West Virginia 2026 Session Status: Enacted 1 R cosponsors

SB 574 — Relating to bank merger by interstate branching

Last action — Chapter 54, 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 22, 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 72% · moderate confidence

  • Enacted

    Current position in the legislative process.

  • 1 sponsor

    1 primary, 0 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Single-party support

    Sponsorship is currently within one party (1 R).

  • Cleared a recorded vote

    Passed 2 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 addresses bank mergers through interstate branching.

This bill relates to how banks can merge by allowing them to branch across state lines. It sets regulations for these interstate bank mergers.

Summary

Relating to bank merger by interstate branching

Bill Text

What changed in the latest version

37 added · 18 removed

Plain-language change summary

The recent changes to SB 574 clarify the rules for out-of-state banks acquiring West Virginia banks. The bill now specifies that these banks must confirm in writing their compliance with state laws, including consumer protection, as long as they maintain a presence in West Virginia. Additionally, it establishes that the commissioner has the authority to waive certain acquisition deposit limitations under specific conditions. These updates are important because they help ensure that local banking regulations are followed while providing flexibility for acquisitions.

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WEST VIRGINIA LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION Introduced Senate Bill 574 BYSENATORAZINGER [Introduced January 22, 2026;
WEST VIRGINIA LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION Enrolled Senate Bill 574 BYSENATORAZINGER [Passed March 12, 2026;
referred to the Committee on Banking and Insurance] Intr SB 574 A BILL to amend and reenact §31A-8D-4 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, relating to bank merger by interstate branching;
in effect 90 days from passage (June 10, 2026)] Enr SB 574 AN ACT to amend and reenact §31A-8D-4 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, relating to bank merger by interstate branching;
(b) A merger transaction shall not be permitted under this article if, upon consummation of such transaction, the resulting bank (including all insured depository institution affiliates of the resulting bank) would assume sufficient additional deposits to cause it to control deposits in this state in excess of that allowed by §31A-2-12a of this chapter code:
(b) A merger transaction shall not be permitted under this article if, upon consummation of such transaction, the resulting bank (including all insured depository institution affiliates of the resulting bank) would assume sufficient additional deposits to cause it to control deposits in this state in excess of that allowed by §31A-2-12a of this code:
(c) A merger transaction resulting in the acquisition by an out-of-state bank of a West Virginia state bank, or all or substantially all of the branches of a West Virginia state bank, or resulting in the acquisition by an out-of-state state bank of a West Virginia bank or the change of control over a branch operating in West Virginia, shall not be permitted under this article unless the out-of-state bank confirms in writing to the commissioner that as long as it maintains a branch in West Virginia:
(c) A merger transaction resulting in the acquisition by an out-of-state bank of a West Virginia state bank, or all or substantially all of the branches of a West Virginia state bank, or resulting in the acquisition by an out-of-state state bank of a West Virginia bank or the change of control over a branch operating in West Virginia, shall not be permitted under this article unless the out-of-state bank confirms in writing to the commissioner that as long as it maintains a branch Enr SB 574 in West Virginia:
(i) The out-of-state bank confirms in writing to the commissioner that as long as Intr SB 574 it maintains a branch in West Virginia, It will comply with all applicable laws of this state, including consumer protection laws;
(i) It will comply with all applicable laws of this state, including consumer protection laws;
(ii) deposits of the resulting bank in this state are insured in conformity with the provisions of §31A-1-6 of this chapter code;
(ii) deposits of the resulting bank in this state are insured in conformity with the provisions of §31A-1-6 of this code;
and (iii) the resulting bank, if state chartered, meets the capital requirements set forth in §31A-4-3 of this chapter code.
and (iii) the resulting bank, if state chartered, meets the capital requirements set forth in §31A-4-3 of this code.
Enr SB 574 The Clerk of the Senate and the Clerk of the House of Delegates hereby certify that the foregoing bill is correctly enrolled.
...............................................................
Clerk of the Senate ...............................................................
Clerk of the House of Delegates Originated in the Senate.
In effect 90 days from passage.
...............................................................
President of the Senate ...............................................................
Speaker of the House of Delegates __________ The within is ................................................
this the...........................................
Day of ..........................................................................................................., 2026.
.............................................................
Governor 3
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Action History

  1. Filed for introduction

  2. To Banking and Insurance

  3. Introduced in Senate

  4. To Banking and Insurance

  5. Reported do pass

  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. 39)

  13. Ordered to House

  14. House received Senate message

  15. Introduced in House

  16. To Finance

  17. To House Finance

  18. Do pass

  19. Immediate consideration

  20. Read 1st time

  21. On 2nd reading, Special Calendar

  22. Read 2nd time

  23. On 3rd reading, Special Calendar

  24. Read 3rd time

  25. Passed House (Roll No. 427)

  26. Communicated to Senate

  27. Completed legislative action

  28. House Message received

  29. To Governor 3/18/2026

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

  31. Approved by Governor 3/25/2026

  32. Approved by Governor 3/25/2026 - Senate Journal

  33. Approved by Governor 3/25/2026 - House Journal

  34. Chapter 54, Acts, Regular Session, 2026

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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1 sponsors · 0 co-sponsors · 151 not signed on

Sponsors (1)

Co-sponsors (0)

None.

Not signed on (151)

151 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 151 →

"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 34 Yea · 0 Nay
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Republican 29000
Democrat 4000
Unaffiliated 1000
Total 34000
% of votes cast 100%0%0%0%
How each member voted (34)
Member Party Vote
MR PRESIDENT — Yea
Anitra Hamilton Democrat Yea
Mike Woelfel Democrat Yea
Mike Woelfel Democrat Yea
Rick Garcia Democrat Yea
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 Yea
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

finance
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 574 do?
Relating to bank merger by interstate branching
Who sponsors SB 574?
SB 574 is sponsored by Mike Azinger (Republican).
What is the current status of SB 574?
This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced January 22, 2026. Enacted.
Where can I track SB 574?
Track SB 574 free on One Click Politics — get push/email alerts when it moves.

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