House 4444

WEST VIRGINIA LEGISLATURE

2026 REGULAR SESSION

Introduced

House Bill 4444

By Delegates Hillenbrand, Funkhouser, Brooks, Kimble, and Ridenour

[Introduced January 16, 2026; referred to the Committee on the Judiciary]

A BILL to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by adding a new section, designated §3-1-53, relating to state delegates; establishing penalties for any delegate who deviates from his or her authority at a convention of states, including recall, fine, criminal penalties, and void of any vote.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:

ARTICLE 1. GENERAL PROVISIONS AND DEFINITIONS.

§3-1-53. Penalty for convention of states delegate who deviates from authority.

Any delegate who attends a convention of states to modify the United States Constitution and who exceeds his or her authority at the convention is subject to mandatory immediate recall, a $100,000 to $500,000 fine, and up to 10 years in prison. Additionally, the delegate's vote or votes shall be void.

NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to establish penalties for any delegate at a convention of states convention who deviates from his or her authority.

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