Senate concurs with House changes to bill limiting instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity in public schools
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Summary
The Senate concurred in the House amendment to Senate Bill 154, which sponsors described as prohibiting instruction related to sexual orientation or gender identity in public schools with certain exceptions and routing parent complaints to State Board policy 7211; the bill passed 32-1-1.
The West Virginia Senate concurred in the House amendment to Senate Bill 154 and passed the bill on a roll-call vote of 32 yeas, 1 nay, 1 absent.
The clerk reported the House had amended and passed the committee substitute. Senator from Lewis moved concurrence and explained the House made two notable changes: it added an exception to the prohibition for instruction that is part of the curriculum established in dual enrollment and Advanced Placement courses, and it replaced a newly created complaint-and-appeal procedure in the Senate bill with a process allowing parents to file complaints pursuant to State Board Policy 7211. He also said the bill provides that school personnel may be subject to discipline or dismissal under the current code. He described both changes as “positive improvements to the bill” and urged adoption.
After the sponsor’s explanation, the Senate voted to concur in the House amendment. The chair directed the clerk to prepare the voting machine; the roll-call tally was 32 yeas, 1 nay, 1 absent, not voting. The Senate declared the bill passed and the clerk will communicate the action to the House.
The transcript records the sponsor’s summary of the scope and the procedural changes; it does not include the bill’s statutory text, the precise complaint procedures under policy 7211, or any implementation guidance for school districts.