SB 125 requires West Virginia public colleges and universities to provide free, confidential transportation to students seeking a sexual assault forensic medical examination (commonly called a "rape kit" exam) at a hospital. This applies to students who request the exam after experiencing sexual violence, with transportation options including campus staff, rape crisis centers, ride-sharing services, or non-law enforcement vehicles (students cannot be forced to use police transport). The requirement begins for the 2027-2028 academic year and must be implemented "to the extent practicable" while protecting student safety and confidentiality. The bill does not mandate specific transportation methods but ensures students receive support without cost or privacy concerns.
SB 476, the "Selecting Neutral Accreditors Act," requires West Virginia public universities to stop using accreditors that mandate or consider Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives as part of accreditation. It directs each university's governing board to review its accreditor by July 1, 2026, and switch to an accreditor that does not require DEI practices (e.g., DEI training, courses, or metrics) within the past five years. If no such accreditor exists, the university must report this to the legislature. The bill directly affects all public higher education institutions in West Virginia and aims to remove DEI requirements from the accreditation process, which is tied to federal student loan eligibility.
SB 69 requires West Virginia's public colleges and universities to accept the Classic Learning Test (CLT) as a valid standardized test for college admissions, alongside the ACT and SAT. It directly affects students applying to these institutions who take the CLT, ensuring they cannot be forced to take additional tests if they meet the CLT score requirements. The bill amends existing law to explicitly include the CLT in the list of accepted tests, preventing institutions from requiring alternate assessments for admission. This change provides more testing options for applicants without altering the core admission criteria or requirements.
HB 4002 establishes the West Virginia Collaboratory at Marshall University to connect state university research with practical needs of government and citizens. It directs the Collaboratory to focus on workforce development, education, economic growth, and environmental research, requiring state and local agencies to provide free access to infrastructure, personnel, and data for its projects. The bill sets specific funding rules, prohibiting university overhead fees on allocated funds and ensuring funds remain available until spent. An advisory group of legislators, university leaders, and public experts will guide research priorities and review reports, all while exempting advisory meetings from public record requirements.
This bill creates the West Virginia TEACH Scholarship Program to help child-care workers pursue higher education. It provides scholarships covering tuition and mandatory fees (up to the average cost at eligible institutions) for associate or bachelor's degrees in early childhood education at West Virginia public community colleges or universities. Recipients must agree to work in an eligible child-care facility in the state for a specified period after graduation. The program aims to address West Virginia's child-care crisis and boost workforce participation by making education affordable for current and future child-care providers.
