West Virginia legislation · 2025 Regular Session
West Virginia HB3476: Prohibiting violations of an individual’s civil rights
Status: Introduced, March 17, 2025
The purpose of this bill is to expand the offense of violating an individual's civil rights to include gender or sexual orientation.
What the bill says
To amend and reenact §61-6-21 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, relating to expanding the offense of violating an individual's civil rights to include gender or sexual orientation. article 6. crimes against the peace. §61-6-21. Prohibiting violations of an individual's civil rights; penalties. (a) All persons within the boundaries of the State of West Virginia have the right to be free from any violence, or intimidation by threat of violence, committed against their persons or property because of their race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, political affiliation.
From the introduced text, March 17, 2025:
A BILL to amend and reenact §61-6-21 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, relating to expanding the offense of violating an individual's civil rights to include gender or sexual orientation. article 6. crimes against the peace. §61-6-21. Prohibiting violations of an individual's civil rights; penalties. (a) All persons within the boundaries of the State of West Virginia have the right to be free from any violence, or intimidation by threat of violence, committed against their persons or property because of their race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, political affiliation, or sex, gender, or sexual orientation. (b) If any person does by force or threat of force, willfully injure, intimidate or interfere with, or attempt to injure, intimidate or interfere with, or oppress or threaten any other person in the free exercise or enjoyment of any right or privilege secured to him or her by the Constitution or laws of the State of West Virginia or by the Constitution or laws of the United States, because of such other person's race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, political affiliation, or sex, gender, or sexual orientation, he or she shall be guilty of a felony, and, upon conviction, shall be fined not more than $5,000 or imprisoned not more than ten years, or both. (c) If any person conspires with …