CHARLESTON — Gov. Patrick Morrisey’s bill to allow for new residents to transfer their occupational and professional licenses from another state to West Virginia received its first vetting Monday in a committee of the House of Delegates.

The House Government Organization Committee held a hearing Monday afternoon on Senate Bill 458, the Universal Professional and Occupational Licensing Act of 2025. The bill will be up for mark-up and discussion at a later date.

SB 458 would allow for universal licensing reciprocity in West Virginia for occupations and professions governed by Chapter 30 of State Code. The bill mandates that professional boards grant licenses to individuals who have been licensed in another state for at least a year under certain circumstances.

“It makes it easier than ever for people who are already licensed in another state to move to West Virginia and get licensed here as well. That will in turn help both the state’s population and the economy grow,” said Sean Whelan, general counsel for the Governor’s Office.

Licensees would need to show they are in good standing in their original state and show that they meet the minimum education, work experience, and clinical supervision requirements in the state they are coming from. The bill would also apply to any new resident who previously passed any required examination for the out-of-state license.

The applicant would need to have a clean disciplinary record, with no rescinding of licenses or voluntary surrenders in other states due to unprofessional conduct, as well as no criminal history. The licensee would still need to pay any applicable state fees for licensure.

The Universal Professional and Occupational Licensing Act includes stipulations for military spouses traveling with their partner to West Virginia and wishing to transfer their occupational license with them. The bill allows professional boards to require an exam on West Virginia-specific laws, while explicitly excluding licenses to practice law and certain background checks.

The bill does not apply to transfer of law licenses from other states, or to background checks. A committee substitute for SB 458 also requires those transferring a medicine, podiatric medicine, or osteopathic medicine licenses to practice in West Virginia without clinical supervision after successfully completing a graduate medical education program approved by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education, the American Osteopathic Association, or the Council on Podiatric Medical Education or Colleges of Podiatric Medicine.

Three of five of West Virginia’s surrounding states — Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Virginia — have some form of universal licensing reciprocity.

SB 458 passed the Senate last week in a 33-0 vote. The bill was part of Morrisey’s legislative agenda laid out in his first State of the State address on Feb. 12.