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HB4571 • 2026

Taxpayer Protection Act

Taxpayer Protection Act

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
Dean, Flanigan , Pritt , Shamblin , Vance , Ferrell , Stephens , Bell , Heckert , Worrell
Last action
2026-01-20
Official status
H To House Finance 01/20/26
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The plain English breakdown is still being put together. The official documents below are already here.

Bill History

  1. 2026-01-20 H

    To House Finance

  2. 2026-01-20 H

    Introduced in House

  3. 2026-01-20 H

    To Finance

  4. 2026-01-20 H

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

Taxpayer Protection Act

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
HB 4571 Text

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Introduced Version

House Bill 4571 History

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Key:
Green
= existing Code.
Red
= new code to be enacted

WEST VIRGINIA LEGISLATURE
2026
REGULAR SESSION
Introduced
House Bill 4571
By Delegates Dean, Flanigan, Pritt, Shamblin, Vance, Ferrell, Stephens, Bell, Heckert, and Worrell
[Introduced January 20, 2026; referred to the Committee on Finance]
A BILL to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by adding a new section, designated §11-21-11a, relating to taxable income of residents; and creating an "ABC" test designed to ensure that individual taxpayers are not misclassified; and clarifying when a taxpayer is not an independent contractor.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:

ARTICLE 21. PERSONAL INCOME TAX.

§11-21-11a. Taxpayer Protection Act.

(a) In order to prevent the misclassification of resident individual taxpayers as independent contractors and ensure the state rightfully receives taxes from employment, the Tax Commissioner shall implement an "ABC" test for an independent contractor as follows:
(1) Absence of Control – Is the worker taxpayer free from the direction or control of the employer;
(2) Business of Worker – Is the worker taxpayer's task unusual, with regards to the hiring employer's business; and
(3) Customarily Engaged -- Is the worker taxpayer customarily independent from the employer and does the worker taxpayer have their own business identity on the open market?
(b) A worker taxpayer is presumed to be an independent contractor unless a hiring entity or employer can demonstrate all three of the following:
(1) The worker taxpayer is subject to the type and degree of control a business typically exercises over employees;
(2) The worker taxpayer performs the work under the direction of, and is economically responsible to, the principal; and
(3) The work is performed under the direction of, and is economically responsible to, the principal.

NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to ensure individual taxpayers are not misclassified.
Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from a heading or the present law and underscoring indicates new language that would be added.

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