summary
Introduced
02/16/2026
02/16/2026
In Committee
02/16/2026
02/16/2026
Crossed Over
Passed
Dead
Introduced Session
2026 Regular Session
Bill Summary
The purpose of this bill is to clarify that the Office of the Prosecuting Attorney is not a custodian of records and is exempt from the Freedom of Information Act.
AI Summary
This bill amends West Virginia law to explicitly exempt records and materials related to the detection and investigation of crime that are received and maintained by a prosecuting attorney from public disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act, which generally presumes public access to government records. This means that while most public records are accessible, the specific information gathered and held by a prosecutor's office during criminal investigations will now be protected from public view, aligning with existing exemptions for law-enforcement agencies' investigative records.
Committee Categories
Justice
Sponsors (1)
Last Action
To House Judiciary (on 02/16/2026)
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=5621&year=2026&sessiontype=RS&btype=bill |
| Fiscal Note - Prosecuting Attorneys Institute | http://www.wvlegislature.gov/Fiscalnotes/FN(2)/fnsubmit_recordview1.cfm?RecordID=957083276 |
| BillText | http://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Status/bills_text.cfm?billdoc=hb5621%20intr.htm&yr=2026&sesstype=RS&i=5621 |
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