West Virginia legislation · 2026 Regular Session
West Virginia HB5036: The sovereignty of law and judicial authority in the State of West Virginia.
Status: Introduced, February 2, 2026
What the bill says
To amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by adding a new article, designated §51-1B-1, §51-1B-2, §51-1B-3, §51-1B-4, §51-1B-5, §51-1B-6, §51-1B-7, §51-1B-8, and §51-1B-9, relating to the sovereignty of law and judicial authority in West Virginia, prohibiting parallel legal systems, specifying requirements for enforceability of contracts and arbitration agreements, addressing defenses to legal actions involving contract disputes regarding arbitration, and providing a cause of action and injunctive relief for victims of arbitration and other prohibited parallel legal systems.
From the introduced text, February 2, 2026:
A BILL to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by adding a new article, designated §51-1B-1, §51-1B-2, §51-1B-3, §51-1B-4, §51-1B-5, §51-1B-6, §51-1B-7, §51-1B-8, and §51-1B-9, relating to the sovereignty of law and judicial authority in West Virginia, prohibiting parallel legal systems, specifying requirements for enforceability of contracts and arbitration agreements, addressing defenses to legal actions involving contract disputes regarding arbitration, and providing a cause of action and injunctive relief for victims of arbitration and other prohibited parallel legal systems. article 1B. Sovereignty of Law, prohibition on enforcement of non-enacted legal systems. §51-1B-1. Legislative findings. The Legislature finds that the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of West Virginia are the supreme law governing the rights of the people of this state, and that all judicial authority exercised within this state must derive from laws duly enacted by elected legislative bodies accountable to the people. The Legislature further finds that the enforcement of any legal system not enacted through constitutional legislative processes threatens due process, equal protection, and individual liberty. §51-1B-2. Sovereignty of law. No court, administrative agency, arbitrator, mediator, or other adjudicative body operating under the authority of this state shall apply, enforce, or give legal effect to any law, rule, code, legal system, or legal doctrine that was not enacted The Legislature of the …