Bill > SB923

This bill, titled the West Virginia Guaranteeing Rights Against Novel International Tyranny and Extortion (GRANITE) Act, establishes legal protections for West Virginia residents and businesses against foreign censorship laws. It finds that foreign states and international organizations are increasingly attempting to enforce their censorship laws within the United States, which conflicts with constitutional protections for speech and association. The GRANITE Act aims to safeguard these rights by creating a civil cause of action for individuals and entities targeted by such foreign laws, allowing them to sue in West Virginia courts. It also prohibits West Virginia courts from recognizing or enforcing foreign judgments or cooperating with foreign extradition requests that penalize constitutionally protected speech, thereby creating a safe harbor for digital innovation and protecting the state's economy from foreign coercion. The Act defines key terms like "foreign censorship law" and outlines specific procedures for legal action and service of process, while also establishing presumptions that foreign censorship laws violate constitutional rights, which defendants must overcome with clear and convincing evidence.

Justice

http://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Status/Bills_history.cfm?input=923&year=2026&sessiontype=RS&btype=bill