Child marriage ban bill defeated in West Virginia House
A bill that would have prohibited minors from getting married in West Virginia was defeated Wednesday night in a legislative committee.
The Republican-dominated Senate Judiciary Committee rejected the bill on a 9-8 vote, a week after it passed the House of Delegates.
The vote came shortly after the bill's main sponsor, Democratic Del. Kayla Young of Kanawha County, testified briefly before the committee. She said that since 2000 there have been more than 3,600 marriages in the state involving one or more children.
Currently, children can marry as young as 16 in West Virginia with parental consent. Anyone younger than that also must get a judge’s waiver.
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BUT BUT BUT...DRAG QUEENS!
WEST VIRGINIA LEGISLATURE
2023 REGULAR SESSION
Introduced
Senate Bill 103
By Senators Tarr, Roberts, Karnes, and Maynard
Intr SB 103 2023R1787
1
A BILL to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by adding thereto a new section,
designated §61-8D-4b, relating to providing a definition of "drag shows"; prohibiting
funding from governmental entities for drag shows; prohibiting minors from being involved
in or attending drag shows; and providing for penalties associated with violations of these
provisions.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
ARTICLE 8D. CHILD ABUSE.
§61-8D-4b. Definition; prohibition on state funding for drag shows; prohibition on minors at
drag shows; penalties.
(a) Drag shows are defined as any event that involve adults engaging in entertainment put
on by drag artists, or people who put on clothes and makeup that amplify the appearance of
gender to impersonate men or women.
(b) No funds from governmental entities in West Virginia may be used for organizing,
promoting, or hosting drag shows for any reason. Any governmental entity found to be in violation
of this section may have their funding restricted.
(c) All minors in West Virginia are prohibited from being involved in drag shows for any
reason. Additionally, drag shows may not be held in the presence of minors, with the responsibility
of checking the appropriate age of attendees to fall upon the organization or group holding the
drag show.
(d) Any adult or parental guardian of a minor who violates subsection (c) of this section, or
any entity hosting a drag show in violation of the provisions of this section, may be required to
complete parenting classes, substance abuse counseling, anger management counseling, or
other appropriate services, or any combination thereof, as determined by Department of Health
and Human Resources, Bureau for Children and Families through its services assessment
evaluation, which shall be submitted to the court of conviction upon written request.
Intr SB 2023R1787
2
NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to provide definitions, to prohibit public funding of drag
shows in West Virginia, and to prohibit minors from being involved in or attending drag
shows.
Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from a heading or the present law
and underscoring indicates new language that would be added.
https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2023_SESSIONS/RS/bills/sb103%20intr.pdf
