West Virginia 2026 Session Status: Enacted 4 R cosponsors

SB 531 — Establishing First Amendment Preservation Act

Last action — Chapter 153, Acts, Regular Session, 2026

  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. ✓
    In Committee
  3. ✓
    Passed Senate
  4. ✓
    Passed House of Delegates
  5. ✓
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced January 20, 2026. Enacted.

Odds of enactment

High chance

Based on the sponsor, cosponsors, and committee posture, this bill has a high chance of becoming law.

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A statistical estimate from our own model of past outcomes — an insight, not a guarantee. Policymaking is volatile.

Prognosis

Likely to advance 82% · moderate confidence

  • Enacted

    Current position in the legislative process.

  • 11 sponsors

    1 primary, 10 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Single-party support

    Sponsorship is currently within one party (4 R).

  • Cleared a recorded vote

    Passed 3 recorded votes so far.

Based on stage, sponsorship breadth, committee status, recorded votes, and cross-state momentum — a description of the observable signals, not a prediction.

In plain language

The bill establishes the First Amendment Preservation Act.

This legislation aims to create a framework for protecting First Amendment rights. It establishes guidelines for ensuring that these rights are preserved in various contexts.

Summary

Establishing First Amendment Preservation Act

Bill Text

What changed in the latest version

1 added · 1 removed

Plain-language change summary

The latest amendment to Bill SB 531 changes the title and adds new provisions regarding the "First Amendment Preservation Act." The key change prohibits state contracts with media reliability monitors and entities associated with foreign adversaries and terrorists as defined by federal law, while also requiring that companies bidding for state contracts certify their compliance with these rules. This matters because it aims to ensure that state contracts align with certain political and security standards, potentially impacting how and with whom the state does business.

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Previous
Latest
SB531 H JUD AM #1Baker 3228 The Committee on the Judiciary moved to amend the committee substitute on page 2, section 64, line 29, by striking out the word "or", And, On page 2, Section 64, line 32, by striking out the period, inserting a semicolon and the following:
SB531 H JUD AMTBaker 3228 The Committee on the Judiciary moved to amend the committee substitute by striking out the title and substituting therefor a new title, to read as follows:Com.
"or(3) Enter into any contract with an entity directly or indirectly associated with any person or entity connected to:(A) The list of persons determined to be foreign adversaries by the Secretary of Commerce of the United States under 15 C.F.R.
Sub.
791.4;(B) The terrorist exclusion list compiled by the Secretary of State of the United States in consultation with the Attorney General of the United States under 8 U.S.C.
for "A BILL to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by adding a new section, designated §5A-3-64, relating to establishment of the First Amendment Preservation Act;
1182;(C) The list of countries determined by the Secretary of State of the United States that have repeatedly provided support for acts of international terrorism under 50 U.S.C.
providing definitions;
4813(c) and 22 U.S.C.
prohibiting state contracts with media reliability and bias monitor;
2780(d);
requiring written certifications from companies submitting bids that state purchasing contracts are in compliance with the act;
and(D) The list of individual and entities designated by, or in accordance with Executive Order 13224, issued by the President of the United States on September 23, 2021, or Executive Order 13268, issued by the President of the United States on July 2, 2002."   AdoptedRejected
clarifying the applicability of the act to state contracts;
prohibiting state contracts with foreign adversaries and terrorists as determined by federal law;
and providing effective date.";    AdoptedRejected 
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Action History

  1. Filed for introduction

  2. To Judiciary

  3. Introduced in Senate

  4. To Judiciary

  5. Committee substitute reported

  6. On 1st reading

  7. Read 1st time

  8. On 2nd reading

  9. Read 2nd time

  10. On 3rd reading

  11. Read 3rd time

  12. Passed Senate (Roll No. 76)

  13. Effective July 1, 2026 (Roll No. 77)

  14. Ordered to House

  15. House received Senate message

  16. Introduced in House

  17. To Judiciary

  18. To House Judiciary

  19. Markup Discussion

  20. With amendment, do pass

  21. Immediate consideration

  22. Read 1st time

  23. On 2nd reading, Special Calendar

  24. Read 2nd time

  25. Amendment reported by the Clerk

  26. Committee amendment adopted (Voice vote)

  27. On 3rd reading, Special Calendar

  28. Read 3rd time

  29. Passed House (Roll No. 424)

  30. Title amendment adopted (Voice vote)

  31. Effective July 1, 2026 (Roll No. 425)

  32. Communicated to Senate

  33. House Message received

  34. Senate concurred in House amendments and passed bill (Roll No. 598)

  35. Effective July 1, 2026 (Roll No. 599)

  36. Communicated to House

  37. Completed legislative action

  38. To Governor 3/18/2026

  39. To Governor 3/18/2026 - Senate Journal

  40. Approved by Governor 4/1/2026

  41. Approved by Governor 4/1/2026 - Senate Journal

  42. Approved by Governor 4/1/2026 - House Journal

  43. Chapter 153, Acts, Regular Session, 2026

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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1 sponsors · 10 co-sponsors · 141 not signed on · 2 voted No

Sponsors (1)

Co-sponsors (10)

Not signed on (141)

141 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 141 →

"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Votes

Roll Call

Passed 33 Yea · 0 Nay · 1 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Republican 12001
Unaffiliated 21000
Total 33001
% of votes cast 97%0%0%3%
How each member voted (34)
Member Party Vote
ROSE — Yea
BARNHART — Yea
RUCKER — Yea
JEFFRIES — Yea
TAKUBO — Yea
MARTIN — Yea
TARR — Yea
MAYNARD, M — Yea
TAYLOR — Yea
MORRIS — Yea
WELD — Yea
OLIVERIO — Yea
WILLIS — Yea
PHILLIPS — Yea
WOELFEL — Yea
GARCIA — Yea
QUEEN — Yea
WOODRUM — Yea
ROBERTS — Yea
MR PRESIDENT — Yea
HAMILTON — Yea
Amy Grady Republican Yea
Anne B. Charnock Republican Yea
Brian Helton Republican Yea
Charles H. Clements Republican Yea
Craig A. Hart Republican Not Voting
Darren Thorne Republican Yea
Jason Barrett Republican Yea
Laura Wakim Chapman Republican Yea
Mike Azinger Republican Yea
Scott Fuller Republican Yea
T. Kevan Bartlett Republican Yea
Vince Deeds Republican Yea
Zack Maynard Republican Yea

Official roll call →

Roll Call

Passed 30 Yea · 2 Nay · 2 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Republican 28001
Democrat 2200
Unaffiliated 0001
Total 30202
% of votes cast 88%6%0%6%
How each member voted (34)
Member Party Vote
MR PRESIDENT — Not Voting
Anitra Hamilton Democrat Yea
Mike Woelfel Democrat Yea
Mike Woelfel Democrat Nay
Rick Garcia Democrat Nay
Ben Queen Republican Yea
Carl Martin Republican Yea
Chris Phillips Republican Yea
Chris Rose Republican Yea
Chris Rose Republican Yea
Dean Jeffries Republican Yea
Eric Tarr Republican Yea
Eric Tarr Republican Yea
Glenn Jeffries Republican Yea
Jack Woodrum Republican Yea
Jack Woodrum Republican Yea
Jay Taylor Republican Yea
Jimmy Willis Republican Yea
Mark R. Maynard Republican Yea
Mike Oliverio Republican Yea
Patricia Rucker Republican Yea
Patricia Rucker Republican Yea
Robbie Morris Republican Yea
Rollan A. Roberts Republican Yea
Rollan A. Roberts Republican Yea
Rupie Phillips Republican Yea
Rupie Phillips Republican Yea
Ryan Weld Republican Not Voting
Ryan Weld Republican Yea
Tom Takubo Republican Yea
Tom Takubo Republican Yea
Tom Willis Republican Yea
Trenton Barnhart Republican Yea
Trenton Barnhart Republican Yea

Official roll call →

Subjects

civil-rights
Cross-referencing the record. Reading this bill against every other bill in the corpus by meaning, not keywords. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Matching · Ranking · Engrossing

Frequently asked questions

What does SB 531 do?
Establishing First Amendment Preservation Act
Who sponsors SB 531?
SB 531 is sponsored by Phillips, Rose, Rucker, Morris, Willis, Roberts, Taylor, Mike Azinger (Republican), Anne B. Charnock (Republican), Brian Helton (Republican), and Bill Hamilton (Republican).
What is the current status of SB 531?
This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced January 20, 2026. Enacted.
Where can I track SB 531?
Track SB 531 free on One Click Politics — get push/email alerts when it moves.

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