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Read. Follow. Verify.West Virginia House Bill 5526 Sets Strict Registration and Eligibility Rules for Tax Abandoned Land Auctions
Last action · February 13, 2026: To House Government OrganizationSponsors: Andy Shamblin and 5 others
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What This Bill Proposed
House Bill 5526 establishes mandatory advance registration, Secretary of State business authorization, and disqualification criteria for bidders and buyers participating in West Virginia Auditor tax abandoned land auctions and direct sales. The measure prohibits individuals and entities with delinquent property taxes, recent code enforcement violations, or unfulfilled raze-and-repair orders from purchasing properties, and permits the Auditor to rescind ineligible purchases before issuing deeds.
Property investors, businesses, and neighboring landowners participating in West Virginia tax sales must now prove active registration with the Secretary of State and clear standing on local code enforcement and property tax obligations to be eligible to bid or purchase.
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.
Tax sale bidders and purchasers
Bidders and buyers must provide proof of Secretary of State registration, clear property tax standing, and verify compliance with municipal code enforcement orders.
State Auditor's office
The Auditor gains explicit authority to screen bidders, check code compliance histories, rescind ineligible purchases, and promulgate emergency or legislative rules.
Adjacent landowners
Adjacent property owners retain priority acquisition rights to purchase unsold lands without auction or additional advertising.
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 new requirements apply to business entities wanting to buy tax abandoned land?
Who is disqualified from participating in tax abandoned land auctions?
Can an auction purchase be canceled if the buyer turns out to be ineligible?
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 13, 2026HouseCommitteeTo House Government Organization
- Feb 13, 2026HouseIntroducedIntroduced in House
- Feb 13, 2026HouseCommitteeTo Government Organization
- Feb 13, 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
Show 1 more sponsor
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Stricter Vetting for Tax Sale Purchasers
The legislation formally ties participation in state tax abandoned land auctions to compliance records with local code enforcement and property tax authorities.
Connected Entities
Sources
www.wvlegislature.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance20Lowered because this bill did not pass (its text scored 60)
- Controversy25Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment5Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz15Current news / social attention level
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