HB 5602 West Virginia House of Delegates · 2026 Regular Session

Provide a statutory mechanism allowing property owners of undeveloped or unimproved land located within municipal boundaries to petition for annexation of their property into the county.

HB 5602 allows property owners of undeveloped land (less than 2% impervious surfaces) within city limits to petition for annexation into the county. It requires written owner consent, county commission approval, and eligibility for potential future purchase by a county development authority. The bill establishes an application process including a map, proof of undeveloped status, and county development authority confirmation, with municipalities notified and allowed 30 days to comment. If approved, the property leaves the city and becomes unincorporated county land, with the county development authority gaining a five-year right of first refusal to purchase at fair market value. This applies only to land not yet developed, aiming to streamline annexation for specific property types.
Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared
Introduction
Feb 2026
Committee Review
Floor Vote
Governor
Introduced Feb 16, 2026 Last action Feb 16, 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 16, 2026
Committee
To House Government Organization
lower
Feb 16, 2026
Introduced
Introduced in House
lower
Feb 16, 2026
Committee
To Government Organization
lower
1 primary · 4 co-sponsors

Sponsors