Senate passes bill ending diversity, equity and inclusion programs in state agencies and public K-12 schools, 32-2

The West Virginia Senate passed Senate Bill 474 on March 25, a bill that would eliminate offices, programs, training and policies related to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) from state departments, divisions, agencies, boards, public primary and secondary schools, and institutions of higher learning. The measure passed by a 32-2 roll call.

The measure’s sponsor, Junior Senator from the Fifteenth, described the bill as a sweeping prohibition on DEI offices and stated on the floor that “this is a bill that will eliminate DEI from our classrooms once and for all. I urge passage.” Supporters said the bill protects students and employees from what they described as coercive or divisive instruction and employment practices.

Opponents warned the bill would restrict curriculum and reduce local control. Senator from Marion said lawmakers should focus on funding public education rather than enacting what she called constitutionally dubious restrictions, telling the chamber: “How about we stop defunding our public education system.” Several Democrats and some Republicans pressed that the bill risks chilling classroom discussion and administrative compliance with federal requirements.

The bill’s text defines prohibited practices to include instruction that teaches that any race, ethnicity or sex is inherently superior or that individuals should feel guilt or psychological distress because of their race, ethnicity or sex; sponsors said the measure still permits historical instruction and does not limit freedom of speech outside the classroom. The legislation also bars public school and county board employees from being required to use a student’s preferred pronouns that the employee considers inconsistent with the student’s biological sex and provides civil-action immunity to employees who refuse. It creates a complaint-and-appeal process allowing parents and guardians to file grievances; the bill requires county-level appeal steps followed by an appeal to the state superintendent if local remedies do not resolve the complaint.

Senator Tom Willis, who spoke in favor of the measure, urged passage and offered a practical outreach line for constituents: “We will put an end to woke teaching in the state of West Virginia,” adding he had arranged a website and phone contact for people who believe they have been harmed by DEI instruction. Opponents said the offer of personal contact underscored concerns about the bill’s effect on higher-education campuses and the lack of an analogous complaint process for universities.

Senators debated exceptions in the bill allowing offices or activities required to maintain compliance with federal law — including Title IX and the Americans with Disabilities Act — and a carve‑out for legal compliance offices at higher-education institutions. Sponsors said those exceptions preserve federal compliance; critics said the language is unclear and could prompt litigation.

After the roll call (32 yays, 2 nays), the clerk recorded the passage and the Senate communicated the action to the House.

The vote follows similar measures introduced in recent legislative sessions and comes amid broader national debates over K‑12 curriculum, university policies and workplace training.