FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 11, 2025

CHARLESTON, WV – The West Virginia Democratic Party today called on the West Virginia State Senate to immediately pull the harmful and intrusive “Child Genital Inspection Amendment” introduced by House Judiciary Chair J.B. Akers from Senate Bill 456. Akers’ amendment explicitly allows health care providers to visually inspect a minor child for purposes of verifying biological sex without parental consent—an outrageous violation of both privacy and parental rights.

“I tried to fix the bill by amending it in the House to require parental consent, but my amendment was rejected by Republicans,” said Delegate Kayla Young (D-Kanawha). “It’s unconscionable that Republicans would support legislation that authorizes intrusive visual inspections of minors without parental approval. West Virginians should be alarmed and disgusted by this invasion of privacy.”

House Minority Whip Shawn Fluharty sharply criticized Republicans’ misplaced priorities, saying, “This bill has gone from absurd to outright dangerous. At a time when over 160 West Virginia coal miners have just lost their jobs, and major economic projects like the hydrogen hub have stalled, Republicans are wasting time policing bathrooms and invading the privacy of West Virginia families. They are more focused on genitals than jobs.”

Democratic Party Vice Chair Teresa Toriseva echoed these concerns, adding, “Allowing children to be examined is not only deeply disturbing—it’s an insult to every parent in West Virginia. West Virginians don’t want politicians dictating who can use a bathroom, and they certainly don’t want politicians authorizing invasive examinations of their children. Parents deserve respect, and children deserve protection—not intrusive legislation that disregards their basic rights. The Democratic Party calls on the West Virginia State Senate to pull the harmful and intrusive amendment from the bill today.”

West Virginia Democrats urge the Senate to immediately remove the dangerous Akers amendment from SB 456 and refocus legislative efforts on the real economic issues impacting working families across our state.