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Read. Follow. Verify.West Virginia Senate Bill 520 prohibits foreign national contributions and spending on state ballot issues
Last action · January 20, 2026: To JudiciarySponsor: Patricia Rucker
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What This Bill Proposed
Senate Bill 520 prohibits foreign nationals, foreign governments, and foreign-controlled entities from making contributions, expenditures, or solicitations to influence West Virginia s, and establishes civil and criminal penalties for violations.
The measure establishes personal financial liability for corporate directors and officers when foreign-controlled entities fail to unlawful contributions, and introduces criminal penalties and fines of up to $100 or ten days imprisonment for public officials who unlawfully disclose the identity of lawful donors to tax-exempt organizations.
- The West Virginia Legislature convenes annually for regular sessions, during which bills are introduced, referred to committees such as Judiciary and Finance, and considered for enactment. context
- State regulation of campaign finance and foreign contributions has been an active area of state-level legislation across the United States. 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.
Foreign nationals and foreign entities
Prohibited from making financial contributions, expenditures, or donations to influence state ballot issues.
Corporate directors and officers
Subject to joint and several personal financial liability if a foreign-controlled entity cannot pay required disgorgement amounts.
Lobbyists
Subject to registration revocation, suspension, and injunctions on compensation if they violate the chapter's provisions.
Tax-exempt organization donors
Granted explicit privacy protections regarding their donor identities during investigations and court proceedings.
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
Who is classified as a foreign national under this bill?
What happens if a foreign-controlled entity cannot pay the required disgorgement of funds?
Are donors to tax-exempt organizations protected under this legislation?
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 Senate committee.
Procedural history
4 actions- Jan 20, 2026SenateCommitteeTo Judiciary
- Jan 20, 2026SenateIntroducedIntroduced in Senate
- Jan 20, 2026SenateCommitteeTo Judiciary then Finance
- Jan 20, 2026SenateIntroducedFiled 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.
Establishment of Personal Liability for Corporate Officers
The bill pierces standard corporate protections by holding directors and officers jointly and severally liable in their personal capacities if an entity cannot pay required disgorgement amounts.
Connected Entities
Sources
www.wvlegislature.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance20Lowered because this bill did not pass (its text scored 75)
- Controversy65Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment10Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz40Current news / social attention level
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