Relating to authorizing the Medical Imaging and Radiation Therapy Technology Board of Examiners to promulgate a legislative rule relating to standards of ethics.

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Doug Smith

HB 4296 lets the Medical Imaging and Radiation Therapy Technology Board set formal ethics standards via a legislative rule for all licensed professionals in the field.

To House Judiciary

#legislature--rulemaking

Summary of HB 4296 (West Virginia, 2026)

Purpose and intent

HB 4296 authorizes the Medical Imaging and Radiation Therapy Technology Board of Examiners to promulgate a legislative rule pertaining to standards of ethics for licensees and certificate holders. The bill directs the board to establish and codify ethical standards that govern professional conduct in the practice of medical imaging and radiation therapy within the state.

Key provisions and changes

Delegation of rulemaking: The bill enables the Medical Imaging and Radiation Therapy Technology Board of Examiners to promulgate a legislative rule, specifically addressing standards of ethics for professionals regulated by the board.

Scope of standards: The anticipated rule would cover ethical requirements applicable to licensees and certificate holders in medical imaging and radiation therapy, ensuring a formalized expectation of professional behavior and decision-making.

Rulemaking authority: The board is empowered to develop, adopt, and implement ethics standards as a legislative rule, which would have binding effect on practitioners within West Virginia.

Who would be affected

Licensed professionals: Diagnostic radiographers, radiologic technologists, radiation therapists, and other holders of credentials regulated by the Medical Imaging and Radiation Therapy Technology Board of Examiners.

Employers and facilities: Medical imaging and radiation therapy facilities in West Virginia would be expected to enforce and comply with the ethical standards set forth in the rule.

The public: Patients and the public would benefit from clearer ethical expectations and enforceable standards for professionals providing imaging and radiation therapy services.

Procedural and timeline aspects

Introductions and referrals: The bill was introduced on January 14, 2026, and assigned to House Government Organization, then to House Judiciary.

Committee actions: The action history shows a sequence of referrals—Government Organization and Judiciary—and a subsequent “Do pass, but first to Judiciary” action on January 30, 2026, indicating the bill progressed through committee review with a recommendation to advance.

Sponsors: Co-sponsor Doug Smith is listed alongside primary sponsors, indicating legislative support and sponsorship.

Potential impact and considerations

Regulatory alignment: The bill would formalize ethics standards through a legislative rule, potentially creating uniform ethical expectations across the regulated professions.

Compliance burden: Practitioners and employers may need to review, understand, and implement the new ethics standards once enacted, including potential reporting or disciplinary processes defined by the rule.

Enforcement: The rule would likely be enforceable by the Board of Examiners via customary disciplinary mechanisms for ethical violations, subject to any procedural protections provided in West Virginia’s regulatory framework.

If you’d like, I can tailor this summary to focus on specific sections of the anticipated rule or compare it to existing ethics standards for related boards.