The civic record
Read. Follow. Verify.West Virginia Bill HB 4142 requires DMV electronic auto insurance verification and mandatory driver coverage
Last action · January 14, 2026: To House FinanceSponsor: Phil Mallow
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What This Bill Proposed
Delegate Mallow introduced House Bill 4142 to require the Department of Motor Vehicles Commissioner to develop and implement an online electronic insurance verification program while mandating that every motor vehicle operator maintain insurance coverage.
Drivers face criminal fines ranging from $200 to $5,000 and potential jail time for failing to carry proof of insurance, while insurance carriers must build web services to verify coverage and cooperate with state enforcement systems.
- House Bill 4142 was introduced during the 2026 Regular Session of the West Virginia Legislature and referred to the House Committee on Finance. context
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.
motor vehicle drivers
Drivers are legally required to maintain insurance coverage and face fines or jail time for violations.
insurance carriers
Insurance companies must cooperate with the DMV, maintain internet web services for on-demand verification, and comply with new rules.
Division of Motor Vehicles
The DMV is tasked with developing, implementing, and overseeing the electronic insurance verification program.
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 is the purpose of the electronic insurance verification program?
Are small insurance companies exempt from the standard reporting rules?
Who is permitted to access information obtained through the electronic insurance system?
What else do you want to know?
News Coverage
Follow the record
Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
This bill did not become law - Died at adjournment · in House committee.
Procedural history
4 actions- Jan 14, 2026HouseCommitteeTo House Finance
- Jan 14, 2026HouseIntroducedIntroduced in House
- Jan 14, 2026HouseCommitteeTo Finance
- Jan 14, 2026HouseIntroducedFiled 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.
View official text →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
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Transition to Real-Time Electronic Verification
The state is moving from paper certificate checks to an automated, on-demand electronic verification framework utilizing XML data standards and insurer web services.
Connected Entities
Sources
www.wvlegislature.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance20Lowered because this bill did not pass (its text scored 65)
- Controversy25Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment10Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz20Current news / social attention level
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