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📣Make Some (More) Noise!📣 on HB 4433 & HB 4983

Thursday, Feb. 13 marked the halfway point in the 2026 WV Legislative Session. Here are updates on two bills we alerted you about before. Make Some (More) Noise and please continue to stay engaged.

HB 4433 https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Status/bills_history.cfm?INPUT=4433&year=2026&sessiontype=RS has passed the House and will be up for a vote by the Senate on Tuesday, Feb 17. While this bill has been improved through the committee and amendment process, it continues to equate assisting an undocumented immigrant with human smuggling.

We believe it is our duty to help neighbors in need regardless of their immigration status. This bill would further stigmatize and harm our immigrant communities and those who care about them.

LWVWV urges West Virginia lawmakers to focus on bills that address critical West Virginia needs. We have so many.

Anti-immigrant bills serve a political agenda, not West Virginians.

ACTION: Please contact your Senators (you have 2) and urge them to vote NO on HB 4433.

Find your Senators here: https://fastdemocracy.com/find-your-legislators/

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HB 4983 https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Status/bills_history.cfm?INPUT=4983&year=2026&sessiontype=RS has passed the House Energy and Public Works Committee and will be up for a vote by the full House of Delegates on Tuesday, Feb. 17.

HB 4983 advances the rules proposed by the West Virginia Department of Commerce related to a 2025 bill encouraging the development of data centers. As written, these rules lack important transparency related to environmental and community impacts. An amendment that would have improved the rule by requiring stronger transparency on water use was rejected by the Committee (details here https://wvecouncil.org/data-center-amendment-to-protect-water-fails-to-pass-out-of-committee/ ).

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.

ACTION: Contact your Delegate and tell them they must amend the rules to require more transparency from big data centers. Find your Delegate here: https://fastdemocracy.com/find-your-legislators/