House Democrats sought to amend the legislation known as the Women’s Bill of Rights on Friday, proposing additions to the law such as equal pay protections, eight weeks of paid family leave and eliminating the tax on feminine hygiene products.
The controversial legislation House Bill 5243would add that to state code Mention of women would only refer to those who are women due to their biological sex at birth. It would also provide legal protections to single-sex spaces such as bathrooms.
The bill also states: “Equal does not mean ‘equal’ or ‘identical’ in relation to gender equality.”
Del. Kayla Young, D-Kanawha, largely led Democrats’ efforts to change the legislation that she said would actually support women in the state.
Just one of their proposals – abolishing the state’s exemption from marital rape – The bill ultimately went to a vote because of an amendment from a Republican male representative.
“I am incredibly disappointed that we have failed to enact a comprehensive women’s rights charter,” Young said after the vote. “Nothing in this bill gives women any rights.”
The bill’s sponsor, Del. Kathie Hess Crouse, R-Putnam, pushed for the bill’s passage. She previously told West Virginia Watch that it “clearly and consistently defines what constitutes women and men, which is a critical step toward ensuring equal opportunities, rights and legal protections.”
The majority of Republicans in the House of Representatives rejected the amendments put forward by Democrats one This would guarantee men and women the autonomy to make healthcare decisions.
The bill saw a change due to an amendment from Del. Brandon Steele, who asked that all of Young’s proposals for her women’s rights legislation be eliminated except one that would allow sexual assault charges against spouses for unwanted contact.
At the moment, Country code The sexual contact law only applies to victims who are not married. Steele said West Virginia is one of the few remaining states in the country that does not have additional protections for married women.
“If this body didn’t want to pass a women’s rights bill … we could finally fix a mistake that’s been in the code for years,” said Steele, R-Raleigh.
Members of the House of Representatives voted unanimously logged out for change. It will be submitted to the House of Representatives for passage on Monday.
“I’m very happy that marital rape will be banned in West Virginia if we can get it through the Senate,” Young said. “I think Democrats included that in the bill, and that’s a worthy aspect of the bill. The only part of the bill that does anything positive.”
Del. Evan Hansen, D-Monongalia, warned delegates that the bill could override the state’s bill Human Rights Actthereby eliminating equal protections for men and women in employment, housing, and more.
He tried unsuccessfully through one the change to exclude the Human Rights Act from the scope of the Bill.
“The Human Rights Act, which guarantees equality based on gender, will no longer do so because equality no longer means equality when gender is interpreted throughout state law.”
Several other states have introduced similar Women’s Bill of Rights laws, supported by conservative nonprofits Independent women’s voice.
Earlier this week, the House of Representatives held one public hearing on the bill, where a majority of speakers rejected the measure because it fails to protect women’s equality and potentially harms the state’s LGBTQ people.
A spokesperson for Fairness WV, an LGBTQ civil rights organization, said in a statement Friday: “Instead of real protections, women have been told to settle for a culture war law that attacks transgender people… We’re glad delegates amended the bill to remove the marital exemption from state law, but it has to now does not happen at the expense of transgender West Virginians.”
Gov. Jim Justice championed the bill and said he would sign it if it arrived on his desk.
Correction: This story has been updated to say the House of Representatives will vote on the bill on Monday. It was previously said that it would be forwarded to the Senate.
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