HB 4806 would mandate use of bathrooms and changing areas in schools to be based on “gender assigned at birth.” 

This bill conflicts with LWV WV policies to safeguard equal rights regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. 

 LWVWV calls HB 4806 legislative bullying.  Transgender students already have enough to deal with in their schools.  The Legislature shouldn’t be adding to their struggles.

The bill defines “reasonable accommodation” as “access to a single-occupancy restroom or changing area.”  We call that segregation.

In a statement, Isabella Cortez, gender policy manager for the civil rights organization Fairness West Virginia, called the bill a “brazen attempt by our lawmakers to ignore a binding court ruling from the U.S. Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals.” (WV Watch, Jan 25, 2024).

HB 4806 has passed the House Education Committee and is en route to the Judiciary Committee. 

MAKE SOME NOISE!!!!   Contact Judiciary members (contact information below) and tell them to comply with the 4th Circuit ruling, even if they’re not concerned with harming transgender students.