Bill > HB4863

This bill, titled "The West Virginia Refugee and Immigrant Absorptive Capacity Act," establishes a framework for assessing and managing the state's ability to integrate refugees and immigrants. It defines "absorptive capacity" as a determination by the Governor or local government that considers the strain on social services, healthcare, housing, education, the economy, and law enforcement, as well as the potential impact on existing residents. The bill mandates that the state office within the Department of Human Services responsible for refugees and immigrants coordinate with local governments and resettlement organizations, ensure refugees do not pose a security or health risk, and provide extensive reports on fiscal and economic impacts, resettlement data, and any reported crimes involving refugees or immigrants. It also allows for a moratorium on new resettlement activities in communities found to lack sufficient absorptive capacity, with such moratoriums not exceeding one year. Furthermore, the bill requires refugee and immigrant resettlement organizations to reimburse the state for un-reimbursed fiscal impacts, proportional to the number of refugees they facilitate. The Governor also has the authority to issue an executive order to halt state participation in refugee and immigrant resettlement if an adverse impact on existing residents is determined. The existing West Virginia Refugee and Immigrant Resettlement Program Plan will be used to administer these provisions, and a severability clause ensures that if any part of the bill is found invalid, the rest remains in effect.

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http://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Status/Bills_history.cfm?input=4863&year=2026&sessiontype=RS&btype=bill