West Virginia § 31A-4-45 Refusal of banking institutions to open checking accounts for certain individuals convicted of worthless check violations; authorizing criminal background investigation by banking institutions; civil immunity; and confidentiality

West Virginia Statutes

§ 31A-4-45 — Refusal of banking institutions to open checking accounts for certain individuals convicted of worthless check violations; authorizing criminal background investigation by banking institutions; civil immunity; and confidentiality

West Virginia § 31A-4-45

Ch. 31ABANKS AND BANKING

Art. 4BANKING INSTITUTIONS AND SERVICES GENERALLY

This text of West Virginia § 31A-4-45 (Refusal of banking institutions to open checking accounts for certain individuals convicted of worthless check violations; authorizing criminal background investigation by banking institutions; civil immunity; and confidentiality) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering West Virginia primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook

W. Va. Code § 31A-4-45 (2026).

Text

(a)Any banking institution may refuse to open an account with a potential customer based on its actual or constructive knowledge, or when through background investigation it has acquired information or knowledge, that the customer has previously been convicted of two or more violations of section thirty-nine or section thirty-nine-a, article three, chapter sixty-one of this code, involving obtaining property in return for a worthless check or issuance of a worthless check within five years prior to the request to open the account, or during that period has been of two violations of such activity under federal law or the laws of another state. This provision shall not impair the bank's ability to refuse to open an account for a potential customer for any other lawful reason, including, but

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(a) Any banking institution may refuse to open an account with a potential customer based on its actual or constructive knowledge, or when through background investigation it has acquired information or knowledge, that the customer has previously been convicted of two or more violations of section thirty-nine or section thirty-nine-a, article three, chapter sixty-one of this code, involving obtaining property in return for a worthless check or issuance of a worthless check within five years prior to the request to open the account, or during that period has been of two violations of such activity under federal law or the laws of another state. This provision shall not impair the bank's ability to refuse to open an account for a potential customer for any other lawful reason, including, but not limited to, past experience with that customer involving overdrawn accounts of checks returned for insufficient funds.

(b) Any banking institution acting pursuant to subsection (a) of this section shall be immune from civil liability for refusing to open an account based on the potential customer's past conviction for obtaining property in return for a worthless check or issuance of a worthless check: Provided, That this immunity shall not apply to any violations of subsection (c) of this section.

(c) Any and all nonpublic records or credit information obtained by the bank, its employees or agents in conducting a background investigation on a customer's or potential customer's previous convictions for violation of section thirty-nine or section thirty-nine-a, article three, chapter sixty-one of this code, or convictions under federal law or the laws of another state involving obtaining property in return for a worthless check or issuance of a worthless check, shall remain confidential and no agent or employee of the banking institution shall publicly disclose or publish any such information obtained.