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Read. Follow. Verify.West Virginia Bill HB 4901 establishes award categories for pulmonary massive fibrosis without current impairment
Last action · January 28, 2026: To House JudiciarySponsors: Pritt and 7 others
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What This Bill Proposed
House Bill 4901 establishes payment guidelines for workers with without current pulmonary impairment, providing Category A at 10 percent, Category B at 20 percent, and Category C at 30 percent compensation. The bill requires claimants to submit certification from a board-certified pulmonologist and prove that the employer fraudulently concealed or manipulated dust or air quality samples. The measure also mandates that any related cause of action be filed within one year of meeting the requirements.
The measure determines whether workers diagnosed with advanced dust-related lung disease without immediate breathing impairment can secure financial awards and brings specific documentation and proof standards to lawsuits against employers.
- House Bill 4901 was introduced during the 2026 Regular Session of the West Virginia Legislature and referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary. context
- West Virginia's workers' compensation system governs disability and death benefits, including rules surrounding occupational pneumoconiosis and employer immunity from common law torts. 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.
Workers suffering from pulmonary massive fibrosis without current pulmonary impairment
Workers are newly eligible for specific percentage award categories (10, 20, or 30 percent) provided they meet certification and filing requirements.
Employers in hazardous industries
Employers face potential legal liability and causes of action under defined standards requiring proof of fraudulent concealment of dust or air quality samples.
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 compensation do workers receive if they have pulmonary massive fibrosis without current pulmonary impairment?
What proof is required for an employee to bring a cause of action under these new guidelines?
What is the filing deadline for a cause of action based on pulmonary massive fibrosis without current impairment?
What else do you want to know?
News Coverage
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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 28, 2026HouseCommitteeTo House Judiciary
- Jan 28, 2026HouseIntroducedIntroduced in House
- Jan 28, 2026HouseCommitteeTo Judiciary
- Jan 28, 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.
New Payment Tiers for Asymptomatic Pulmonary Fibrosis
The bill creates a tiered compensation structure (10, 20, and 30 percent) specifically for workers with pulmonary massive fibrosis who lack current pulmonary impairment.
Connected Entities
Sources
www.wvlegislature.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance20Lowered because this bill did not pass (its text scored 65)
- Controversy45Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment10Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz25Current news / social attention level
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