Relating to Home Rule Reform

SB 579 prohibits municipalities participating in West Virginia's Home Rule Program from creating local nondiscrimination ordinances that add protected classes beyond those specified in state law. This directly affects cities and towns seeking to expand anti-discrimination protections for groups like LGBTQ+ residents or other categories not covered by existing state statutes. The bill restricts local authority by requiring all municipal nondiscrimination policies to align strictly with state-defined protected classes, preventing communities from implementing broader local protections. It does not change other aspects of the Home Rule Program, such as board structure or fee requirements.