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HB 5424WEST VIRGINIASession 2026State Billdead

Did Not Advance

West Virginia Bill Requires Employers to Verify Worker Citizenship and Establishes Penalties for Hiring Unauthorized Workers

Original title: Verifying legal employment status of workers.

Last action · February 10, 2026: To House Government OrganizationSponsor: Corby Dillon

Bill progressHistory & official text ↓

Introduced

Committee

Floor Vote

Passed

Law

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What This Bill Proposed

Delegate Dillon introduced House Bill 5424, creating the Worker Citizenship Verification Act of 2026, which mandates that all West Virginia employers verify the legal citizenship status of prospective employees and maintain compliance records. The bill authorizes the Labor Commissioner to investigate complaints, inspect workplaces, and impose fines or license suspensions for violations.

Why it matters

Employers face mandatory verification duties, civil fines ranging from $2,500 to $5,000 for repeat violations, potential business license revocation, and restrictions on bidding for state contracts, while gaining immunity from wrongful termination lawsuits when firing workers to comply with the act.

Background

The West Virginia Legislature is the state's bicameral lawmaking body consisting of the House of Delegates and the Senate. context
House Bill 5424 was introduced during the 2026 Regular Session and referred to the House Government Organization committee. 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.

Directly affected

West Virginia employers

Employers must verify prospective employees' citizenship, maintain compliance records, permit workplace inspections, and face fines or license revocation for hiring unauthorized workers.

Directly affected

Job applicants and workers

Job seekers must provide valid proof of United States citizenship to prospective employers, and employees remain subject to provisional hiring and potential termination if citizenship cannot be verified.

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 documents can an employer accept as proof of legal status under this bill?

Proof of legal status includes a valid social security card, a valid voter registration card, a valid birth certificate, a valid passport, a government-issued photo identification card requiring proof of citizenship, or other valid documents providing evidence of legally verified United States citizenship.

How are high-risk industries monitored under the bill?

The commissioner reviews federal and state data to propose high-risk industries subject to legislative approval, after which inspectors make randomly selected, unannounced inspections of businesses within those industries on a more frequent basis.

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 10, 2026HouseCommittee
To House Government Organization
Feb 10, 2026HouseIntroduced
Introduced in House
Feb 10, 2026HouseCommittee
To Government Organization
Feb 10, 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.

Discoveries

1 pattern noticed across the record

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift95% confidence

Expanded State Oversight on Employment Status

The bill shifts enforcement duties to the Labor Commissioner and Secretary of State, granting broad investigative and inspection powers across state businesses.

Division of Labor Secretary of State

Connected Entities

Division of Motor Vehicles, Bureau of Employment Programs, Division of Labor and 6 more

OrganizationDivision of Motor Vehicles“State agency whose information may be accessed by the commissioner.”Map →

OrganizationBureau of Employment Programs“State agency whose information may be accessed by the commissioner.”Map →

OrganizationDivision of Labor“State agency authorized to issue work permits and enforce labor provisions.”Map →

PersonCorby Dillon“Delegate who introduced House Bill 5424.”Map →

OrganizationWest Virginia Legislature“Legislative body considering the bill.”Map →

OrganizationDepartment of Justice“Federal department issuing valid permits for work authorization.”Map →

OrganizationLegislative Oversight Commission on Workforce Development and Labor Issues“Commission receiving annual presentations regarding the inspection plan.”Map →

OrganizationSecretary of State“State office tasked with assisting in document verification and establishing an ”Map →

OrganizationGovernment Organization“House committee to which the bill 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 75)
Controversy80
Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
Entertainment10
Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
Buzz50
Current news / social attention level

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