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HB 4168WEST VIRGINIASession 2026State Billdead
Did Not Advance

West Virginia clarifies school vaccine exemption procedures and medical provider protections

Original title: Relating to vaccine requirements

Last action · January 14, 2026: To House Health and Human ResourcesSponsor: Ian Masters

Bill progressHistory & official text ↓
Introduced
Committee
Floor Vote
Passed
Law

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What This Bill Proposed

House Bill 4168 clarifies procedures for obtaining vaccine exemptions for school and child care entry, outlines duties for state health officials, and protects medical providers from administrative or criminal penalties when writing medical exemptions.

Why it matters

Determines the exact legal process families must follow to secure vaccine exemptions for school entry and shields licensed medical professionals from disciplinary action or penalties when issuing medical exemption statements for children.

Who It Would Have Affected

Groups the bill's text would have affected, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.

Directly affected

School children and parents

Must comply with mandatory immunization requirements for school and child care admission or follow specific medical exemption procedures.

Directly affected

Licensed physicians, physician assistants, and nurse practitioners

Receive statutory protections from disciplinary action and administrative or criminal penalties when providing written medical exemption statements.

Directly affected

County health departments

Required to furnish biologicals for immunizations to families who attest they cannot afford or otherwise access vaccines.

Key Facts

You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.

Frequently Asked Questions

What vaccines are required for children entering West Virginia schools or child care centers?
Children must be immunized against chickenpox, hepatitis-b, measles, meningitis, mumps, diphtheria, polio, rubella, tetanus, and whooping cough, unless an exemption applies.
Can medical professionals be penalized for writing a medical exemption for a child?
No. Under the bill, licensing boards cannot take disciplinary action, and medical providers cannot be subjected to administrative or criminal penalties, for providing a written statement that an immunization is detrimental or inappropriate for a child's health.

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Where This Stands

This bill did not become law - Died at adjournment · in House committee.

Procedural history

4 actions
  1. Jan 14, 2026HouseCommittee
    To House Health and Human Resources
  2. Jan 14, 2026HouseIntroduced
    Introduced in House
  3. Jan 14, 2026HouseCommittee
    To Health and Human Resources
  4. Jan 14, 2026HouseIntroduced
    Filed for introduction

Version history

Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.

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Lobbying Activity

No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.

Full breakdown

Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.

Sponsors

Ian MastersHouse · District 91RepublicanPrimary sponsor

Connected Entities

Commissioner of Bureau for Public Health, State Health Officer, Immunization Officer and 1 more
OrganizationCommissioner of Bureau for Public Health“Official tasked with duties regarding childhood immunizations and provisional en”Map →
OrganizationState Health Officer“State health official responsible for providing immunization information, granti”Map →
OrganizationImmunization Officer“A licensed physician appointed by the commissioner to make determinations on exe”Map →
OrganizationHouse Health and Human Resources“Committee to which House Bill 4168 was referred.”Map →

Sources

Open source document

www.wvlegislature.gov

Analysis Score

0–100
  • Significance20
    Lowered because this bill did not pass (its text scored 65)
  • Controversy70
    Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
  • Entertainment10
    Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
  • Buzz45
    Current news / social attention level

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