To create the West Virginia Rural Littering and Illegal Dumping Prevention Act.
HB 5173 creates the West Virginia Rural Littering and Illegal Dumping Prevention Act, targeting individuals who improperly dispose of litter on public or private property, including near waterways. It establishes tiered penalties based on litter quantity: fines from $100 for small amounts (under 100 lbs) up to $50,000 for large dumps (over 500 lbs), with enhanced fines (50% higher) near protected waters. The bill also allows courts to order community service (cleaning litter for 8-200 hours) instead of or alongside fines, and creates a Rural Illegal Dumping Prevention Fund for cleanup programs. It directly affects anyone who illegally discards litter, imposing specific criminal penalties for repeat offenses and violations near water.
Bill status
in committee
1 of 4 stages cleared
Introduction
Feb 2026
Committee Review
Floor Vote
Governor
Introduced Feb 4, 2026
Last action Feb 4, 2026
Floor votes
How they voted
No floor votes recorded yet.
Full legislative history
Actions timeline
Total actions
4
Key actions
0
Committee
2
Feb 4, 2026
Committee
To House Judiciary
lower
Feb 4, 2026
Introduced
Introduced in House
lower
Feb 4, 2026
Committee
To Judiciary
lower
1 primary · 3 co-sponsors
Sponsors
Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Josh Holstein
RRepublican
Co
Erica Moore
RRepublican
Co
Phil Mallow
RRepublican
Co
Tresa Howell
RRepublican
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