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Senate amends and concurs on bill defining men and women; removes language permitting exams of minors
Summary
Senators amended a House amendment to Senate Bill 456 to remove language that could have authorized physical or visual examination of minors; the Senate then concurred and passed the bill with a recorded vote of 32–1, one absent.
The West Virginia Senate amended and then concurred in House amendments to Senate Bill 456, a bill described in messages as defining "men and women." Senators adopted a Senate amendment that removed House language concerning examination of a minor and clarified that the bill does not authorize physical examination of a minor; the measure passed on a recorded vote of 32 yays, 1 nay and 1 absent not voting.
"The House amendment added language concerning examination of a minor, and the Senate amendment removes that language and clarifies that nothing in this bill authorizes the physical exam of the minor," explained the senator from Lewis when asking unanimous consent to explain the Senate amendment. He added that determination of biological status of a minor is to be made at the time of birth, as stated on the floor.
During floor discussion, the senator for Marion questioned whether the House amendment had allowed a health-care provider to visually or physically examine a minor without parental consent; senators confirmed the contested language had been removed by the Senate amendment.
Following adoption of the Senate amendment, the Senate concurred in the House amendments as amended. The clerk reported the final vote as 32 yays, 1 nay and 1 absent not voting. The clerk will communicate the Senate’s action to the House.
