The civic record
Read. Follow. Verify.West Virginia requires medical examiners to review immunization records and document recent vaccines in unexpected deaths of youths
Last action · January 21, 2026: To House Health and Human ResourcesSponsors: Kathie Hess Crouse and 2 others
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What This Bill Proposed
West Virginia requires medical examiners to review medical and immunization records during autopsies for sudden unexpected deaths in individuals under 20 and sudden arrhythmic death syndrome cases, document vaccines administered within 90 days of death, and report eligible cases to the federal registry within 30 days under threat of fines.
District medical examiners face administrative fines up to $5,000 and potential license suspension for failing to report sudden unexpected youth deaths to the designated registry within 30 days.
- The West Virginia Legislature convenes annually for regular sessions, during which bills are introduced and referred to committees such as Health and Human Resources. 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.
District medical examiners
District medical examiners must review immunization records, document countermeasures administered within 90 days of death, report qualifying cases within 30 days, and face administrative fines or disciplinary action for noncompliance.
Department of Health
The Department of Health is tasked with establishing reporting protocols and imposing administrative penalties for noncompliance.
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 deaths require medical examiners to check immunization records?
What is the penalty if a medical examiner fails to report a case?
Does reporting these medical records violate patient privacy laws like HIPAA?
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 21, 2026HouseCommitteeTo House Health and Human Resources
- Jan 21, 2026HouseIntroducedIntroduced in House
- Jan 21, 2026HouseCommitteeTo Health and Human Resources then Judiciary
- Jan 21, 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.
Mandatory Immunization Review in Youth Autopsies
The bill mandates the inclusion of immunization records and administration history in autopsy reports for unexpected youth and infant deaths, backed by administrative penalties.
Connected Entities
Sources
www.wvlegislature.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance20Lowered because this bill did not pass (its text scored 60)
- Controversy65Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment10Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz35Current news / social attention level
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