By Greg Jordan, The Register Herald
HINTON, W.Va. – Ending Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and prohibiting gender transition surgeries and hormone blockers for minors were on Wednesday’s agenda when West Virginia’s governor spoke in Summers County and signed two bills into law.
During a ceremony in Summers County, Gov. Patrick Morrisey signed Senate Bill 474, which ends Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion programs in West Virginia. The governor also signed Senate Bill 299, which prohibits hormone blockers and gender transition surgeries for children under the age of 18.
“I pledged to root out DEI and eliminate the woke virus in West Virginia, and today, we’re following through on that promise,” Morrisey said. “We will lead with common sense, treat every citizen the same under the law, and protect children from making life-altering decisions at a young age.”
The governor was joined by legislators and supporters at the Summers County Memorial Building for the ceremonial signing. He highlighted his previous actions to end DEI and other woke policies in the state, which includes issuing an executive order and signing the Riley Gaines Act–HB 456–which defines the terms men, women and mother in the State Code and allows for single-sex spaces in locations such as locker rooms, changing rooms and domestic violence shelters.