House 4381

WEST VIRGINIA LEGISLATURE

2026 REGULAR SESSION

Introduced

House Bill 4381

By Delegate Burkhammer

[Introduced January 15, 2026; referred to the Committee on the Judiciary]

A BILL to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by adding a new article, designated §31E-17-1, relating to property rights in instances of disaffiliations of local charities from national or regional conferences, denominations, or chapters.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:

article 17. conferences and disaffiliations.

§31E-17-1. Denominational Conferences.

(a) Subject to subsections (b) and (c) of this section, a church may disaffiliate from its denominational conference and retain ownership of the property.

(b) A disaffiliating local church shall reimburse its conference or denominations for the financial investments made by the conference or denomination for the acquisition, maintenance, and improvements to the real property used by the local church in accordance with subsections (c) of this section.

(c) The conference or denomination shall provide a disaffiliating local church with a full and transparent accounting of all funds the conference or denomination has contributed for the acquisition and maintenance and improvement of the real property used by the local church from which the amount of the reimbursement required under subsection (b) shall be determined.

(d) A disaffiliating local church shall not be required to reimburse the conference or denomination for any amounts attributable to financial investments for the acquisition, maintenance, or renovation of real property made by the local church.

NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to regulate property distribution in cases of local charities disaffiliating from national or regional conferences, denominations, or chapters.

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