Latest news with #HouseBill2871
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Gov. Morrisey signs bills increasing child abuse penalties
beckley – Legislation supporting mothers and infants, increasing penalties for child abuse and expanding vehicular homicide charges by classifying the loss of an unborn child as a death became law Thursday after a signing ceremony. Gov. Patrick Morrsiey met with area legislators and other dignitaries at the CrossPoint Church in Beckley to sign three bills into law. The governor said Thursday's signing ceremony and two other announcements earlier this week have a common theme. On Tuesday, Morrisey announced a $1 million Infrastructure and Jobs Development Council for the McDowell County town of Bradshaw address longstanding problems in the sewer collection and treatment systems affecting 106 customers. This announcement was followed up Wednesday when the governor announced reforms in the state's foster care program for children. 'All of these announcements have a common theme whether you're talking about storm recovery, ensuring clean drinking water or protecting the child welfare system. It's really looking around for the most vulnerable among us and making sure we're stepping up to do what's necessary,' Morrisey said. 'That most certainly includes our kids and that's why we're here today.' 'West Virginia has a proud history defending the sanctity of life for a long, long time,' he said. 'And I've been very humbled to be an important part of that serving as the first prolife attorney general in state history and before I left we were still busy defending the state's prolife law in the Fourth Circuit (Court). That's still pending. And we've been working constantly to try and keep expanding the provisions to protect innocent life.' Morrisey described the three bills he was about to sign into law. Senate Bill 537 strengthens the West Virginia Mothers and Babies Pregnancy Support Program by expanding the use of state funds for pregnancy help organizations. 'It's a pretty cool program. It expands the use of state funds for pregnancy help organizations which now can cover some new expenditures for new land for buildings, some additional services for the young moms in need, to help some of the providers meet licensing and accreditation and to engage in staff training,' Morrisey said, adding that the Legislature has allocated $3 million for the effort. House Bill 2123 increases the criminal penalties imposed on a parent, guardian or custodian for child abuse. 'Once again, we have to protect the most precious among us and if you harm a child as a parent or guardian, you're going to pay a heavy price,' the governor said. 'We're now increasing the jail time for abuse of a child that causes bodily injury from one to five years to two to 10 years. For abuse that creates a substantial risk of death or serious bodily injury, the incarceration time is once again from one to five years to two to 10 years. And for abuse causing serious bodily injury, incarceration time is increased from two to 10 years to five to 15 years.' House Bill 2871 expands Vehicular Homicide and Homicide by Operation of Motorized Watercraft penalties and considers the loss of a child in the womb as a death for the purposes of prosecution. 'That's good, and that's just common sense,' Morrisey said. 'A life in the womb is still a life. Laws have to reflect that fact and they are.' The governor thanked the legislators attending the ceremonial signing for their support and invited them to share their thoughts. The Mothers & Babies Support Program represents the value of life in West Virginia, said Senator Brian Helton, R-Fayette. 'It shows our state's commitment to life and also the importance of not only that, but also the resources and empowerment for women, particularly single women who are in a distressing time of life to be able to choose life for children,' Helton said. 'That's so important and that program is going to be invaluable.' Senator Rollan A. Roberts, R-Raleigh said that the signing ceremony made Thursday a great day. 'But a few years ago I was privileged to be the caucus chairman for the senate majority and lead that caucus into eliminating almost every kind of abortions that were performed,' Roberts said. 'I think at that time there were 38 abortions a week. I got a signed copy of that bill. My signature is one of the signatures on the bill. That bill sets on my desk today so that every time I walk into my office, I am reminded 38 babies live because of the work of the Legislature and finally getting that through. It was not easy. It was a battle.' Roberts told the governor that at that time, he had said that if they wanted mothers to have their babies, the state had to do something to help them. There was a commitment made by members of the House and the Senate 'to make something good happen for the mothers and the babies.' West Virginia wants to change how other people in the nation perceive it, but the state needs to work on its reality, Roberts said. 'But while we are changing the perception others have of us, we better be working on improving the reality,' he said. 'That's what these bills are all about. This is improving the reality of everyday people and I know the media jumps on all sorts of things. They say oh this wasn't done and that wasn't done and the focus wasn't on this or that. Well, I tell you if we're focusing on foster care, that's a great focus. If we're focusing on mothers and babies' needs, that's a great focus. If we're focused on penalizing those, really penalizing those, who are abusing children instead of giving them a slap on the wrist, let's let them know we are not for that happening. You're going to pay a price if you do this, because the life of a child is impaired for life and we've got to acknowledge that as a society.' Contact Greg Jordan at gjordan@
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Gov. Morrisey signs 3 pro-life West Virginia bills
BECKLEY, (WBOY) — West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey (R) signed three pieces of legislation into law on Thursday that relate to children and pregnant mothers. Senate Bill 537, which expands the use of state funds for pregnancy help organizations, House Bill 2123, which increases the criminal penalty for child abuse by a parent, guardian or custodian, and House Bill 2871, which classifies the loss of a fetus during a vehicle accident as a vehicular homicide death, were all signed during a ceremony in Beckley. Gov. Morrisey said in a press release that the laws are 'strengthening West Virginia's commitment to defending the sanctity of life.' Man allegedly threw Crown Royal bottle near 2 children while in vehicle in Fairmont 'West Virginia has a proud history of standing for the value of and dignity of life,' Morrisey said in the press release. 'I am pleased to sign these bills into law to further defend and protect the most vulnerable among us.' You can read the full text of the bills at the links below: SB 537 HB 2123 HB 2871 Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Morrisey celebrates signing of three bills at Beckley church
Gov. Patrick Morrisey ceremoniously signed three bills during an event at a Beckley, Thursday, May 29, 2025. (West Virginia Office of Gov. Patrick Morrisey | Courtesy photo) West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey on Thursday celebrated the passage of three bills he said protect and defend life 'at all stages.' Morrisey held the ceremonial bill signing for Senate Bill 537, House Bill 2123 and House Bill 2871 at CrossPoint Church in Beckley, West Virginia. 'West Virginia has a proud history defending the sanctity of life for a long, long time, and I've been very humbled to be an important part of that, serving as the first pro-life attorney general in state history,' Morrisey said. 'And before I left, we were still busy defending the state's pro-life law in the Fourth Circuit. That's still pending, and we've been working constantly to try to keep expanding the provisions to protect innocent life.' Senate Bill 537 expands the state's Mothers and Babies Pregnancy Support Program. The legislation allows the program to use state funds to cover new expenditures including new land and buildings, additional services for mothers, and staff training, Morrisey said. The Legislature also allocated $3 million for the program. 'The goal behind that money and this bill is to give organizations that help pregnant women greater flexibility in using their funds,' Morrisey said. 'What a good, noble cause.' The West Virginia Mothers and Babies Pregnancy Support Program was established by House Bill 2002, signed by former Gov. Jim Justice during the 2023 legislative session. State lawmakers passed a law making abortion illegal with narrow exceptions in September 2022 in the wake of a U.S. Supreme Court ruling striking down Roe V. Wade. The program provides funding for 'pregnancy support organizations' except those 'that performs, prescribes, refers for, encourages or promotes abortion as an option for a pregnant woman.' House Bill 2123 increases the penalties for a parents or guardians convicted of child abuse resulting in injury or neglect causing the risk of injury from one to five years in prison to two to 10 years in prison. The bill had unanimous support in both the West Virginia House of Delegates and in the Senate. 'Once again, we have to protect our most precious among us, and if you harm a child as a parent or guardian, you're going to pay a heavy price,' Morrisey said. House Bill 2871 expands the vehicular homicide offense to include aggravated vehicular homicide and clarifies that victims can include embryos and fetuses. The bill was also passed unanimously by both chambers of the Legislature. 'Now, the loss of a child in a womb, that can be considered a death for purposes of prosecution,' Morrisey said. 'That's good, and that's just common sense. A life in the womb is still a life. Our laws have to reflect that fact, and they are.' SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
USA Today
25-02-2025
- Health
- USA Today
Why Kyrsten Sinema wants Arizona to lead the way on researching a West African plant
Why Kyrsten Sinema wants Arizona to lead the way on researching a West African plant Show Caption Hide Caption Arizona lawmakers asked to fund a new medical research center Kyrsten Sinema appears before lawmakers from the Arizona House of Representatives stumping for appropriations for traumatic brain injuries. Former U.S. Senator Kyrsten Sinema advocated for $5 million in funding for clinical trials on ibogaine, a potential treatment for traumatic brain injuries, at the Arizona Capitol. Ibogaine, derived from a West African plant, is currently a Schedule 1 drug. But proponents believe clinical trials could pave the way for FDA approval. Sinema was joined by veterans who reported positive experiences with ibogaine treatment. They highlighted the need for alternative therapies for PTSD and traumatic brain injuries. The legislation, HB2871, passed the House Appropriations Committee with strong bipartisan support. Former U.S. Sen. Kyrsten Sinema returned to the Arizona Capitol Monday as a private citizen, advocating for $5 million to allow clinical trials on a treatment that has shown promising results in healing traumatic brain injuries. Sinema has served as both a state lawmaker and U.S. senator, a post where she accepted campaign contributions from pharmaceutical companies. She introduced herself to an Arizona House panel as a Scottsdale resident, said she is not working as a lobbyist, has no financial interest in the legislation and was speaking in favor of what she called a "passion project." That project aims to incentivize research on ibogaine, a psychoactive product derived from the root of a west African plant. It has produced favorable results in treating traumatic brain injuries among members of the military. House Bill 2871 would allocate $5 million from the state's general fund to fuel a competitive bid process to be run by the state Department of Health Services. The winner of the bid would conduct certified clinical studies on ibogaine, according to the bill's author, Rep. Justin Wilmeth, R-Phoenix. Wilmeth told the House Appropriations Committee that medical conditions among veterans, referred to for decades as "soldier's heart" or "shell shock," were only recognized as a post-traumatic stress disorder in the 1980s. Solutions have been elusive, he said. The goal of his bill is to develop a treatment that will help veterans heal, Wilmeth said. The bill passed the committee on a 13-1 vote. Before addressing the bill, Sinema took a moment to comment on her return to the Legislature. 'I see the room has been refreshed and the carpet is really clean," she told members of the House Appropriations Committee. She added she served on the same committee she was addressing when Andy Biggs, now a U.S. congressman, was committee chair. What is ibogaine? Sinema said she learned about ibogaine from two former servicemen who have worked on her security detail. Both saw dramatic improvement in their condition, which fueled her interest in winning approval for the drug from the federal Food and Drug Administration. Currently, ibogaine is a Schedule 1 drug, which means it is illegal because the federal government does not consider it to have any medical use. The certified clinical trials stipulated in the Arizona legislation could get the drug on the path to FDA approval, she said. 'It is a naturally occurring plant in west Africa," Sinema told lawmakers. "There is no major pharmaceutical company to bankroll this effort. So we must do it ourselves.' She also pledged to raise $5 million to match the allocation from the state. Protecting veterans: Arizona House panel unanimously backs bill protecting veterans from 'shark claims' Former service member: 'Psychedelic therapy is the future for veterans' John Soden, a U.S. Army vet, told the panel he received treatment for his traumatic brain injury at a clinic in Mexico in 2023. He learned of the treatment on a podcast hosted by a former Navy Seal and sought it for himself to deal with suicidal ideation. During his five years in the Army, he served in Afghanistan and Syria. One of his duties was manning a shoulder-mounted rocket launcher. Its repeated firing essentially gave him concussions, he said, triggering fits of rage and other behavioral changes that were difficult to cope with. After returning from Syria, Soden said he spiraled downward and 'really hated the man in the mirror. 'I realized I had become something every serviceman fears, which is a liability," he told lawmakers. The ibogaine treatment has been described in trials as painful, risky and difficult. Soden said it was the hardest thing he has ever done, "but I won that war within myself." It gave him a second chance at life, he added, wiping away tears. He is now working on a psychology degree at Arizona State University and hopes to use it to counsel veterans. 'I believe that psychedelic therapy is the future for veterans," he said. Matt Ammel detailed his 17 1/2 years of service as a Green Beret, including "hard parachute landings," exposure to explosives and work on counterterrorism teams. By the time he was discharged, he told lawmakers he was "a (expletive) mess," like many of his colleagues. He was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis because of brain lesions caused by trauma, and suffered from constant migraines. The nine medications he was on did little to help, so he joined Soder in seeking ibogaine treatment in Mexico in 2023. Two years on, Ammel said, the relief he got from ibogaine continues and he's only on medication to deal with thyroid and endocrine issues. Lawmakers advance bill with strong bipartisan backing Lawmakers were generally supportive of the bill, passing it on a 13-1 vote. Rep. Kevin Volk, D-Tucson, said he was encouraged at the prospect of alternatives to pharmaceuticals. Rep. Walt Blackman, an Army veteran, said the $5 million allocation isn't enough, given the number of veterans in Arizona. 'I, too, suffer from TBI, PTSD," the Snowflake Republican said, referring to traumatic brain injury. The treatments he received from the VA, he said, were a waste of taxpayer dollars. Rep. Justin Olson, R-Mesa, was the sole dissenter. 'I do think the Donald Trump administration should be taking the lead on this," Olson said, suggesting the research pitch would be better directed to new U.S. Health and Human Services Director Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Other lawmakers voted "present," saying they needed more information on which entities would meet the bill's requirement to have expertise "in the most challenging neurological and neurosurgical conditions." There was suspicion the bill is targeted at Barrow Neurological Institute in Phoenix. Sinema said the bill cannot be written to benefit just one company, as that would be a violation of the state Constitution's gift clause, and the bill is intended to attract multiple bidders. Reach the reporter at or at 602-228-7566 and follow her on social media @maryjpitzl. Support local journalism. Subscribe to today.
