The Women's Collegiate Sports Protection Act, enacted by the West Virginia Legislature, aims to establish permanent protections for women's collegiate Olympic sports programs through the creation of endowment funds. The Act includes provisions for efficiency-based matching contributions, ensuring that funds are utilized solely for scholarships, coaching, and other expenses directly related to women's sports. It mandates compliance with federal Title IX requirements and outlines the responsibilities of the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission in overseeing the endowment funds and reporting on their use.

The Act also defines key terms such as "eligible institution," "qualified contribution," and "verified cost savings," and allows eligible institutions to establish their own women's athletics endowments. The commission is tasked with certifying cost savings and may create a statewide endowment trust for the benefit of these institutions. Additionally, the Act provides for annual reporting requirements and the authority for the commission to promulgate rules to implement its provisions. The law is set to take effect on July 1, 2026.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 18B-23-1, 18B-23-2, 18B-23-3, 18B-23-4, 18B-23-5, 18B-23-6, 18B-23-7, 18B-23-8, 18B-23-9, 18B-23-10
Committee Substitute: 18B-23-1, 18B-23-2, 18B-23-3, 18B-23-4, 18B-23-5, 18B-23-6, 18B-23-7, 18B-23-8, 18B-23-9, 18B-23-10
Committee Substitute for the Committee Substitute: 18B-23-1, 18B-23-2, 18B-23-3, 18B-23-4, 18B-23-5, 18B-23-6, 18B-23-7, 18B-23-8, 18B-23-9
Enrolled Version: 18B-23-1, 18B-23-2, 18B-23-3, 18B-23-4, 18B-23-5, 18B-23-6, 18B-23-7, 18B-23-8, 18B-23-9