Senator Laura Chapman speaks to the Senate on March 5, 2025. (Will Price | West Virginia Legislative Photography)
A day before the start of the West Virginia legislative session, a senator has vacated her leadership post, the latest in a series of problems in the upper house that portend a questionable future.
Sen. Laura Wakim Chapman, R-Ohio, resigned as chairwoman of the Senate Health Committee on Tuesday in a letter to Senate President Randy Smith.
“In light of your demand that I pledge my support to you, I hereby immediately resign from my position as Heath Chairman. When I ran for office, I promised that my voice would belong to the people of northern Pahnandle and not to any other senator, lobbyist or special interest group,” Chapman wrote.
In response to Chapman’s resignation, Smith said, “I have received Senator Chapman’s resignation letter. I thank her for her leadership and the hard work she has done as chair.”
Speaking to West Virginia Watch, Chapman expanded on her letter, saying, “If we have two key leaders from the Eastern Panhandle as our leadership team, the Northern Panhandle will clearly be forgotten. I believe that the vast majority of legislation will be focused on the Eastern Panhandle, which is not good for the entire state and is not good for the people of the Northern Panhandle.”
Republican Senator Tom Willis, who recently took office appointed chairman Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, is a native of Berkeley County and his district includes the Eastern Panhandle.
“I am not privy to Senator Chapman’s conversations with the Senate President and I don’t know where that came from, but of course I am committed to serving my constituents in my district, just as I will advocate vigorously for all of West Virginia as the next U.S. Senator for West Virginia,” Willis said. He is running for the US Senate Replace current Republican Senator Shelley Moore Capito.
Senate Finance Committee Chairman Jason Barrett, R-Berkeley, also represents the Eastern Panhandle.
Barrett said he is working to understand the needs of all parts of the state and not neglecting any area.
“Just like every other member of the Legislature, I have an obligation to the constituents I represent. I always try to be the strongest possible advocate for their legislative priorities,” Barrett said. “As Finance Chairman, my job is to advance good policy for all people in West Virginia. I cannot imagine legislation that would benefit the Eastern Panhandle and negatively impact or harm other areas of this state.”
Sen. Eric Tarr, R-Putnam, criticized Senate leadership in recent days, saying they did not meet before the session to discuss priorities while House leadership had already placed an emphasis on economic development.
“I’m telling you that the Republican majority in the Senate has no consensus at all on an agenda,” Tarr told reporters at the Legislative Lookahead event on Friday. “I expect a bit of fighting against everyone because this is extremely strange and I’m frustrated by it.”
Smith on Tuesday named Sen. Brian Helton, R-Fayette, as Chapman’s successor on the Health Committee.
He also named Jay Taylor, R-Taylor, as interim president; Senate Majority Leader Ben Queen, R-Harrison; and Anne B. Charnock, R-Kanawha, chairwoman of the confirmation committee.
Lawmakers will conclude the 60-day regular session at noon Wednesday.
Smith named Chapman chairman of the Health Committee after he took over the Senate’s leadership ahead of the 2025 legislative session.
Last year, Chapman advocated for West Virginia to allow it religious vaccination exemptions to its strict vaccination regulations. Dramatic according to the bill failed in the House of Representatives, she tried to change The wording was incorporated into another law dealing with alpha-gal syndrome. The House of Representatives refused to agree to the bill’s changes, killing the legislation. Gov. Patrick Morrisey later said West Virginia could allow religious exemptions under a current religious freedom law, and the issue would be heard by the state Supreme Court next year.
She said before, she had no intention of sponsoring This year it is again about the bill to exempt vaccines.
Chapman was a forceful supporter of a bill Ban on artificial food coloringswhich came into force last year. The measure, which is being challenged in court, bans the sale of foods containing certain types of yellow, blue, green and red dyes.
She also worked on and attempted to reform the state’s troubled child welfare system Stricter verification requirements apply to prevent child abuse in state institutions for children.
“As a mother of two young children, I have focused on children’s and women’s issues,” she said.
On Monday, Chapman filed for re-election this year to a four-year term.
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