The civic record
Read. Follow. Verify.West Virginia bill permits concealed firearms in Capitol buildings with specific exceptions
Last action · February 9, 2026: To House JudiciarySponsor: Dean Jeffries
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What This Bill Proposed
House Bill 5371 allows individuals licensed to carry a concealed to bring concealed firearms into the West Virginia Capitol complex buildings, provided they present their license upon request. The measure prohibits firearms in the Governor's office and Supreme Court chambers, while permitting the Senate and House of Delegates to set their own chamber rules.
The measure alters security rules for state property by establishing where licensed individuals may and may not carry firearms within the Capitol complex, setting misdemeanor penalties for violations.
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.
licensed concealed carry holders
Individuals licensed to carry concealed weapons gain permission to carry firearms within Capitol complex buildings subject to specific restricted areas.
law-enforcement officers
Officers operate under specific rules regarding public access, obstruction, and lawful carrying exemptions on Capitol grounds.
Key Facts
- Licensed individuals are permitted to carry concealed deadly weapons in the buildings of the Capitol complex.
- Individuals carrying a concealed pistol or revolver within the Capitol building must show their license upon entry if requested.
- Carrying a concealed deadly weapon is prohibited in the Governor's office.
- Carrying a concealed deadly weapon is prohibited in the chambers and entirety of the third and fourth floor of the East wing of the Supreme Court.
Show all 7 facts
- The State Senate and House of Delegates are authorized to develop weapons rules for the gallery and floor of their respective chambers.
- Weapons are permitted in motor vehicles parked on the Capitol complex if the vehicle is locked and the weapon is out of normal view.
- Violations of the weapons and disruption subsections are classified as a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of not less than $100, confinement in jail for up to six months, or both.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where are concealed weapons prohibited within the Capitol complex under this bill?
Do I need to show my license if I carry a concealed firearm inside the Capitol building?
Can firearms be stored in a vehicle on Capitol grounds?
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- Feb 9, 2026HouseCommitteeTo House Judiciary
- Feb 9, 2026HouseIntroducedIntroduced in House
- Feb 9, 2026HouseCommitteeTo Judiciary
- Feb 9, 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
Connected Entities
Sources
www.wvlegislature.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance20Lowered because this bill did not pass (its text scored 65)
- Controversy80Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment10Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz50Current news / social attention level
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