Senate Finance Committee forwards several bills to full Senate, including DEI limits and school-safety measures

The West Virginia Senate Finance Committee reported committee substitutes and bills to the full Senate for several measures affecting schools, public-safety awards and local government contracting.

Committee action covered a proposed special license plate for Medal of Valor recipients, a student-athlete safety act that would require impact-reducing helmet covers during football practice, an increase in allowable nontraditional instruction days, expansion of cardiac emergency plans to elementary schools, a bill limiting certain long-term contracts by local fiscal bodies, and a proposal to eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) offices and programs in state agencies and public schools. All motions to report the measures to the full Senate were adopted by voice vote; the transcript records the chair declaring the ayes have it for each motion but does not provide numerical tallies.

Committee counsel summarized the proposed Medal of Valor plate, saying the bill would authorize the Division of Motor Vehicles to designate a special license plate for Medal of Valor recipients and their families, allow a surviving spouse to continue using the plate, permit a second plate for a second vehicle titled to the recipient, and allow the division to charge a one-time $10 fee for each plate. Counsel also said the proposed committee substitute would exempt recipients from the vehicle registration fee, consistent with other special plates.

On student-safety legislation, committee counsel described the Coincradic Student Athlete Safety Act as creating an advisory committee of nine members to evaluate safety rules, injury statistics and equipment, and to make recommendations to the governor and state education authorities. The bill would require, effective July 1, 2026, the use of an impact-reducing soft-shell helmet cover for school-organized football practices unless a helmet is on a list the advisory committee determines exceeds the safety profile of a helmet with the cover attached. Counsel said the requirement would be permissive if grant funding is unavailable, that the cover could not void an existing helmet warranty if attached properly, and that a grant program and a dedicated fund would be established to assist schools with costs.

The committee also approved a committee substitute to increase the number of nontraditional instruction days a county board may use when schools close for inclement weather or unforeseen events from five days to 10 days. Counsel said the substitute alphabetizes definitions and clarifies the definition of “out of calendar days.”

A committee substitute regarding cardiac emergencies would expand existing school cardiac emergency response plan requirements to apply to elementary as well as secondary schools. Counsel explained the bill would require coaches and supervisors of youth sport league teams that practice or play on school grounds to receive a copy of the plan, be aware of automated external defibrillator locations, and maintain ongoing CPR and AED training.

Senate Bill 7 25, described by counsel as relating to unlawful expenditures by local fiscal bodies, would constrain long-term contracts by political subdivisions. Counsel said current law now permits certain limited long-term contracts only when they demonstrably save money and include cancellation clauses. Under the bill, contracts up to five years would be allowed if they demonstrably save money and include a termination clause of no more than 30 days; technology licensing or service agreements could run up to 10 years under the same conditions.

Committee counsel described committee substitute for Senate Bill 4 74 as an act to end certain diversity, equity and inclusion programs, offices and training across state departments, agencies, boards, public primary and secondary schools and institutions of higher learning. Counsel said the substitute defines DEI, prohibits state entities from maintaining DEI offices or certain hiring practices tied to DEI, and includes carve outs that exclude employees whose sole duties are legal compliance, faculty engaged in teaching or research, and short-term guest speakers. Counsel also said the substitute provides a complaint or appeal mechanism for parents or guardians and clarifies that school employees cannot be required to use a student’s preferred pronouns in a way that would create civil liability.

During discussion of the DEI bill, a senator from Cabell said, “I was really hard pressed to keep up with what you were saying,” and asked several questions about whether the proposal would affect hiring preferences for veterans or local policies such as maternity leave; committee counsel repeatedly answered that those specific questions were not directly addressed by the bill text and that federal protections (including Title IX as raised in the discussion) and existing carve outs appeared to limit unintended effects.

All reported measures were moved by the committee’s vice chair and adopted by voice vote; the transcript records the chair’s repeated formula—"All those in favor signify by saying aye"—followed by the chair declaring the ayes have it. The transcript does not record roll-call vote tallies or dissenting named votes.

Votes at a glance

- Approval of minutes for March 19–20, 2025: motion by the vice chairman; voice vote adopted (counts not specified). - Committee substitute (CS) for Senate Bill 4 64 (special Medal of Valor license plate): CS agreed and reported to the full Senate with recommendation that it do pass; voice vote adopted (counts not specified). - CS for Senate Bill 5 85 (Coincradic Student Athlete Safety Act): CS agreed and reported with recommendation do pass; voice vote adopted (counts not specified). - CS for Senate Bill 6 46 (increase nontraditional instruction days from 5 to 10): CS agreed and reported with recommendation do pass; voice vote adopted (counts not specified). - CS for Senate Bill 6 52 (expand cardiac emergency response plans to elementary schools and training requirements): CS agreed and reported with recommendation do pass; voice vote adopted (counts not specified). - Senate Bill 7 25 (limits on long-term contracts by local fiscal bodies): reported to the full Senate with recommendation do pass; voice vote adopted (counts not specified). - CS for Senate Bill 4 74 (limit DEI offices/programs with carve outs for legal compliance and faculty): CS agreed and reported with recommendation do pass; voice vote adopted (counts not specified).

The committee removed the committee substitute for Senate Bill 4 39 from the agenda before discussion and adjourned after adopting the reported items.