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HB 5264WEST VIRGINIASession 2026State Billdead

Did Not Advance

West Virginia creates legal framework for employee-owned worker cooperative corporations

Original title: Establishing workers cooperative corporations

Last action · February 5, 2026: To House Energy and Public WorksSponsors: Mike Pushkin and 1 other

Bill progressHistory & official text ↓

Introduced

Committee

Floor Vote

Passed

Law

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What This Bill Proposed

West Virginia House Bill 5264 establishes a legal framework for creating and operating employee-owned corporations, allowing businesses to prioritize worker wealth, sustainable jobs, and local community preservation.

Why it matters

The measure introduces a new corporate structure for West Virginia businesses, capping individual worker-member share investments at $5,000 and establishing rules for member capital accounts, profit distribution, and corporate dissolution.

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

West Virginia workers and employees

Workers gain the legal option to form and participate in employee-owned cooperative corporations with regulated capital accounts and profit-sharing.

Directly affected

West Virginia businesses and corporations

Businesses gain a new legal structure allowing them to elect worker cooperative status and organize under specific capital and governance rules.

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 a worker cooperative under this bill?

A is a corporation that includes a class of worker-members whose consists of labor contributed to, personal services performed for, or other work performed for the corporation.

Is there a limit on how much a worker can invest in cooperative shares?

Yes, any aggregate investment by a worker-member in shares or memberships sold under this act may not exceed $5,000.

What happens to unallocated capital accounts if a worker cooperative dissolves?

Upon dissolution, the majority of the unallocated capital account must be distributed to members based on , capital contributions, or a combination of both.

What else do you want to know?

News Coverage

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Where This Stands

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

Procedural history

4 actions

Feb 5, 2026HouseCommittee
To House Energy and Public Works
Feb 5, 2026HouseIntroduced
Introduced in House
Feb 5, 2026HouseCommittee
To Energy and Public Works then Judiciary
Feb 5, 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.

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.

Connected Entities

Mike Pushkin, Rick Garcia, House Energy and Public Works and 1 more

PersonMike Pushkin“Lead sponsor of House Bill 5264”Map →

PersonRick Garcia“Co-sponsor of House Bill 5264”Map →

OrganizationHouse Energy and Public Works“Initial committee of referral”Map →

OrganizationInternational Cooperatives Alliance“Approved national federation for receiving dissolved reserve funds”Map →

Sources

Open source document

www.wvlegislature.gov

Analysis Score

0–100

Significance20
Lowered because this bill did not pass (its text scored 45)
Controversy10
Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
Entertainment5
Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
Buzz20
Current news / social attention level

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