Bill > HB5528

This bill establishes protections for the personal residential information of certain public officials in West Virginia, defining "covered individual" to include those in judicial, law-enforcement, or elected positions, along with their immediate family members residing with them. It requires any "controlling agency," which is a government entity holding public records, to remove or redact a covered individual's home address, personal phone numbers, or name when associated with their home address from publicly accessible websites or databases upon written request. If an agency fails to comply, the covered individual can pursue a civil lawsuit to force the removal and potentially recover legal costs. However, this protection does not apply to certain disclosures, such as for internal government use, legal requirements, consumer reporting agencies, law enforcement, valid subpoenas, property title records, or specific election-related purposes. Before information is redacted, the covered individual must sign a written affirmation acknowledging that this redaction might lead to the forfeiture of certain legal, promotional, or official notices they would otherwise receive.