# Vernon Criss

Vernon Criss is a Republican member of the West Virginia House for district 12.

- Party: Republican
- Seat: West Virginia House, district 12
- Serving since: 2016-12-01
- Current term: WV 2025–26 session
- Open States ID: ocd-person/381e0784-9202-4308-a138-399c84740804

Source: https://americaspoliticalpulse.com/p/381e0784-9202-4308-a138-399c84740804 (America’s Political Pulse, Polarization Research Lab), data through 2026-10-27. Data under CC BY 4.0. Cite as: Westwood, Sean J., and Yphtach Lelkes. 2024. America's Political Pulse [data set].

## Headline

62% of the 37 bills Criss sponsored got out of committee, in the top 5% of the West Virginia House.

## Ideology (CSIP)

CSIP score +0.31 (standard error 0.02), from 79 donors and 888 roll calls. Negative is left of 0, positive right of it, on one scale for every official. 43% of State House Republicans score lower.

## Votes (WV 2025–26 session)

1,396 roll calls. Attendance 98.9% (West Virginia House 95.6%). Party unity 88% (86%). 55 votes against the party majority.

Key votes:

- 2026-03-14 · voted yea · PASSAGE · SB 952 Transferring Court Security Fund · pass · https://openstates.org/wv/bills/2026/SB952/
- 2026-03-14 · voted yea · PASSAGE-SENATE AMENDED HB · HB 4538 Regarding fines in DOH work zones · pass · https://openstates.org/wv/bills/2026/HB4538/
- 2026-03-14 · voted yea · PASSAGE-SENATE AMENDED HB · HB 5462 Relating to Mine Subsidence · pass · https://openstates.org/wv/bills/2026/HB5462/
- 2026-03-14 · voted yea · EFFECT Jul 01, 2026 · HB 5441 Reforming State Personnel System · pass · https://openstates.org/wv/bills/2026/HB5441/
- 2026-03-14 · voted nay · PREVIOUS QUESTION · HB 5381 Relating to developing a comprehensive energy development policy and plan for the Office of Energy · pass · https://openstates.org/wv/bills/2026/HB5381/
- 2026-03-14 · voted yea · EFFECT FROM PASSAGE · SB 1043 Supplemental appropriation to Department of Agriculture, fund 1401 · pass · https://openstates.org/wv/bills/2026/SB1043/
- 2026-03-14 · voted yea · PASSAGE-SENATE AMENDED HB · HB 4577 Relating to driver’s licenses · pass · https://openstates.org/wv/bills/2026/HB4577/
- 2026-03-14 · voted yea · PASSAGE-SENATE AMENDED HB · HB 5528 Relating to protection of personal residential information of certain public officials. · pass · https://openstates.org/wv/bills/2026/HB5528/
- 2026-03-14 · voted yea · EFFECT FROM PASSAGE · HB 5693 Supplemental appropriation, Department of Tourism Revenue · pass · https://openstates.org/wv/bills/2026/HB5693/
- 2026-03-14 · voted yea · PASSAGE-SENATE AMENDED HB · HB 5686 Relating to the timing of payments of annually required deposit into an eligible recipient’s Hope Scholarship account · pass · https://openstates.org/wv/bills/2026/HB5686/

## Legislation (WV 2025–26 session)

Sponsored 37 bills: 37 reached committee, 23 passed one chamber, 17 passed both, 15 became law. Cosponsored 48. 62.2% of sponsored bills got out of committee (West Virginia House 22.2%; rank 4 of 84).

Recent sponsored bills:

- HB 5693: Supplemental appropriation, Department of Tourism Revenue (became law, 2026-08-13) https://openstates.org/wv/bills/2026/HB5693/
- HB 5690: Supplemental appropriation, Adjutant General (became law, 2026-08-13) https://openstates.org/wv/bills/2026/HB5690/
- HB 5691: Supplemental appropriation, Department of Health (became law, 2026-08-13) https://openstates.org/wv/bills/2026/HB5691/
- HB 5692: Supplemental appropriation, State Road Fund (became law, 2026-08-13) https://openstates.org/wv/bills/2026/HB5692/
- HB 5689: Supplemental appropriation, Department of Homeland Security (became law, 2026-08-13) https://openstates.org/wv/bills/2026/HB5689/
- HB 5687: Relating to reducing the tax rate imposed on the gross value of metallurgical coal produced in this state (passed both chambers, 2026-03-13) https://openstates.org/wv/bills/2026/HB5687/
- HJR 42: Homestead exemption (passed both chambers, 2026-03-13) https://openstates.org/wv/bills/2026/HJR42/
- HB 5686: Relating to the timing of payments of annually required deposit into an eligible recipient’s Hope Scholarship account (became law, 2026-06-29) https://openstates.org/wv/bills/2026/HB5686/
- HB 5682: Supplemental Appropriation to expire funds to surplus balance of General Revenue (became law, 2026-08-21) https://openstates.org/wv/bills/2026/HB5682/
- HB 5353: To bring virtual currency kiosks within the purview of money transmission licensure and create disclosure requirements and daily transaction limitations for… (became law, 2026-08-13) https://openstates.org/wv/bills/2026/HB5353/

## Campaign money (2026 cycle)

Itemized receipts $66.9K (State House Republicans median $33.7K). 63% of itemized individual money came from in state. Aggregates only; no individual donors.

## Links

- Official site: https://www.wvlegislature.gov/House/lawmaker.cfm?member=Delegate%20Criss
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/electvernoncriss/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/crissforhouse/

Full profile, with every chart and the methods: https://americaspoliticalpulse.com/p/381e0784-9202-4308-a138-399c84740804