HB 4196 requires licensed medication-assisted treatment (MAT) programs in West Virginia to offer long-acting reversible contraception (LARC), such as IUDs or implants, to patients receiving methadone or suboxone for substance use treatment. This applies to all facilities providing these services under the state's licensing framework, adding it as a standard requirement to existing operational rules. The bill directly affects MAT facilities, which must now integrate LARC options into their care protocols, and patients using methadone or suboxone at these locations. It creates a concrete policy change by mandating access to these contraceptive methods without requiring additional patient steps.
SB 599 prohibits the use of abortifacients (drugs intended to cause an abortion) in West Virginia, except in medical emergencies that pose a serious risk to a patient's life or major bodily functions. The bill imposes criminal penalties for prescribing, sending, or dispensing abortifacients within the state and allows for revocation of medical licenses for violating healthcare providers. It also requires informed consent for abortions in medical emergencies and mandates the state health department to publish public information and operate a hotline on abortion services. This bill directly affects healthcare providers, pharmacies, and entities involved in distributing abortion-related medications.
SB 189 establishes a licensing framework for certified professional midwives (CPMs) in West Virginia, requiring a license from the West Virginia Board of Registered Nurses to practice midwifery or use the title "licensed midwife." The bill defines key terms like "midwife," "licensed midwife," and "collaboration" with physicians, clarifying that midwives provide primary maternity care but must refer clients needing higher medical care. It sets requirements for licensure, continuing education, temporary permits, and prohibits unlicensed practice, while outlining responsibilities for midwives including client confidentiality and proper referrals. This bill directly affects midwives seeking to legally practice and their clients by creating standardized regulations for midwifery care in the state.
HB 4674 prohibits the use or sale of "abortifacients" (defined as drugs requiring an FDA prescription or primarily used to cause abortion) in West Virginia. It directly affects healthcare providers, pharmacies, and individuals who mail or prescribe such drugs within the state, with criminal penalties for violations. The bill creates a private right to sue for damages if someone violates the prohibition and defines "medical emergency" narrowly to exclude psychological conditions. Key mechanisms include strict definitions of terms like "abortifacient" and "abortion," and it explicitly excludes exceptions for miscarriage, stillbirth, or ectopic pregnancies.
This Senate Joint Resolution proposes adding a constitutional amendment to West Virginia's Bill of Rights, guaranteeing individuals the right to make reproductive decisions - including contraception, fertility treatment, pregnancy continuation, miscarriage care, and abortion - without state interference. The amendment prohibits the state from restricting these rights unless it uses the "least restrictive means" to protect health, with abortion allowed after fetal viability only when necessary to protect the patient's life or health, as determined by a physician. It defines "fetal viability" as the point a fetus can survive outside the womb with medical care, assessed case-by-case by a treating physician. The amendment requires voter approval in the 2026 general election to take effect.
SB 43 would remove the existing exceptions that allow abortions in cases of rape or incest from West Virginia's abortion law. Currently, these exceptions require victims to report the assault to law enforcement and wait 48 hours before obtaining an abortion. If passed, the bill would eliminate these pathways, meaning abortions would only be permitted for nonviable pregnancies, ectopic pregnancies, or medical emergencies. This change would directly affect individuals who become pregnant due to rape or incest by removing their current legal access to abortion care in those circumstances.
HB 4102 requires all publicly-funded medical schools in West Virginia to teach specific evidence-based, life-saving medical procedures. This includes abortion pill reversal (using progesterone within 72 hours of taking mifepristone), ectopic pregnancy treatment, miscarriage management, and perinatal hospice care. The bill mandates these topics be part of standard curriculum, with schools failing to comply risking loss of state funding after review by the Legislative Oversight Commission. It directly affects medical schools receiving state, local, or federal funding. The law cites public health and safety as justification, focusing on required teaching content rather than outcomes.
This bill requires West Virginia Medicaid to cover doula services for eligible pregnant individuals. It mandates that the state file a plan amendment defining a doula as a trained professional providing physical, emotional, and informational support from confirmed conception through 180 days postpartum. Coverage includes two prenatal and two postpartum visits, with each visit reimbursed at $125 (adjusted annually for inflation), to be implemented by October 1, 2027. This directly affects Medicaid-eligible pregnant women and new mothers in West Virginia, expanding their covered maternity care options. The policy change is limited to existing Medicaid beneficiaries meeting income eligibility requirements.
