WEST virginia legislature

2024 regular session

Introduced

Senate Bill 503

By Senators Grady, Taylor, Maynard, Roberts, Deeds, Azinger, and Rucker

[Introduced January 22, 2024; referred
to the Committee on Education; and then to the Committee on the Judiciary]

A BILL to amend and reenact §18B-20-5 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, relating to protection of belief-based student organizations by expanding student organizations that are protected against certain types of discrimination by a state institution of higher education; and expanding the types of discrimination the student organizations are protected from.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:

ARTICLE 20. FREE EXPRESSION ON CAMPUS.

§18B-20-5. Freedom of association and nondiscrimination against students and student organizations.

A state institution of higher education may not deny a religious, political, or ideological student organization which is open to all students any benefit or privilege made generally available to any other student organization organizations by the state institution of higher education, or otherwise discriminate against such an organization, based on:

(1) the The expression of the organization; or

(2) A requirement by the organization that the organization’s leaders or members:

(A) Affirm and adhere to the organization’s sincerely held beliefs;

(B) Comply with the organization’s standards of conduct; or

(C) Further the organization’s mission or purpose.

NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to protect belief-based student organizations by expanding student organizations that are protected against certain types of discrimination by a state institution of higher education and expanding the types of discrimination the student organizations are protected from.

Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from a heading or the present law and underscoring indicates new language that would be added.