Dear Parents, Grand Parents, School Leaders and Leaders of West Virgina

 

Please ask God for His favor and wisdom in this important moment. The Lord directs the hearts of leaders, and we need His guidance over every conversation, every hearing, and every vote regarding this new legislation.

A bill introduced by House Finance Chairman Vernon Criss is now moving through the House Finance Committee and could significantly impact the Hope Scholarship program.

A hearing is being held Wednesday, 2-18-26, with markup scheduled for this Friday. This is moving quickly.

Based on the current bill language, the proposal includes:

• Beginning July 1, 2026, Hope Scholarship funding would be capped at $5,250 per student
• Funds limited to in-state use only
• Expanded standardized testing requirements, including additional assessment mandates for students in individualized instructional programs
• Further narrowing of qualifying expenses, tightening definitions of what counts as “educational” spending

One area of particular concern is how the bill is written regarding “in-state use.” As drafted, there is confusion about whether this could restrict payments to out-of-state vendors that many of our schools and families currently rely upon for curriculum, technology platforms, online programs, services, or materials. The language is not clear, and ambiguity at this level creates real risk for both schools and families.

Additionally, the way the bill is written raises questions about whether portions of tuition charged for athletics and fine arts participation could be subject to challenge under the narrowed definition of allowable educational expenses. That uncertainty alone could create complications for schools and families.

This proposal does not affect only Hope families. It affects enrollment stability, budgeting, program offerings, tuition structures, and long-term planning for our schools.

We need broad engagement and you to tell your Legislators what you think!

Please send an email to every parent in your school today asking them to contact members of the House Finance Committee and respectfully express their concerns.

The Hope Scholarship goes universal in the fall and changes to the program will impact the strength and accessibility of Christian education across our state.

Parents should be encouraged to:

• Thank legislators for supporting educational freedom
• Express concern about the funding cap
• Ask for clarity on the “in-state vendor” language
• Ask for clarity regarding tuition related to athletics and fine arts
• Share how these changes could affect their family and school
• Request protection of full funding and reasonable program flexibility

House Finance Committee members:

Delegate Criss – Chair
Delegate Riley – Vice-Chair
Delegate Williams – Minority Chair
Delegate Hornbuckle – Minority Vice-Chair
Delegate Anderson
Delegate Cannon, J.
Delegate Canterbury
Delegate Cooper
Delegate Dittman
Delegate Ellington
Delegate Fehrenbacher
Delegate Gearheart
Delegate Hall
Delegate Hite
Delegate Horst
Delegate Hott
Delegate Howell, G.
Delegate Jeffries
Delegate Linville
Delegate Mazzocchi
Delegate Rohrbach
Delegate Statler
Delegate Toney
Delegate Worrell
Delegate Zatezalo

Timing is critical. Communication before Friday’s markup matters.

Below are the emails of all legislators for you to use in expressing your opinion. You may also use the legislator button on HisGoodNews.tv, select your county, and send your message directly from your email to the legislators who represent you or to the entire group.

Please also make sure that your school has sent all of your parents’ current email addresses to His Good News ([email protected]) so they can receive information about this bill and other Christian education updates each day from WVCEA.

We will continue monitoring developments and provide updates as information becomes available.

Let’s pray earnestly — and then move forward with clarity and courage.

Please help!

Sincerely,

Mike Wilson

WVCEA Legislative Liaison

We expect this fight to intensify. Here are the emails of our WV legislators:

West Virginia House of Delegates - Name + Email

Roger Hanshaw — [email protected]

Stanley Adkins — [email protected]

James Robert “JB” Akers II — [email protected]

Michael Amos — [email protected]

S. Chris Anders — [email protected]

William Anderson — [email protected]

Trenton Barnhart — [email protected]

Bill Bell — [email protected]

Jordan Bridges — [email protected]

Eric Brooks — [email protected]

Ryan Browning — [email protected]

Adam Burkhammer — [email protected]

Roy Cooper — [email protected]

Elias Coop-Gonzalez — [email protected]

Vernon Criss — [email protected]

Kathie Hess Crouse — [email protected]

Mark Dean — [email protected]

Michael DeVault — [email protected]

Henry Dillon — [email protected]

Lori Dittman — [email protected]

Sarah Drennan — [email protected]

Jeff Eldridge — [email protected]

Joe Ellington — [email protected]

Bob Fehrenbacher — [email protected]

Dana Ferrell — [email protected]

Bill Flanigan — [email protected]

Shawn Fluharty — [email protected]

Dave Foggin — [email protected]

Joe Funkhouser — [email protected]

Rick Garcia — [email protected]

Marty Gearheart — [email protected]

David Green — [email protected]

Walter Hall — [email protected]

Anitra Hamilton — [email protected]

Evan Hansen — [email protected]

Scot C. Heckert — [email protected]

Rick Hillenbrand — [email protected]

Michael Hite — [email protected]

Josh Holstein — [email protected]

Sean Hornbuckle — [email protected]

Michael Hornby — [email protected]

Charles Horst — [email protected]

John Paul Hott — [email protected]

Gary G. Howell — [email protected]

Tresa Howell — [email protected]

Dean Jeffries — [email protected]

D. Rolland “Buck” Jennings — [email protected]

Laura Kimble — [email protected]

Larry D. Kump — [email protected]

Jonathan Kyle — [email protected]

Tristan Leavitt — [email protected]

Hollis Lewis — [email protected]

Daniel Linville — [email protected]

Patrick Lucas — [email protected]

Phil Mallow — [email protected]

Keith Marple — [email protected]

Carl Martin — [email protected]

Ian T. Masters — [email protected]

Jordan Maynor — [email protected]

Margitta Mazzocchi — [email protected]

David McCormick — [email protected]

Pat McGeehan — [email protected]

George Miller — [email protected]

Erica Moore — [email protected]

Joe “Happy Joe” Parsons — [email protected]

Mickey Petitto — [email protected]

Chris Phillips — [email protected]

Jonathan Pinson — [email protected]

David Elliott Pritt — [email protected]

Mike Pushkin — [email protected]

Bill Ridenour — [email protected]

Clay Riley — [email protected]

Matthew Rohrbach — [email protected]

Carl “Bill” Roop — [email protected]

Andy Shamblin — [email protected]

Charles Sheedy — [email protected]

Bryan Smith — [email protected]

Doug Smith — [email protected]

Joe Statler — [email protected]

Brandon Steele — [email protected]

Jeffrey Stephens — [email protected]

George Street — [email protected]

Christopher W. Toney — [email protected]

Adam Vance — [email protected]

Bryan Ward — [email protected]

Gregory A. Watt — [email protected]

Lisa White — [email protected]

John Williams — [email protected]

Jimmy Willis — [email protected]

Evan Worrell — [email protected]

Kayla Young — [email protected]

Mark Zatezalo — [email protected]

 

West Virginia Senate- Name & Emails

 

Mike Azinger — [email protected]

Jason Barrett — [email protected]

T. Kevan Bartlett — [email protected]

Laura Wakim Chapman — [email protected]

Anne B. Charnock — [email protected]

Charles H. Clements — [email protected]

Vince Deeds — [email protected]

Scott Fuller — [email protected]

Joey Garcia — [email protected]

Amy Grady — [email protected]

Bill Hamilton — [email protected]

Craig A. Hart — [email protected]

Brian Helton — [email protected]

Glenn Jeffries — [email protected]

Patrick Martin — [email protected]

Mark R. Maynard — [email protected]

Zack Maynard — [email protected]

Robbie Morris — [email protected]

Mike Oliverio — [email protected]

Rupie Phillips — [email protected]

Ben Queen — [email protected]

Rollan A. Roberts — [email protected]

Chris Rose — [email protected]

Patricia Rucker — [email protected]

Randy E. Smith — [email protected]

Tom Takubo — [email protected]

Eric Tarr — [email protected]

Jay Taylor — [email protected]

Darren Thorne — [email protected]

Ryan Weld — [email protected]

Tom Willis — [email protected]

Mike Woelfel — [email protected]

Jack Woodrum — [email protected]