CHARLESTON, WV — Today, Independent Women applauds the West Virginia Legislature for passing the landmark legislation (SB 456/HB 2006), modeled off Independent Women’s Stand With Women legislation. The bill fortifies the definitions of male and female terms in law, preserves the legal existence of women as distinct from men, and safeguards the existence of single-sex spaces—including rape crisis centers, locker rooms, and prisons.
The bill follows Governor Patrick Morrisey’s introduction of the legislation as a top priority during his State of the State Address, which called upon the legislature to pass the bill after they failed to pass similar legislation, sponsored by Delegate Kathie Hess Crouse (R-Putnam) and Senator Amy Grady (R-Mason), last year.
Independent Women Senior Legal Advisor Beth Parlato and Independent Women Ambassador Coach Kim Russell provided testimony in support of the legislation, highlighting the need for West Virginia to build upon recent national momentum and codify President Donald Trump’s day-one executive order to restore biological truth to the federal government, which also follows Independent Women’s sex definition model.
When signed into law by Governor Morrisey, West Virginia will follow the lead of federal and state lawmakers in responding to the surge of support among voters driven by Independent Women’s “Stand With Women” initiative in the 2024 election to protect women’s single-sex spaces.
Delegate Kathie Hess Crouse (R- Putnam), original sponsor of the 2024 House bill, said: “I am thrilled that the West Virginia Legislature has definitively stood with women with the passage of this legislation. I first introduced legislation to define sex-based terms and help protect single-sex spaces, inspired by Independent Women’s Stand with Women legislation, last year. This year, I look forward to celebrating Governor Morrisey signing this legislation into law quickly, ensuring the sex-based rights of the nearly 900,000 women and girls in West Virginia are finally safeguarded under state law.”
Senator Amy N. Grady (R-Mason), original sponsor of the 2024 Senate bill, said: “I sponsored similar legislation with the help of Independent Women last year and was disappointed when it didn’t pass. But, this is the year for West Virginia to define what a woman is and fully preserve female spaces. This bill is simple and reflects the values we hold dear in West Virginia. It is an honor to have helped make this happen. I am grateful to Governor Morrisey’s leadership in prioritizing this pro-woman legislation that prevents sex-discrimination and will celebrate all women and girls across the state when he signs it into law.”
House Judiciary Chair JB Akers said: “This is a common sense bill that, until now, was unnecessary. Now, however, activists are forcing judges into the role of policymakers on the question of what is a man and a woman. That is not the role of the courts, and I’m sure judges do not want to act as policymakers. So, at the Governor’s request, the WV House of Delegates will define these commonsense terms so that courts have clear statutory guidance going forward. Some spaces belong to girls and women, and we will make sure it stays that way.”
Beth Parlato, senior legal advisor for Independent Women, wrote in her testimony: “SB 456 reflects recent action on the federal level that restores biological reality and protects sex-based rights by recognizing that there are only two sexes, male and female. Recent action on the federal level safeguarding women’s rights is encouraging, but is not enough to ensure the rights of women and girls in West Virginia are upheld. The West Virginia Legislature must pass SB 456 to ensure West Virginians’ rights are fully safeguarded.”
Kansas, Tennessee, Idaho, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Arkansas, Alabama, Iowa, Indiana, and soon Montana have all adopted laws inspired by Independent Women’s Stand With Women model, positively affecting the lives of over 21 million women and girls.
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