# West Virginia HB 4496: To force any media/internet creator providing artificial intelligence created videos to have an identifying marker that allows viewers to know that the video is not real.

West Virginia HB 4496, To force any media/internet creator providing artificial intelligence created videos to have an identifying marker that allows viewers to know that the video is not real., is a 2026 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Flanigan; status failed, last action 2026-01-19 (Filed for introduction) (as of 2026-11-04).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/WV-HB4496-2026rs
- 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 4496
- State: West Virginia
- Session: 2026 Regular Session
- Title: To force any media/internet creator providing artificial intelligence created videos to have an identifying marker that allows viewers to know that the video is not real.
- Status: failed
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2026-01-19
- Last action: 2026-01-19, Filed for introduction
- Sponsor: Flanigan
- Cosponsors: 10
- Subjects: §46A-9-1, §46A-9-2, §46A-9-3, §46A-9-4, House Judiciary
- Touches household money: no
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 0

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview

No economic impacts identified for this bill.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Flanigan
- Cosponsor: James Robert "JB" Akers II (Republican), House
- Cosponsor: Eric Brooks (Republican), House
- Cosponsor: Jim Butler (Republican), House
- Cosponsor: Joe Funkhouser (Republican), House
- Cosponsor: Michael Hornby (Republican), House
- Cosponsor: Phil Mallow (Republican), House
- Cosponsor: Carl Martin (Republican), House
- Cosponsor: Jordan Maynor (Republican), House
- Cosponsor: Carl "Bill" Roop (Republican), House
- Cosponsor: Jimmy Willis (Republican), House

## Actions (4)

- 2026-01-19: Filed for introduction (House)
- 2026-01-19: To Judiciary (House)
- 2026-01-19: Introduced in House (House)
- 2026-01-19: To House Judiciary (House)

## Bill text

- Introduced Version: [HTML](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/hb4496 intr.htm), [PDF](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/hb4496 intr.pdf)

## Related bills

- HB 4452: To remove Mortmain restrictions on religious organizations (signed)
- HB 4354: Relating to necessity allowance (signed)
- HB 4390: Relating to the temporary payment to a kinship parent of a subsidy equal to that of a foster parent (signed)
- 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)

## Sources
- [Introduced Version (HTML)](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/hb4496 intr.htm)
- [Introduced Version (PDF)](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/hb4496 intr.pdf)

## Related
- [HB 4452: To remove Mortmain restrictions on religious organizations](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/WV-HB4452-2026rs)
- [HB 4354: Relating to necessity allowance](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/WV-HB4354-2026rs)
- [HB 4390: Relating to the temporary payment to a kinship parent of a subsidy equal to tha…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/WV-HB4390-2026rs)
- [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)
- [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-HB4496-2026rs (as of 2026-11-04).