West Virginia legislation · 2025 Regular Session
West Virginia HB2434: Relating to establishing the Stop Squatters Act
Status: Passed both chambers, April 12, 2025
The purpose of this bill is to establish the Stop Squatters Act; providing a limited alternative remedy to remove unauthorized persons from residential and commercial real properties. The bill also establishes criminal offenses and penalties for intentional property damage by persons in unlawful possession, or who present a false document purporting to convey real property or attempt to list for sale or rent without title thereto.
What the bill says
An act to amend and reenact §55-3C-1 and §55-3C-2 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, and adding thereto the following new sections, designated §55-3C-3, §55- 3C-4, §55-3C-5,and §55-3C-6, all relating to squatting; establishing the Stop Squatters Act; providing a short title and findings; amending the definition of squatting and adding a definition for squatter; providing a limited alternative remedy to remove unauthorized persons from residential and commercial real properties; providing for the immediate removal by a law- enforcement agency upon request of the property owner of a.
From the enrolled text, April 11, 2025:
AN ACT to amend and reenact §55-3C-1 and §55-3C-2 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, and adding thereto the following new sections, designated §55-3C-3, §55- 3C-4, §55-3C-5,and §55-3C-6, all relating to squatting; establishing the Stop Squatters Act; providing a short title and findings; amending the definition of squatting and adding a definition for squatter; providing a limited alternative remedy to remove unauthorized persons from residential and commercial real properties; providing for the immediate removal by a law- enforcement agency upon request of the property owner of any person unlawfully occupying a residential dwelling or commercial building if certain conditions are met; providing a civil cause of action for wrongful removal; establishing misdemeanor and felony offenses for unlawfully occupying and intentionally damaging a residential dwelling or commercial building and providing penalties upon conviction thereof; establishing a misdemeanor offense for knowingly presenting a false document purporting to convey real property and providing penalties upon conviction thereof; and establishing a felony offense for any person who knowingly lists or advertises residential real property or a commercial building for sale or renting without legal title or authority and providing penalties upon conviction thereof ARTICLE 3C. STOP SQUATTERS ACT. §55-3C-1. Short title; findings. (a) This article shall be known and may be cited as the "Stop Squatters Act". (b). The Legislature finds …