HB 4947 West Virginia House of Delegates · 2026 Regular Session

Allow Religious Exemptions for vaccines

HB 4947 allows state employees and school children to claim religious exemptions from required vaccines by submitting a notarized certification of religious belief. For employees, the exemption also covers conscientious objections, and employers cannot penalize them through withheld bonuses, pay raises, or denied promotions. Schools must accept the certification for enrollment without requiring additional medical documentation, while the list of required vaccines remains unchanged. The bill expands existing exemption options without altering vaccine requirements.
Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2026
Committee Review
Floor Vote
Governor
Introduced Jan 29, 2026 Last action Jan 29, 2026
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Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
4
Key actions
0
Committee
2
Jan 29, 2026
Committee
To House Health and Human Resources
lower
Jan 29, 2026
Introduced
Introduced in House
lower
Jan 29, 2026
Committee
To Health and Human Resources then Judiciary
lower
1 primary · 10 co-sponsors

Sponsors