House 4140

WEST VIRGINIA LEGISLATURE

2026 REGULAR SESSION

Introduced

House Bill 4140

By Delegates Horst, Hillenbrand, Crouse, and Mazzocchi

[Introduced January 14, 2026; referred to the Committee on the Judiciary]

A BILL to amend and reenact §7-1-3rr of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, relating to county commissions and authorizing posting legal ads on the county website in lieu of publication in local newspapers.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:

ARTICLE 1. COUNTY COMMISSIONS GENERALLY.

§7-1-3rr. Accessible county records; required information.

(a) Beginning December 31, 2020, each county commission shall maintain a website that provides the following information without charge:

(1) The title and name of each elected county office holder;

(2) The contact information of each elected county office holder, including office telephone number, facsimile number, office location, and mailing address: Provided, That the county commission may withhold contact information from disclosure that it deems necessary to protect their safety, the safety of their coworkers, and the integrity of law-enforcement operations;

(3) A secure electronic means of contacting each elected county office holder;

(4) A copy of each county ordinance in effect;

(5) A copy of the approved meeting minutes; and

(6) A schedule of regular meeting days for each calendar year.

(b) Beginning on or before December 31, 2020, and each year thereafter, each county commission shall provide to the Secretary of State the following information:

(1) A list of each elected county official by title, with the name of the elected official;

(2) The office contact information for each county office holder; and

(3) The website address of the county commission website, where available.

(c) The county commission shall update the information required pursuant to this section within 30 days of the date the change occurs and shall provide the updated information to the Office of Technology who shall update the information on the wv.gov website.

(d) Beginning on July 1, 2026, the county commission may post legal advertisements on the county website in lieu of publication in local newspapers.

NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to authorize county commissions post legal ads on the county website in lieu of publication in local newspapers.

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