Signed by Governor Patrick Morrisey

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to concur with House amendments and pass a bill that prohibits diversity, equity, and inclusion programs in West Virginia.

Highlights:

• Prohibits all diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) practices and policies in state government and schools including at institutions of higher education (Ch. 5, Article 33).

• Prohibits any state agency from running an office or division to promote diversity, equity, or inclusion practices or from directing an employee to do the same and requires all current offices that do so to be shut down (Ch. 5, Article 33).

• Prohibits expressing any employment preferences based on any metrics of diversity, equity, or inclusion (Ch. 5, Article 33).

• Specifies that no individual hired can be required under the law to participate in diversity, equity, and inclusion training and that state agencies generally will not be allowed to run such training (Ch. 5, Article 33).

• Amends and restricts how certain race- and gender-related topics are approached by teachers in schools, who will not be able to teach any lessons suggesting that someone’s race, ethnicity, or sex makes them morally “superior” to someone else, among other things Ch. 5, Article 33).

• Prohibits teachers and school staff from being required to use a student’s preferred pronouns if those pronouns do not match the child’s sex (Ch. 5, Article 33).

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to amend and pass a bill that prohibits diversity, equity, and inclusion programs in West Virginia.

Highlights:

• Prohibits all diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) practices and policies in state government and schools including at institutions of higher education (Ch. 5, Article 33).

• Prohibits any state agency from running an office or division to promote diversity, equity, or inclusion practices or from directing an employee to do the same and requires all current offices that do so to be shut down (Ch. 5, Article 33).

• Prohibits expressing any employment preferences based on any metrics of diversity, equity, or inclusion (Ch. 5, Article 33).

• Specifies that no individual hired can be required under the law to participate in diversity, equity, and inclusion training and that state agencies generally will not be allowed to run such training (Ch. 5, Article 33).

• Amends and restricts how certain race- and gender-related topics are approached by teachers in schools, who will not be able to teach any lessons suggesting that someone’s race, ethnicity, or sex makes them morally “superior” to someone else, among other things Ch. 5, Article 33).

• Prohibits teachers and school staff from being required to use a student’s preferred pronouns if those pronouns do not match the child’s sex (Ch. 5, Article 33).

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that prohibits diversity, equity, and inclusion programs in West Virginia.

Highlights:

• Prohibits all diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) practices and policies in state government and schools including at institutions of higher education (Ch. 5, Article 33).

• Prohibits any state agency from running an office or division to promote diversity, equity, or inclusion practices or from directing an employee to do the same and requires all current offices that do so to be shut down (Ch. 5, Article 33).

• Prohibits expressing any employment preferences based on any metrics of diversity, equity, or inclusion (Ch. 5, Article 33).

• Specifies that no individual hired can be required under the law to participate in diversity, equity, and inclusion training and that state agencies generally will not be allowed to run such training (Ch. 5, Article 33).

• Amends and restricts how certain race- and gender-related topics are approached by teachers in schools, who will not be able to teach any lessons suggesting that someone’s race, ethnicity, or sex makes them morally “superior” to someone else, among other things Ch. 5, Article 33).

• Prohibits teachers and school staff from being required to use a student’s preferred pronouns if those pronouns do not match the child’s sex (Ch. 5, Article 33).

Full Bill Text