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WV HB5440
Bill
Status
Introduced
2/11/2026
Primary Sponsor
Jonathan Pinson
Click for details
AI Summary
- Healthcare providers in West Virginia could refuse to participate in or pay for any medical procedure, treatment, or service that violates their religious, moral, or ethical conscience, including sex reassignment or gender identity transitioning procedures
- "Healthcare provider" is defined broadly to include doctors, nurses, pharmacists, counselors, medical students, hospitals, clinics, and insurance companies
- Providers exercising conscience objections would be protected from discrimination, retaliation, disciplinary action, and civil, criminal, or administrative liability
- Aggrieved parties could file civil lawsuits for violations and recover damages, attorney's fees, and injunctive relief; state boards could not sanction providers for protected speech unless it directly caused physical harm
- The bill would take effect July 1, 2026, and includes whistleblower protections for reporting violations of the act or other healthcare ethics violations
Legislative Description
Allowing healthcare workers to refuse to perform procedures related to sex reassignment or gender identity transitioning for religious or conscientious objection
Health
Last Action
To House Health and Human Resources
2/11/2026
Committee Referrals
Health & Human Resources2/11/2026
Full Bill Text
No bill text available