Technology

HB 5353 requires virtual currency kiosks (machines for buying/selling digital currencies like Bitcoin) to obtain a money transmission license, bringing them under the same regulatory framework as traditional money transfer services. The bill sets daily transaction limits for all customers and mandates clear disclosures about terms, risks, and fees before transactions occur. It also clarifies that kiosks operate as delegates of licensed money transmitters and resolves conflicts between state and federal money transmission laws. This law directly affects kiosk operators and their customers in West Virginia.

HB 4415 amends West Virginia law to explicitly include federal correctional facilities in existing statutes prohibiting the smuggling of prohibited items into correctional settings. The bill makes it a misdemeanor to deliver items like food, clothing, or money without permission (fines up to $500, jail up to 12 months) and a felony to transport weapons, drugs, escape tools, or telecommunications devices (fines $1,000-$5,000, prison 1-10 years). It directly affects individuals attempting to smuggle contraband into federal prisons located within West Virginia, such as visitors, family members, or others delivering unauthorized items. The law updates prior penalties for smuggling into state facilities to apply uniformly to federal correctional institutions.