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Bill

HCR 15

Dedicating November 7th as “Pastor Appreciation Day”

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Eric Brooks and 1 co-sponsor

Designate November 7 annually as Pastor Appreciation Day to publicly honor pastors for their leadership and service to communities, with ceremonial recognition only.

To House Rules
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WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · HCR 15

Overview

  • Bill: HCR 15 (House Concurrent Resolution 15)
  • Session: 2026
  • Jurisdiction: West Virginia
  • Purpose: Designate November 7th annually as “Pastor Appreciation Day” in West Virginia to honor pastors and their service to congregations and communities.

Main purpose and intent

  • Recognizes and publicly acknowledges the contributions of pastors and religious leaders.
  • Seeks to celebrate the role of pastors in spiritual guidance, community service, and support during life events, crises, and humanitarian efforts.
  • Frames pastor appreciation as aligned with historical references to honoring church leaders (citing biblical guidance on “double honor” for elders who manage church affairs).

Key provisions

  • Establishes November 7th of each year as “Pastor Appreciation Day” in West Virginia.
  • The designation is a state-level recognition and does not appear to create any new obligations, funding, or administrative requirements beyond proclamation.
  • Includes language emphasizing the various roles pastors play (spiritual leadership, ceremonies, care during illness and disaster response, support for families, and rehabilitation/ministry of compassion).

Who is affected

  • Clergy: Pastors and church leaders across West Virginia would be the primary beneficiaries through formal recognition.
  • Congregations and communities: Benefit from the public acknowledgment of pastors’ service.
  • General public: Indirectly encouraged to honor and appreciate local pastors and religious leaders.

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • Introduced: January 29, 2026
  • Referred to: Rules Committee
  • Status indicates it is a concurrent resolution, not a bill creating new law or appropriation; it serves as a ceremonial designation.
  • If adopted, designation would apply annually starting from 2026 onward on November 7th.

Additional context

  • The resolution cites the broad scope of pastoral work, including rites (weddings, baptisms), counsel, funeral leadership, care for the sick, prison ministry, disaster response, and community service.
  • It references biblical principles (e.g., “double honor” for elders who manage church affairs) to contextualize the proposed tribute.

Summary

HCR 15 seeks to formally designate November 7th each year as Pastor Appreciation Day in West Virginia, aiming to publicly honor pastors for their faith-based service and contributions to individuals and communities. It is a ceremonial resolution with no indicated fiscal impact or regulatory changes, intended to recognize and celebrate the role of pastoral leadership within the state.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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