LWVWV members February 2026

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MAKE SOME NOISE -- OPPOSE SB 615
by League of Women Voters of West Virginia 08 Feb '26

08 Feb '26

[image: lwv msn logo.png] Make Some Noise! 📣 OPPOSE SB 615 SB 615 (committee substitute) <https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/sb615%2…> would mandate that WV state and local police assist in federal immigration enforcement. Specifically, it would require state and local law enforcement to notify federal immigration authorities regarding persons with illegal immigration status, and it would prohibit local jurisdictions from passing laws to the contrary. History: - Introduced Jan 27 - Committee Substitute Passed Senate Judiciary Committee Feb 3. - Senate 1st Reading Feb 4 - Senate 2nd Reading Feb 5 (no amendments) - Senate 3rd Reading laid over Feb 6 - Likely to be voted on the Senate floor on Monday, Feb 9. This onerous bill is headed for passage in the Senate. Contact your Senators (you have two) and ask them to vote against this bill. Background: According to news reports, at least 650 individuals have been rounded up in WV and detained for immigration violations, overburdening local jails. The number of cases involving state or local police has not been released, but the impact has been: ICE raids in West Virginia overstep constitutional limits <https://mountainstatespotlight.org/2026/01/31/ice-arrests-surge-court-skept…> . WVMetroNews reported Feb 8 <https://wvmetronews.com/2026/02/08/local-law-enforcement-in-west-virginia-g…> on the roles of WV state and local law enforcement in the anti-immigrant surge in our state and the Federal dollars being used to entice them to participate. Some detainees, who appealed their detentions in Federal court, already have been found to be detained illegally — Judge orders third ICE detainee released <https://mountainstatespotlight.org/2026/02/04/third-ice-detainee-released/> and Federal judge orders release of fourth WV immigrant detainee wrongly jailed <https://westvirginiawatch.com/2026/02/05/federal-judge-orders-release-of-fo…>. More such cases are likely to follow. Extending WV state/local law enforcement into this morass of Federal immigration enforcement will make things worse. Federal money will incentivize unconstitutional arrests and detentions. LWVWV OPPOSES SB 615. Find your Senators here ... https://wvecouncil.org/wv-legislature/senate/

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Make Some Noise: Demand Transparency for Data Centers in HB 4983
by League of Women Voters of West Virginia 07 Feb '26

07 Feb '26

📣Make Some Noise!📣 Demand Transparency and Accountability for Data Centers Rules proposed by the West Virginia Department of Commerce related to a 2025 bill encouraging the development of data centers are now before the Legislature for final approval. Authority for the proposed rules is now included in HB 4983 <https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Status/bills_history.cfm?INPUT=4983&year…> . As written, these rules give the public almost no notice, no real way to weigh in, and very little information about what the companies are proposing. The public is thus limited in its ability to weigh in. An amendment to address the lack of transparency and provide the public with more information about proposed data centers was rejected <https://westvirginiawatch.com/2026/01/30/wv-lawmakers-approve-changes-to-mi…> by the Legislative Rule-Making Review Committee. The Legislature can still amend the proposed rules before they become law. Tell members of the House Energy and Public Works Committee <https://wvecouncil.org/wv-legislature/house-energy-committee/> that they must amend the rules to require more transparency from big data centers. West Virginians deserve to know the basic facts about what is being proposed in order to make their voices heard and protect their communities from negative consequences. This includes full disclosure regarding environmental and community impacts such as expected air emissions, water usage and discharge, noise levels, traffic impacts, operating schedule, emergency-service needs, and land-use conflicts. Status: The House Energy and Public Works Committee held a hearing on HB 4983 on Feb. 4, advancing the rules to mark up and passage stage. This means they will vote on the rules at their next meeting early this coming week, as early as Feb. 9. Make Some Noise! Contact committee members to demand transparency and accountability for data centers. Click here <https://wvecouncil.org/wv-legislature/house-energy-committee/> to find their phone numbers and a copy-and-paste email list for sending a personal email to all committee members. To leave a public comment on the Legislature’s webpage click here <https://bills.wvlegislature.gov/public-comment/?bill=4983&billtype=HB&abbre…> .

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Make Some Noise for Voting Rights - Link to click and send to your delegate!
by League of Women Voters of West Virginia 06 Feb '26

06 Feb '26

[image: MSN small.png] *MAKE SOME NOISE* 📣❗️ You might have seen the recent roll-out of our Fast Democracy bill tracker. You can also use it to MAKE SOME NOISE FOR VOTING RIGHTS - Oppose HB 4600! <https://fastdemocracy.com/campaigns/HQx99URqz/Make-Sure-Absentee-Ballots-Co…> [This link takes you to additional information and a pre-drafted letter you can edit with your personal thoughts on this bill. It will send your letter directly to your legislator - no need to look up their email!] West Virginians can vote by absentee ballot for many reasons including: physical disability; being out of town for personal, business, or education reasons during the election; and military personnel serving overseas. Currently, absentee ballots are required to be counted if postmarked by the election date and received by canvass. *If HB 4600 becomes law, the cut-off to request an absentee ballot will be moved one week earlier, and any ballot received after 8pm on election day will not be counted. This is a dramatic change in our election process and will have the effect of preventing votes - especially from students, military personnel or people with disabilities - from being counted. * Throughout the committee process there was no testimony of any trouble with the current process of managing absentee ballots. This bill, along with many others introduced this year, intentionally chips away at access to the polls. *The right to vote and equal access to the ballot are pillars of our democracy and LWVWV opposes legislation that would restrict voting.* Bill Status: HB 4600 passed the House Legal Services Subcommittee 2/2, House Judiciary Committee 2/4 and will likely be up for a full House of Delegates vote the week of 2/9. *ACTION: Please join LWVWV in opposition to this bill by using the link below to contact your delegate and ask them to vote NO on HB 4600! * https://fastdemocracy.com/campaigns/HQx99URqz/Make-Sure-Absentee-Ballots-Co…

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MSN to OPPOSE SB 173 ban on abortion medications
by League of Women Voters of West Virginia 04 Feb '26

04 Feb '26

[image: lwv msn logo.png] *MAKE SOME NOISE* 📣❗️ OPPOSE SB 173 in Senate Judiciary *UPDATE:* SB 173 seeks to ban “abortifacients” and prohibit healthcare professionals from prescribing them in WV for West Virginians. It also prohibits various ways of sending or delivering the drugs in WV. Abortifacients are FDA-approved medications used to terminate early-stage pregnancy. About half of all abortions in the U.S. rely on these drugs. Since 2022, WV has lived under a near-total abortion ban. SB 173 is one more try to further restrict abortion in WV. Mifepristone and misoprostol, used in combination, are the most commonly used drugs to end pregnancy. They were initially approved as safe & effective by the FDA 25 years ago. Since then, the FDA has reduced restrictions on access as evidence of safety grew. This Legislature is saying it knows better than the FDA. The FDA relies on science. SB 173 does not. WHAT’S NEXT? SB 173 committee substitute passed out of Senate Health & Human Resources Committee on Feb 3. Now, the bill has gone to Senate Judiciary. MAKE SOME NOISE 📣 by contacting Senators on Judiciary ASAP … 🆕 Contact Legislators using our Bill Tracker — it’s easy! https://fastdemocracy.com/bill/wv/2026/bills/WVB00031501/?report-bill-view=1 ✳️ Full Senate Judiciary roster: https://www.wvlegislature.gov/committees/senate/SenateCommittee.cfm?Chart=j… ❓ If you’re not sure who your Senators are, enter your home address at https://pluralpolicy.com/find-your-legislator/ and click on your Senators to find their contact information.

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LWVWV members February 2026