West Virginia governor Patrick Morrisey signed a “Parents’ Bill of Rights” into law on Monday, joining twenty other states in passing similar legislation. House Bill 2129 codifies into law  rights “reserved to the parent of a minor child in this state without obstruction or interference from the state, any of its political subdivisions, any other governmental entity, or any other state institution.”  Certain rights attributed to parents include the right for parents to morally bring up and educate their children and to make most healthcare decisions for their children. The measure passed 87-9 in the House and 31-1 in the Senate along mostly party lines with Republicans voting for and most Democrats voting against.

Jordan Carpenter, legal counsel for the Alliance Defending Freedom, praised the new legislation. “Parents love and know their child best, and they have the right and duty to direct the upbringing and care of their children. In no world should the government intrude on parenting choices just because it disagrees with the parents,” he said. “The West Virginia Parents’ Bill of Rights ensures parents remain free to guide the upbringing, education, and health care of their children without undue government interference. ADF commends Gov. Morrisey and Delegate Jim Butler for their leadership on this legislation and for joining the 19 other states with laws that protect the parent-child relationship that forms the bedrock of our society.”

The bill particularly focused on healthcare, which has become a lightning rod of controversy as conservatives push back against transgender ideology and as parents battle with schools over using preferred pronouns without notifying them. Such cases have been brought to light by Republicans in particular, including cases where parents lost parental rights for not using preferred pronouns. The bill does not cover parents seeking gender affirming care for their children or so-called gender-reassignment surgeries, which were banned in the state in 2023. It also would not apply to abortion, which is accessible for minors up to 14 weeks. The bill permits parents who feel their rights are being infringed upon to file an injunction against the offending party. There are also limitations in place to prevent parental abuse. Other bills signed into law included Senate Bill 456, which defined “biological sex.” The bill seeks to, “Reaffirm the longstanding meaning of sex, male, and female in state law” and protect single-sex spaces such as women’s restrooms.