than punitive, and could be especially helpful in the age of online dating to screen potential partners.

  • The West Virginia House of Delegates unanimously passed House Bill 5341 on Tuesday, February 25, 2026.

The players

Jonathan Kyle

A Republican delegate from Randolph County who sponsored the domestic violence registry bill at the request of a constituent.

Mike Pushkin

A Democratic delegate from Kanawha County who spoke in favor of the legislation, saying he has been trying to pass similar bills for over a decade.

West Virginia Coalition Against Domestic Violence

A state organization that reported 39.4% of women and 36.3% of men in West Virginia will experience domestic violence.

West Virginia State Police

The agency that would manage the domestic violence registry if the bill becomes law.

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What they’re saying

“This legislation is not about punishment. This legislation is about the prevention of future incidents. If we keep one child from having to see a domestic violence incident in the home and one spouse or intimate partner in the future from being a victim of domestic violence, then this bill has done its job.”

— Jonathan Kyle, Delegate (wvnstv.com)

“With having something that's informative like this. It's not meant to be punitive. But something that informative like this might prevent a lot of really bad situations and might just save some lives.”

— Mike Pushkin, Delegate (wvnstv.com)

What’s next

The domestic violence registry bill will now move to the West Virginia State Senate, where it will need to be passed before heading to the governor's desk to be signed into law.

The takeaway

This registry aims to provide a valuable tool to help identify repeat domestic violence offenders and potentially prevent future incidents, which supporters say could save lives in a state with high rates of domestic abuse. The bipartisan support for the bill suggests it has a strong chance of becoming law and potentially inspiring similar legislation in other states.