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*OPPOSE SB 299* -- passed Senate Health, Feb 19, on SENATE JUDICIARY agenda, FEB 27, 2025, 3 p.m.
SB 299 denies access to necessary healthcare. This bill singles out certain West Virginians seeking gender-affirming healthcare and denies them rights afforded to others.
The LWV supports equal rights for all under state and federal law regardless of race, color, gender, religion, national origin, age, sexual orientation, or disability.
BILL: https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Status/bills_history.cfm?INPUT=299&ye...
LWV TESTIMONY submitted Feb 21, 2025:
https://lwvwv.org/2025/02/21/lwvwv-testimony-in-opposition-to-sb-299/
We’ve heard a lot of rhetoric in this Legislature about respecting the autonomy of individuals and families to make healthcare decisions. This bill fails to do that.
We’ve also heard rhetoric about following the science. This bill ignores the science and accepted clinical guidelines followed by medical experts.
This Legislature is wasting precious time and effort on bills like SB 299, which will only serve to impede medical practice and harm children. These priorities do not reflect the priorities of WV voters.
And, never forget, the children that will be harmed by SB 299 are far more likely to end their own lives than live without the gender-affirming care they so desperately need.
The LWV urges you to contact your representatives in the WV Senate to OPPOSE SB 299. In WV, we need to stop stigmatizing and demonizing our most vulnerable citizens.
Look up contact info for Senate Judiciary: https://wvecouncil.org/wv-legislature/senate-judiciary-committee/
Contact info for full Senate:
