BECKLEY, WV (WOAY) – At a ceremonial bill signing in Beckley on Thursday, Governor Patrick Morrisey celebrated three bills that he said help the state further protect the dignity of life.
The bills are Senate Bill 537, House Bill 2123, and House Bill 2871.
“Our kids are our future, and we have to reflect that. We have a number of bills today that are defending life, not just in the womb. When kids get abused, that’s not going to be tolerated in West Virginia anymore,” Morrisey said. “By focusing on kids and the most vulnerable among us, it makes a big difference for the entire state and southern West Virginia.”
Senate Bill 537 “strengthens the West Virginia Mothers and Babies Pregnancy Support Program by expanding the use of state funds for pregnancy help organizations,” according to a press release.
House Bill 2123 sets harsher penalties on parents, guardians, and custodians convicted of child abuse.
House Bill 2871 allows prosecutors to treat the loss of a child in the womb as a death, and it “expands Vehicular Homicide and Homicide by Operation of Motorized Watercraft penalties.”
Morrisey wants to make sure his administration’s pro-life stance applies to mothers and their children after they are born.
“We had a number of folks here focusing on what happens after a baby is born,” Morrisey said. “There’s $3 million to help a lot of the pregnant moms and the kids after the kids are born and gives them the infrastructure they need to really flourish… I think that makes a big difference because you can’t just be for life in the womb. You have to be for life afterwards and protect our kids and our moms.”
Those comments were echoed by State Senator Rollan Roberts during the signing ceremony. He said when West Virginia first banned abortions, lawmakers decided that they also needed to provide support to mothers in need.
“If we’re going to have these mothers have their babies, then we’re going to have to do something to help them. We have to have wrap-around services,” Roberts said.
State Senator Brian Helton agreed.
“The Mothers and Baby Support Program, which represents the value of life in West Virginia, shows our state’s commitment to life and also the importance of the empowerment for women, particularly single women, who are in a stressful time in life to be able to choose life for their children,” he said.
