Bill
Bill > HB4953
WV HB4953
WV HB4953To require all West Virginia high school students to pass a Civics examination and the United States Naturalization Examination
summary
Introduced
01/29/2026
01/29/2026
In Committee
01/29/2026
01/29/2026
Crossed Over
Passed
Dead
Introduced Session
2026 Regular Session
Bill Summary
The purpose of this bill is to require all West Virginia high school students to pass a civics examination and the United States Naturalization Examination as a prerequisite for graduation.
AI Summary
This bill mandates that all West Virginia high school students must pass a civics examination, which is described as being the same as or substantially similar to the civics portion of the naturalization test used by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), as a requirement for graduation. The bill also specifies that students will take a mandatory civics class that includes instruction on the West Virginia Constitution, and those who do not pass the civics test will have opportunities to retake it monthly during their junior and senior years until they succeed. This change is set to take effect for students entering the ninth grade in the 2026-2027 school year, with the test being administered at some point between ninth grade and graduation.
Committee Categories
Education
Sponsors (2)
Last Action
To House Education (on 01/29/2026)
bill text
bill summary
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bill summary
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bill summary
| Document Type | Source Location |
|---|---|
| State Bill Page | http://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Status/Bills_history.cfm?input=4953&year=2026&sessiontype=RS&btype=bill |
| Fiscal Note - Education, WV State Board of | http://www.wvlegislature.gov/Fiscalnotes/FN(2)/fnsubmit_recordview1.cfm?RecordID=954509967 |
| Fiscal Note - Education, WV Department of | http://www.wvlegislature.gov/Fiscalnotes/FN(2)/fnsubmit_recordview1.cfm?RecordID=954509966 |
| BillText | http://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Status/bills_text.cfm?billdoc=hb4953%20intr.htm&yr=2026&sesstype=RS&i=4953 |
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