WV HB2771

Establishes a State "Employment First Policy" requiring that competitive integrated employment be the first and preferred outcome for all publicly funded services provided to working-age individuals with disabilities

Creates an Employment First Taskforce chaired by the Director of the Division of Rehabilitation Services, with members including individuals with disabilities, family members, and representatives from education, workforce, Medicaid, and disability advocacy organizations

Requires the taskforce to develop a comprehensive plan within 12 months that includes timelines for policy alignment, cost projections, strategies to reduce sheltered work settings, and workforce training standards

Removes the exemption that allowed nonprofit sheltered workshops to pay disabled workers less than minimum wage, requiring all employees with disabilities to receive at least the state minimum wage

Mandates compliance with federal requirements including the Home and Community Based Services rule, Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, and Americans with Disabilities Act integration standards from the Olmstead Supreme Court decision