Bill > HB4787

This bill, titled "The Anti-Terrorism Act," establishes new laws and penalties in West Virginia to combat terrorism, defining various acts and groups as illegal. It clarifies that penalties for terrorism offenses are cumulative and can be served consecutively with other sentences, and mandates that sentences for terrorism are served after any other sentences. Convicted individuals will be required to pay restitution to victims, covering up to three times their economic harm (which includes lost wages, business closure costs, and other financial losses), and also reimburse the state for expenses incurred in responding to terrorist acts. The bill also specifies that civil proceedings are not precluded by criminal convictions. It outlines mandatory sentencing for terrorism offenses, meaning they cannot be suspended, and prohibits alternative sentencing or probation. Importantly, the bill grants jurisdiction for prosecuting terrorist acts against West Virginia residents even if the act occurred outside the state. It defines terrorism broadly as the unlawful use or threatened use of force or violence to instill fear and influence entities for political, religious, or ideological goals, and includes specific definitions for "terrorist act," "terrorist group," "weapon of mass destruction" (explicitly including fentanyl), "terroristic vandalism," and "terrorist swatting" (falsely reporting a crime to elicit an aggressive law enforcement response). The Attorney General and Secretary of Homeland Security are tasked with identifying and designating terrorist entities, including those on federal lists, and members of these groups will be considered engaged in terrorism. The bill also criminalizes providing "material support" to terrorism, which encompasses a wide range of assistance like financial aid, training, lodging, transportation, and even incitement. Finally, it addresses unlawful restraint for political reasons as a form of terrorism and prohibits obstruction of terrorism investigations, classifying such obstruction as providing material support to terrorism.

Justice

http://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Status/Bills_history.cfm?input=4787&year=2026&sessiontype=RS&btype=bill