West Virginia SB502: Women’s Collegiate Sports Protection Act

What the bill says

An act to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by adding a new article, designated §18B-23-1, §18B-23-2, §18B-23-3, §18B-23-4, §18B-23-5, §18B-23-6, §18B-23-7, §18B-23-8, and §18B-23-9, relating to women's collegiate athletics; creating a short title; providing legislative findings and purpose; creating definitions; establishing permanent protections for women's collegiate sports programs through endowment funding; providing for efficiency-based matching funds; limiting use of earnings from a women's athletics endowment; ensuring compliance with Title IX; providing for oversight.

From the enrolled text, March 14, 2026:

AN ACT to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by adding a new article, designated §18B-23-1, §18B-23-2, §18B-23-3, §18B-23-4, §18B-23-5, §18B-23-6, §18B-23-7, §18B-23-8, and §18B-23-9, relating to women's collegiate athletics; creating a short title; providing legislative findings and purpose; creating definitions; establishing permanent protections for women's collegiate sports programs through endowment funding; providing for efficiency-based matching funds; limiting use of earnings from a women's athletics endowment; ensuring compliance with Title IX; providing for oversight and reporting; providing rule-making authority; and providing an effective date. ARTICLE 23. women's collegiate sports protection act. §18B-23-1. Short title. This article shall be known and may be cited as the Women's Collegiate Sports Protection Act. §18B-23-2. Legislative findings and purpose. The Legislature finds that women's collegiate Olympic sports provide significant educational, athletic, and leadership opportunities for students of this state; that such programs face increasing financial instability due to shifting athletic funding priorities and external market pressures; that operational efficiency within public institutions of higher education should be encouraged and rewarded; and that permanent endowment funding provides protection against program elimination, budget volatility, and inequities arising from fluctuations in athletic funding. The purpose of this article is to protect and sustain women's collegiate Olympic sports programs through permanent endowment funding; to reward verified institutional efficiencies; and to ensure full compliance with federal …