Senate Finance Committee reports seven bills to full Senate, including DEI restrictions and student-athlete safety measures

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The West Virginia Senate Finance Committee on March 20, 2025 voted to report seven bills to the full Senate with recommendations that they pass, sending measures on diversity and inclusion, student-athlete safety, school instruction days, cardiac emergency response, local fiscal contracting, and a special license plate forward for further consideration.

The bills, each approved by voice vote during the committee meeting, ranged from technical amendments to policy changes with statewide effect. Committee members largely agreed to committee substitute language before formally moving each measure to the Senate floor.

The most detailed debate centered on the committee substitute for Senate Bill 4 74, a proposal to eliminate offices, programs, training and policies described as diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) across state agencies, boards and public schools. Committee counsel said the bill defines DEI and exempts employees whose sole duties are legal compliance, and it preserves academic discussion of historical events. Multiple senators raised questions about whether the bill would affect veteran hiring preferences, pregnancy or maternity leave protections, Title IX responsibilities, and university research grants. Counsel told the committee those items appear excluded…