# West Virginia HB 4198: E-Verify Safe Harbor Act

West Virginia HB 4198, E-Verify Safe Harbor Act, is a 2026 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Elias Coop-Gonzalez (Republican); status failed, last action 2026-03-14 (Having been read 3rd time 3/13/2026) (as of 2026-11-04).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/WV-HB4198-2026rs
- As of: 2026-11-04
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: West Virginia HB 4198
- State: West Virginia
- Session: 2026 Regular Session
- Title: E-Verify Safe Harbor Act
- Status: failed
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2026-01-14
- Last action: 2026-03-14, Having been read 3rd time 3/13/2026
- Sponsor: Elias Coop-Gonzalez (Republican)
- Cosponsors: 10
- Subjects: §21-1B-2, §21-1B-3, §21-1B-4, §21-1B-9, §21-1B-10, §21-1B-11, §21-1B-12, §21-1B-13
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 4 (188 yes, 128 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 0

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview

No economic impacts identified for this bill.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Elias Coop-Gonzalez (Republican), House
- Cosponsor: Eric Brooks (Republican), House
- Cosponsor: Dana Ferrell (Republican), House
- Cosponsor: Dave Foggin (Republican), House
- Cosponsor: Michael Hornby (Republican), House
- Cosponsor: Linville
- Cosponsor: Margitta Mazzocchi (Republican), House
- Cosponsor: Pat McGeehan (Republican), House
- Cosponsor: Chris Phillips (Republican), House
- Cosponsor: Pritt
- Cosponsor: Bill Ridenour (Republican), House

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-03-14 | Senate | Passed Senate (Roll No. 702) | pass | 31 | 3 |   |
| 2026-02-10 | House | Amendment adopted (Roll No. 70) | pass | 48 | 46 |   |
| 2026-02-10 | House | Amendment rejected (Roll No. 69) | fail | 40 | 55 |   |
| 2026-02-10 | House | Passed House (Roll No. 71) | pass | 69 | 24 |   |

## Actions (49)

- 2026-03-14: Having been read 3rd time 3/13/2026 (Senate)
- 2026-03-14: Committee amendment reported (Senate)
- 2026-03-14: Rose amend. to committee amendment rejected (Voice vote) (Senate)
- 2026-03-14: Morris amend. to committee amendment adopted (Voice vote) (Senate)
- 2026-03-14: Committee amendment as amended adopted (Voice vote) (Senate)
- 2026-03-14: Passed Senate (Roll No. 702) (Senate)
- 2026-03-14: Morris title amendment adopted (Senate)
- 2026-03-14: Senate requests House to concur (Senate)
- 2026-03-13: On 3rd reading with right to amend (Senate)
- 2026-03-13: Read 3rd time (Senate)
- 2026-03-13: Deferred until foot of 2nd reading (Senate)
- 2026-03-13: Laid over on 3rd reading 3/13/2026 with right to amend (Senate)
- 2026-03-12: Reported do pass, with amendment (Senate)
- 2026-03-12: Immediate consideration (Senate)
- 2026-03-12: Read 2nd time (Senate)
- 2026-03-11: Without recommendation, but first rereferred to Judiciary (Senate)
- 2026-03-11: Immediate consideration (Senate)
- 2026-03-11: Read 1st time (Senate)
- 2026-03-11: On 2nd reading, rereferred to Judiciary (Senate)
- 2026-02-11: Introduced in Senate (Senate)
- 2026-02-11: To Judiciary (Senate)
- 2026-02-11: To Judiciary (Senate)
- 2026-02-10: Placed at foot of 3rd reading (House)
- 2026-02-10: Read 3rd time (House)
- 2026-02-10: Amendment reported by the Clerk (House)
- 2026-02-10: Amendment rejected (Roll No. 69) (House)
- 2026-02-10: Amendment reported by the Clerk (House)
- 2026-02-10: Amendment adopted (Voice vote) (House)
- 2026-02-10: Amendment reported by the Clerk (House)
- 2026-02-10: Amendment adopted (Voice vote) (House)
- 2026-02-10: Amendment reported by the Clerk (House)
- 2026-02-10: Amendment adopted (Roll No. 70) (House)
- 2026-02-10: Read 3rd time (House)
- 2026-02-10: Passed House (Roll No. 71) (House)
- 2026-02-10: Title amendment adopted (Voice vote) (House)
- 2026-02-10: Communicated to Senate (House)
- 2026-02-09: On 3rd reading with right to amend, Special Calendar (House)
- 2026-02-09: Postponed on 3rd reading, Special Calendar, until 2/10/2026 (House)
- 2026-02-06: On 2nd reading, Special Calendar (House)
- 2026-02-06: Read 2nd time (House)
- 2026-02-05: On 1st reading, Special Calendar (House)
- 2026-02-05: Read 1st time (House)
- 2026-02-04: On 1st reading, Special Calendar (House)
- 2026-02-04: Postponed on 1st reading, Special Calendar, until February 5, 2026 (House)
- 2026-02-03: By substitute, do pass (House)
- 2026-01-14: Filed for introduction (House)
- 2026-01-14: To Government Organization (House)
- 2026-01-14: Introduced in House (House)
- 2026-01-14: To House Government Organization (House)

## Bill text

- Committee Substitute: [HTML](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/hb4198 sub1.htm), [PDF](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/hb4198 sub1.pdf)
- Engrossed: [HTML](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/hb4198 sub1 eng.htm), [PDF](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/hb4198 sub1 eng.pdf)
- Introduced Version: [HTML](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/hb4198 intr.htm), [PDF](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/hb4198 intr.pdf)

## Related bills

- HB 4191: Relating to providing child care generally (became law)
- HB 4106: Allowing constitutional carry for 18- to 20-year-olds (signed)
- HB 4138: Relating to persons convicted of a crime (signed)
- HB 5694: Supplemental appropriation to Department of Education, fund 0313. (signed)
- HB 5353: To bring virtual currency kiosks within the purview of money transmission licensure and create disclosure requirements and daily transaction limitations for ne… (signed)
- HB 4452: To remove Mortmain restrictions on religious organizations (signed)

## Sources
- [Committee Substitute (HTML)](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/hb4198 sub1.htm)
- [Committee Substitute (PDF)](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/hb4198 sub1.pdf)
- [Engrossed (HTML)](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/hb4198 sub1 eng.htm)
- [Engrossed (PDF)](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/hb4198 sub1 eng.pdf)
- [Introduced Version (HTML)](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/hb4198 intr.htm)
- [Introduced Version (PDF)](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/hb4198 intr.pdf)

## Related
- [HB 4191: Relating to providing child care generally](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/WV-HB4191-2026rs)
- [HB 4106: Allowing constitutional carry for 18- to 20-year-olds](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/WV-HB4106-2026rs)
- [HB 4138: Relating to persons convicted of a crime](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/WV-HB4138-2026rs)
- [HB 5694: Supplemental appropriation to Department of Education, fund 0313.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/WV-HB5694-2026rs)
- [HB 5353: To bring virtual currency kiosks within the purview of money transmission licen…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/WV-HB5353-2026rs)
- [HB 4452: To remove Mortmain restrictions on religious organizations](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/WV-HB4452-2026rs)
- [West Virginia bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/west-virginia/bills)
- [West Virginia state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/west-virginia)
- [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/WV-HB4198-2026rs (as of 2026-11-04).