House 5404

WEST VIRGINIA LEGISLATURE

2026 REGULAR SESSION

Introduced

House Bill 5404

By Delegates Funkhouser, Moore, Dittman, Mallow, Flanigan, Akers, Jennings, Martin, and Roop

[By request of the Secretary of State]

[Introduced February 10, 2026; referred to the Committee on Government Organization then Finance]

A BILL to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by adding a new article, designated §31D-18-1 and §31D-18-2, relating to establishing the Office of Entrepreneurship withing the West Virginia Secretary of State's Office and providing funding for two years.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:

article 18. Office of entrepreneurship.

§31D-18-1. Establishing the Office of Entrepreneurship.

(a) There shall be an Office of Entrepreneurship established within the office of the Secretary of State called the Office of Entrepreneurship.

(b) The Office of Entrepreneurship shall assist businesses for the first three years of the business's  existence by:

(1) Strengthening policies and programs supporting the growth of entrepreneurship in the state;

(2) Working with stakeholders and organizers supporting entrepreneurship to provide technical support and expand access to resources for entrepreneurs; and

(3) Serving as a point of contact to assist businesses that have been in operation for fewer than five years in their interactions with state and local agencies.

(c) The Office of Entrepreneurship shall assist first-time entrepreneurs with getting a business started, financed, and postured to stay afloat for the business's first five years.

§31D-18-2. Operations of the Office of Entrepreneurship.

(a) There shall be $350,000 provided to the Office of entrepreneurship for the fiscal years 2027 and 2028.

(b) The Office of Entrepreneurship shall employ two full-time employees for the fiscal years 2027 and 2028, which may increase after the end of fiscal year 2028.

NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to establish the Office of Entrepreneurship within the Secretary of State's Office.

Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from a heading or the present law and underscoring indicates new language that would be added.