summary
Introduced
01/30/2026
01/30/2026
In Committee
01/30/2026
01/30/2026
Crossed Over
Passed
Dead
Introduced Session
2026 Regular Session
Bill Summary
The purpose of this bill relates to zoning ordinances and their effects; and defines the word "use" to mean "domestic use, farming, or activities on the land from where water was drawn, and not extraction for transport to another jurisdiction via bottling, storage, pipeline or otherwise."
AI Summary
This bill clarifies the definition of "use" within zoning ordinances, specifically stating that it refers to domestic use, farming, or activities directly related to the land where water was drawn, and explicitly excludes the extraction of water for commercial sale or transport outside of West Virginia, whether through bottling, storage, pipelines, or other means. This amendment aims to ensure that local zoning laws do not unduly restrict agricultural and domestic water usage while preventing large-scale commercial water extraction for export. Additionally, the bill includes a provision for "growth counties" with significant karst terrain, which will have an exception to this definition regarding water extraction from subsurface wells for commercial sale or shipment outside West Virginia, though it emphasizes that this exception does not grant authorities the power to infringe upon existing water rights.
Committee Categories
Government Affairs
Sponsors (3)
Last Action
To House Government Organization (on 01/30/2026)
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=5009&year=2026&sessiontype=RS&btype=bill |
| BillText | http://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Status/bills_text.cfm?billdoc=hb5009%20intr.htm&yr=2026&sesstype=RS&i=5009 |
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