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HB 5536

West Virginia Constitutional Authority Clarification Act

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Rick Hillenbrand and 2 co-sponsors

West Virginia HB 5536 aims to clarify and confirm the scope of state constitutional authority among the Legislature, Governor, and agencies, shaping governance and limits.

To House Judiciary
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WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · HB 5536

Summary of HB 5536 (2026) — West Virginia Constitutional Authority Clarification Act

Note: The available materials include the bill’s metadata and action history, but the full text appears in a corrupted or non-text format. The summary below focuses on the bill’s apparent purpose, likely provisions, sponsors, and procedural timeline as indicated by the provided information. If you have access to the official text, I can update with precise statutory language.

1) Purpose and Intent

  • The bill is titled the West Virginia Constitutional Authority Clarification Act.
  • Primary aim: Clarify and potentially restate the scope and authority of the state’s constitutional powers. In legislative practice, such measures typically address questions about:
    • The distribution of powers between the state legislature, the governor, and the judiciary.
    • The ability of state government to enact certain policies or enforce constitutional rights.
    • The legality and framework for exercising sovereign or constitutional authority in specific domains (e.g., taxation, public spending, boundaries of executive power, or civil liberties).
  • The clarifying purpose is usually to reduce ambiguity in constitutional interpretation and provide a clear basis for implementing related statutes and administrative actions.

2) Key Provisions and Changes (as implied)

  • Re-definition or explicit confirmation of constitutional authority granted to state actors (e.g., Legislature, Governor, and state agencies).
  • Potentially delineates the limits of executive actions that implicate constitutional powers.
  • May establish criteria or processes for resolving disputes about constitutional authority (e.g., court review standards, bifurcated or expedited pathways).
  • Could address how constitutional provisions are invoked in policy areas with ongoing litigation or prior judicial interpretations.
  • Because the full text is not provided here, specific sections, subsections, and exact changes (dollar figures, timelines, or thresholds) are not identifiable from the available material.

3) Who or What Would Be Affected

  • State government branches and agencies responsible for policy, enforcement, and administration.
  • The West Virginia judiciary, which may be tasked with interpreting clarified constitutional scopes.
  • Potentially the general public, if the clarifications affect rights, public services, taxation, or regulatory authority.
  • Bill sponsors and co-sponsors are:
    • Primary sponsor: Not listed explicitly, but Co-sponsors include:
    • Rick Hillenbrand
    • Bill Ridenour
    • Ian Masters
  • The bill has concurrent sponsorship support, indicating bipartisan or cross-chamber interest.

4) Procedural and Timeline Aspects

  • Action History:
    • Filed for introduction: February 16, 2026
    • Assigned to: Judiciary (on February 16, 2026)
    • Introduced in House: February 16, 2026
    • To House Judiciary: February 16, 2026
  • This indicates the bill began in the House and was referred to the House Judiciary committee for consideration, a typical path for bills dealing with constitutional or structural changes.
  • Given the 2026 session date, typical WV legislative timetables apply (committee hearings, potential amendments, floor votes, and eventual movement to the Senate). If advanced, the bill would follow regular interim deadlines for passage and potential veto considerations.

Notes and Next Steps

  • The provided text is corrupted/non-textual in places, preventing a line-by-line detailing of provisions, exact sections, and fiscal implications.
  • If you can share the official PDF/text of HB 5536, I can produce a precise, section-by-section summary with:
    • Specific changes to WV Constitution-related authority
    • Any fiscal impacts or regulatory implications
    • Detailed timeline milestones (effective date, applicability, sunset, if any)
    • Impact analysis for agencies, local governments, and residents

Would you like me to draft a more detailed version once the official bill text is available?

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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