[{"_1":2,"_88":-5,"_89":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6111151,"mediaKeyId","2753211-e52bf2f6637a30f50fb3ee3dbe7b8f8e","parentId",2753211,"title","Votes at a glance: key Senate actions on March 21, 2025","audioSeconds",390,"startMs",5364000,"endMs",5754000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2753211-e52bf2f6637a30f50fb3ee3dbe7b8f8e&start=5364&end=5754","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2753211-e52bf2f6637a30f50fb3ee3dbe7b8f8e/thumbnail_5364000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6111151/West-Virginia/Votes-at-a-glance-key-Senate-actions-on-March-21-2025","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6111151-137adf15c8452b1a70eca6ef097f6191/orig.mp4?Expires=1770453028&Signature=OcuFGsLYx7UFLw1WEkLgMq2QFANZqrzjjkwg3WPJOzZ1e~KyO2p3SgWt-aj8JFpqrVzWitFw9fKFB3oJ0Cv-HMJFDMvLjeVvxgQmZwmx5XvJoZMLT53EIj~F93SjSCUCRCtSxR7aNb95~NS2wTGwUgfg~sQ2JGQEtzj2qp~v~vMFB8YWw3QKKmoTnA89k-x1XjsqNVXY6AHueRge4A3U8nKarfIgaeeMWiajyv0GAYvvyOSXdxm4m~MwrnhJpMWXzE0~3Qo~gJLIA7bENNtg4IDhqPK2bflKjSECzSim2enX9MugUWBWFKOQSvSaFmYU1RuWg-chRtr-cQavyfGuug__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","West Virginia Legislature","date","2025-03-24T00:00:00Z","article","CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The West Virginia Senate recorded final passage on several bills on March 21. Most measures passed with unanimous or lopsided affirmative tallies; two items drew recorded, divided votes.

Summary of recorded floor votes (as reflected in the transcript and clerk's announcements):

- Bill requiring coordination between the Division of Highways and utilities on paving and utility construction to avoid damage to newly paved roads: recorded passage 33 yays, 0 nays, 1 absent (clerk announced result at 1750.595'1763.88). Evidence: \"As pertained results on this question, 33 ayes, 0 nays, 1 absent... I declare the bill passed.\" (clerk)

- Bill allowing certain state police hires hired after July 1, 2015 to trade accrued leave for credited service toward retirement on a 1-for-1 basis: recorded passage 33 yays, 0 nays, 1 absent (clerk announced result at 1809.09'1824.315). Evidence: \"33 yays, 0 nays, 1 absent... I declare the bill passed.\" (clerk)

- Engrossed Senate Bill 105 updating retirement eligibility for certain sheriffs: recorded passage 33 yays, 0 nays, 1 absent (clerk announced result at 1878.315'1886.635). Evidence: \"On this question, 33 yays, 0 nays, 1 absent... I declare the bill passed.\" (clerk)

- Engrossed Senate Bill 579 (home rule reform): recorded passage 35 yays, 8 nays, 1 absent (clerk announced result at 5336.87'5351.9253). (Detailed floor debate on SB 579 is reported separately.)

- Engrossed Senate Bill 743 (adjusting percentage of tax retained by clerk of county commission for certain purposes): recorded passage 33 yays, 0 nays, 1 absent; the Senate later voted to make the bill effective July 1, 2025, and that motion passed 33 yays, 0 nays, 1 absent (clerk announced results at 5368.195'5463.555).

- Engrossed Senate Bill 747 (real estate license act; nonresident broker physical office exemption): recorded passage 33 yays, 0 nays, 1 absent (clerk announced result at 5540.045'5553.87).

- Committee substitute relating to the Department of Commerce rules bundle (bundle 10): recorded passage 33 ayes, 0 nays, 1 absent (clerk announced result at 5741.7'5754.04). The transcript shows the clerk later declared the bill passed and the Senate moved it forward.

What the transcript does not show: subsequent action by the House of Delegates, enrolled bill signatures, or any conference or amendments filed after the Senate passage. For several measures the transcript records only the clerk's announcement that the bill was advanced or will be referred to committee; those items are not included in this roll-call summary.

The clerk will communicate the Senate's actions to the House of Delegates as required by chamber procedure.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","WV Senate Monday, Mar 24, 2025 11:00 - 12:51","oneSentenceSummary","The Senate recorded final passage for a number of bills on March 21, including measures on road/utility coordination, retirement provisions and county excise tax allocations. Tallies below reflect roll-call results recorded in the Senate journal.","taxTitle","2025 Legislature WV, West Virginia","taxId",77714,"location","West Virginia","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6111155,"Senate passes bill limiting municipal anti‑discrimination ordinances after heated debate",3451,1900000,5351000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2753211-e52bf2f6637a30f50fb3ee3dbe7b8f8e&start=1900&end=5351","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2753211-e52bf2f6637a30f50fb3ee3dbe7b8f8e/thumbnail_1900000.jpg","/articles/6111155/West-Virginia/Senate-passes-bill-limiting-municipal-antidiscrimination-ordinances-after-heated-debate","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6111155-c7e445cb5cb6105e89ab7e9bc9f1281f/orig.mp4?Expires=1770453028&Signature=ZGrOW2KBs4OT6AIe2gwCLJzPMBe6j6SXsuJQNFyNPMybARfwKLnj9OiD9eCC02saCAb0a60LQKEy91QfIxAKbiuQIK44Ln9xgOyOJnECQM7~Xfe4DKSrXMOunTD1LFFT81z5EczW4GvMxiktXTy23pggQxwD1vMKq07qex4bzCSYxTnTbkq1sBfJ952rqblrAOhLaPefvjSCiiSCju~VKBycWNm6e9~YgEWeBO6rEEayxCxpSdROy1K9BycVzKygyoaGzAkN6B~zlWhnsgzj0DRejG6BxNKWob0M2Lcqh7rdTAC2-Yo7aFqY4o8XFNgAgSB7lQJ1HOcv5qR-wc~tfw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The West Virginia Senate on March 21 passed Senate Bill 579, a measure that prohibits municipalities that participate in the state's home rule program from establishing protected classes beyond those listed in state law, following more than two hours of debate and public examples cited by senators.

The bill's sponsor, identified in the record as the junior senator from the seventh, urged adoption and framed the measure as a way to preserve a consistent statewide framework for anti-discrimination law. \"This bill protects parents' rights and medical professionals across our state,\" the sponsor said during final remarks, adding, \"I urge adoption of this bill.\" (Junior senator from seventh, 5288.625)

Supporters said uniformity prevents legal confusion and protects what they described as parental and women's privacy rights. \"A uniform set across our state allows for a more efficient and consistent enforcement through dedicated agencies like the Human Rights Commission of West Virginia,\" the senator from Fayette said, arguing the measure would stop \"a continuous expansion of classes\" and protect women and girls in restrooms and locker rooms (Senator from Fayette, 2162.9648).

Opponents said the bill overrides local choices and removes protections some municipalities had enacted after public hearings. \"Local control is only good apparently when it's what this body agrees with,\" the senator from Marion said, urging a no vote and citing recent municipal ordinances adopted by local councils (Senator from Marion, 1924.7). The senator from Jefferson said she had attended city council hearings in municipalities that adopted ordinances despite local opposition and said some councils acted on constituent input (Senator from Jefferson, 3178.44).

The debate included discussion of conversion therapy bans that some municipal ordinances address; the sponsor and others said portions of those ordinances could conflict with state licensure authority for medical professionals. The sponsor read language from a Morgantown ordinance as an example and cited a recent presidential executive order in the course of remarks (Junior senator from seventh, 2455.3398). Senators on both sides referred to federal and state guidance, national medical associations, and prior court rulings during the discussion.

The Senate clerk recorded the final tally as 35 yays, 8 nays and 1 absent; the presiding officer declared the bill passed (vote recorded at 5336.87'5351.9253). The transcript records proponents repeatedly saying they were defending parental rights and a uniform statutory framework and opponents arguing the measure strips locally enacted non-discrimination protections that some municipalities put in place after public input.

The transcript places the bill's third reading and the bulk of debate on the floor between roughly 19:00 and the vote late in the afternoon; senators filed a number of extended remarks for the journal appendix (see provenance). The bill will be communicated to the House of Delegates as recorded by the clerk.

The record shows direct references during debate to the West Virginia Human Rights Act, municipal ordinances such as the Morgantown ordinance, and a presidential executive order quoted on the floor; senators disagreed over whether specific municipal provisions would conflict with state law or medical licensure. The transcript does not record subsequent actions by the House of Delegates or any changes to the bill after the Senate vote.

For context, senators opposing the bill repeatedly emphasized local control, saying some municipalities adopted their ordinances after hearings and votes of local councils; proponents emphasized statewide uniformity, parental rights and protection of medical professionals from locally imposed licensure or scope-of-practice rules.

Votes at a glance for this bill are recorded on the senate floor as: 35 yays, 8 nays, 1 absent. The clerk will communicate the action to the House.

","The West Virginia Senate passed Senate Bill 579 on third reading, preventing municipalities from adding protected classes beyond state law. Debate ranged from arguments for statewide uniformity to appeals for local control; final vote 35-8-1.","actionData","errors"]

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Votes at a glance: key Senate actions on March 21, 2025

Senate passes bill limiting municipal anti‑discrimination ordinances after heated debate