By Courtney Hessler, The Herald-Dispatch
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The West Virginia Senate passed a bill Tuesday in hopes of giving people battling substance use disorder the same rights as tenants.
Senate Bill 590 would add a new section to housing law, giving tenancy rights to people living in recovery residences, while also giving programs the right to remove someone from the home with cause. The bill passed with 33 senators voting for it. One senator was absent from the session.
The bill was originally introduced by Sen. Mike Woelfel, D-Cabell, who said while many groups operate exceptionally beneficial residence homes in helping people reach sobriety, others are exploiting the same group.
“This bill is a great first step,” he said. “What it allows is some just basic, fundamental, procedural due process that you cannot be kicked out in the middle of the night … unless it’s a legitimate reason.” …
