The proposed bill seeks to amend the Code of West Virginia by eliminating all diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs, trainings, activities, offices, and officers within the executive branch, primary and secondary schools, and institutions of higher education. It introduces the "Equal Treatment By Executive Branch Act of 2025," which mandates that state departments and agencies treat individuals equally in recruitment, hiring, promotion, and training without regard to race, color, sex, ethnicity, or national origin. The bill prohibits the establishment of DEI offices, hiring of DEI officers, and any mandatory participation in DEI training or provision of DEI statements.

Additionally, the bill imposes restrictions on educational institutions by preventing the teaching of concepts that imply superiority based on race or sex, while allowing for academic discussions that include alternative theories. It also addresses the use of preferred gender pronouns, stating that employees are not required to use a student's preferred pronoun if it does not align with the student's biological sex. Institutions of higher education must report compliance with these regulations annually, with non-compliance resulting in the loss of state funding, which must then be redirected to merit scholarships or tuition reductions for eligible students. Overall, the legislation represents a significant shift in West Virginia's approach to DEI initiatives in education.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 5-33-1, 5-33-2, 5-33-3, 18B-1G-1, 18B-1G-2, 18B-1G-3, 18B-1G-4, 18B-1G-5, 18-2-9b, 18-5-29, 18B-14-5, 18B-14-6