HB 4462 West Virginia House of Delegates · 2026 Regular Session

Prohibition on cell-cultured products

HB 4462 bans the sale of cell-cultured food products (like lab-grown meat, eggs, fish, or poultry) for human consumption in West Virginia. It defines these products as those made by growing animal cells in a lab to mimic traditional food items, and removes any requirement for labeling them as "lab-grown" or similar. The bill specifically targets cell-cultured products, not plant-based alternatives (defined as "analogue products"). This is a direct sales prohibition with no new labeling rules for the banned products.
Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2026
Committee Review
Feb 2026
House of Delegates Passage
Feb 2026
Senate Passage
Governor
Introduced Jan 16, 2026 Last action Feb 16, 2026
Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Introduced Version Engrossed Version · 6 edits · Feb 13, 2026
MODERATE
This bill prohibits the sale of cell-cultured food products in West Virginia. The engrossed version removed several definitions and labeling requirements that were present in the introduced version, while keeping the core prohibition intact. The changes appear to be technical refinements to the definitions section rather than substantive policy shifts.
Scope change
The bill's core prohibition on selling cell-cultured products remains unchanged. The scope of applicability is the same, but the definitions section was streamlined by removing redundant definitions.
DEFINITION

Removed definition of 'Analogue product' from §19-39-1, which was defined as a food product made from plant products, insects, or fungus.

Removed definition of 'Fish' from §19-39-1, which previously included a reference to 21 C.F.R. §123.3 and §19-29-2(a) of the code.

Removed definition of 'Meat' from §19-39-1, which previously included a reference to 9 C.F.R. §301.2 and §19-29-2(d) of the code.

REQUIREMENT

Reorganized the numbering of misbranded food requirements in §19-39-2, shifting from a 1-23 structure to a 1-20 structure with some items renumbered.

Removed several detailed labeling requirements from §19-39-2(a), including provisions about artificial flavoring, pesticide declarations, ingredient labeling, and nutrition information.

Removed exemptions for small businesses in §19-39-2(b), which previously exempted businesses with annual gross sales under $500,000 or $50,000 from certain requirements.

Floor votes · House of Delegates Feb 13, 2026

How they voted

6425
Passed · 10 other
Total votes 99
Feb 13, 2026
D Democratic9
9 Nay
100% Nay
R Republican90
64 Yea 16 Nay 10
71% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
18
Key actions
2
Committee
6
Feb 16, 2026
Committee
To Agriculture
upper
Feb 16, 2026
Introduced
Introduced in Senate
upper
Feb 13, 2026
Lower · Passed
Passed House (Roll No. 86)
lower
Feb 10, 2026
Lower · Passed
Do pass
lower
Feb 4, 2026
Committee
To House Government Organization
lower
Jan 16, 2026
Committee
To House Agriculture, Commerce and Tourism
lower
Jan 16, 2026
Committee
To House Government Organization
lower
Jan 16, 2026
Introduced
Introduced in House
lower
Jan 16, 2026
Committee
To Government Organization
lower
1 primary · 9 co-sponsors

Sponsors