Relating to consumer protection and the collection of certain personally identifiable information.
HB 4843 prohibits businesses in West Virginia from using scanner technology to collect personal details like driver's license numbers, Social Security numbers, or medical history during consumer transactions - except for verifying age. The bill defines "scanner technology" as devices that capture license barcodes/magnetic strips, print age results, store transaction records, and transfer data, banning their use for collecting non-age PII. It directly affects retailers, bars, or any business using such scanners for age verification or data collection. Violations are classified as unfair or deceptive business practices under West Virginia law, creating enforceable penalties. The bill focuses solely on restricting specific scanner technology, not general data privacy rules.
Bill status
in committee
1 of 4 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2026
Committee Review
Floor Vote
Governor
Introduced Jan 27, 2026
Last action Jan 27, 2026
Floor votes
How they voted
No floor votes recorded yet.
Full legislative history
Actions timeline
Total actions
4
Key actions
0
Committee
2
Jan 27, 2026
Committee
To House Judiciary
lower
Jan 27, 2026
Introduced
Introduced in House
lower
Jan 27, 2026
Committee
To Judiciary
lower
1 primary · 4 co-sponsors
Sponsors
Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
J.B. Akers
RRepublican
Co
Bill Ridenour
RRepublican
Co
Chuck Horst
RRepublican
Co
Jim Butler
RRepublican
Co
Tresa Howell
RRepublican
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