Bill > HB5367

This bill, titled the "West Virginia Refugee Absorptive Capacity Act," establishes a framework for evaluating and managing refugee resettlement within the state by defining "absorptive capacity" as a determination made by the Governor or local governments assessing the state's or a local jurisdiction's ability to handle the needs of current residents and incoming refugees, considering factors like social services, healthcare, housing, education, economic impact, and law enforcement capabilities. The bill mandates that the state office dealing with refugees, part of the Department of Human Services, coordinate with local governments and resettlement organizations, provide certifications that refugees do not pose security or health risks, and report extensively on refugee resettlement data, fiscal impacts, and program administration to various legislative and governmental bodies. Furthermore, it allows for a moratorium on new refugee resettlement activities in communities found to lack sufficient absorptive capacity, with such moratoria not exceeding one year, and empowers the Governor to issue an executive order to suspend state participation in refugee resettlement if an adverse impact on existing residents is determined. The bill also outlines a process for refugee resettlement organizations to reimburse the state for un-reimbursable fiscal impacts, proportional to the number of refugees they facilitate.

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http://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Status/Bills_history.cfm?input=5367&year=2026&sessiontype=RS&btype=bill