HINTON W.Va. (Hinton News) – Today, Governor Patrick Morrisey ceremoniously signed Senate Bill 474, which ends Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs in West Virginia, and Senate Bill 299, which prohibits hormone blockers and gender transition surgeries for children under the age of 18.
“I pledged to root out DEI and eliminate the woke virus in West Virginia, and today, we’re following through on that promise,” said Governor Morrisey. “We will lead with common sense, treat every citizen the same under the law, and protect children from making life-altering decisions at a young age.”
Governor Morrisey was joined by legislators and supporters at the Summers County Memorial Building for the ceremonial signing. The Governor highlighted his previous actions to end DEI, including issuing an executive order and signing the Riley Gaines Act (HB 456).
Senate Bill 474 eliminates diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, trainings, activities, offices, and officers from the executive branch, primary and secondary schools, and institutions of higher education of the state and requires higher education institutions to reallocate any unexpended funds that would have been used on diversity, equity, and inclusion projects.
Senate Bill 299 prohibits physicians, physicians assistants, and advanced practice registered nurses from providing gender reassignment surgery or gender altering medication to a person under 18 years of age, and prohibits telehealth service providers from prescribing or dispensing gender altering medication to a person who is under 18 years of age.
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