WV HB5690: Creating a West Virginia Task Force on Artificial Intelligence

In one paragraph

West Virginia's HB 5690 (2024) adds Code §5A-6-9, creating the West Virginia Task Force on Artificial Intelligence in the Office of the Governor, with state officials, non-voting legislators and Governor-appointed industry members. It was to recommend an AI definition and legislation protecting rights and consumer data, develop best practices for public-sector AI, recommend model school policies, assess AI's workforce effects, inventory state agencies' AI use, and report by July 1, 2025. HB 3187 (2025) later required annual reports and set its end at July 1, 2027. Approved March 27, 2024 (Chapter 43); effective June 2, 2024.

Plain-English summary, written with AI assistance. The official text controls.

What it means for business

No duties for businesses. Cybersecurity, AI-industry and business-association representatives sit on a state task force that recommends AI legislation and policies.

Key provisions

1. 1New Code §5A-6-9: the West Virginia Task Force on Artificial Intelligence, organized within the Office of the Governor, with administrative and technical support from the Office of Technology; the Governor designates the chair
2. 2Members: one non-voting delegate and one non-voting senator; the Chief Information Officer, State Superintendent of Schools, Higher Education Policy Commission Chancellor, Attorney General and the Secretaries of Administration, Homeland Security and Health (or designees); Governor-appointed cybersecurity-industry, AI-industry, statewide business association and WVU Health System or Marshall Health Network members; and a West Virginia Fusion Center member
3. 3Duties include recommending a definition of AI for use in legislation and legislation to protect individual rights, civil liberties and consumer data as they relate to generative AI, determining which agency should develop and oversee AI policy, identifying public interest use cases and developing best practices for public-sector AI
4. 4Also: recommending model policies on students' classroom AI use, assessing AI's effect on employment levels, types of employment and deployment of workers, and inventorying current or proposed AI use in state agencies
5. 5Initial appointments within 90 days and a first meeting within 120 days of the effective date, then quarterly meetings; an electronic report of findings and recommendations to the Governor and Legislature by July 1, 2025; the task force was to end on the later of its report or July 1, 2025
6. 6Amended by HB 3187 (2025, Chapter 38), effective July 9, 2025: adds identifying AI economic opportunities, requires annual reports by July 1 and sets termination on July 1, 2027
7. 7Passed March 4, 2024; approved by the Governor March 27, 2024 (Chapter 43, Acts, Regular Session, 2024); effective June 2, 2024 (90 days from passage)

Latest legislative action

Mar 27, 2024. Approved by Governor 3/27/24 (Chapter 43, Acts, Regular Session, 2024)

Sponsors

Roll call votes

Related and companion bills

• West Virginia HB3187Relating to the West Virginia Task Force on Artificial Intelligence