Freedom Index

A Legislative Scorecard Based on the Principles of the U.S. Constitution

West Virginia Legislative Scorecard  »  Freedom Index  »  WV Scorecard 2023

Legislative Scorecard Based on the U.S. Constitution

The Legislative Scorecard is a nationwide educational program of The John Birch Society. Its purpose is to create an informed electorate on how state legislators are voting. The Scorecard is nonpartisan; it does not promote any candidate or political party. Bills are selected for their constitutional implications and cost to the taxpayers.

Please share this Scorecard in your district to inform people about your legislator's record on key votes.
U.S. Constitution, Amendment I --- 11 C.F.R. §114(4)(c)(4) --- 616 F.2d 45 (2d Cir. 1980)

Legislative Scorecard

Based on the U.S. Constitution

WV Scorecard 2023

The Legislative Scorecard is a nationwide educational program of The John Birch Society. Its purpose is to create an informed electorate on how state legislators are voting. The Scorecard is nonpartisan; it does not promote any candidate or political party. Bills are selected for their constitutional implications and cost to the taxpayers.

Please share this Scorecard in your district to inform people about your legislator's record on key votes.
U.S. Constitution, Amendment I --- 11 C.F.R. §114(4)(c)(4) --- 616 F.2d 45 (2d Cir. 1980)

The following scorecard lists several key votes in the West Virginia Legislature in 2023 and ranks state delegates and senators based on their fidelity to (U.S.) constitutional and limited-government principles.

This is our second state-level Scorecard; the selected votes may not be reflective of legislators’ overall records. Their cumulative scores will change as we add more votes. Please check regularly for updates.

Senate
House of Delegates

Senate

1. Ban on Sex Mutilation of Children

Good Vote: Yes

HB2007 Ban on Sex Mutilation of Children (passed 30 to 2 on 3/11/2023). Bans a physician from providing “irreversible gender reassignment surgery” or “gender altering medication” to a person who is under 18 years of age.

2. Eliminating Abortions Based on Rape or Incest

Good Vote: Yes

SB584 Eliminating Abortions Based on Rape or Incest (motion to table adopted 29 to 5 on 2/23/2023). Would remove the rape and incest exception to obtain an abortion in West Virginia.

3. "Summer Feeding for All" Program

Good Vote: No

SB306 "Summer Feeding for All" Program (passed 30 to 1 on 1/31/2023). Establishes the “Summer Feeding for All” program to reduce “food insecurity” by providing meals to the students during “summer and non-school-day times."

4. Concealed Carry on College Campuses

Good Vote: Yes
SB10 Concealed Carry on College Campuses (passed 29 to 4 on 1/24/2023). Authorizes concealed handgun license holders to carry firearms on public college and university campuses.

5. Leasing Public Land for Carbon Capture

Good Vote: No
SB162 Leasing Public Land for Carbon Capture (passed 30 to 0 on 1/20/2023). Permits the Division of Natural Resources to lease state-owned “pore spaces” in “state forests, natural and scenic areas, and management areas, and other lands” for carbon sequestration.

6. Article V Convention: Delegate Selection Procedure

Good Vote: No
SB115 Article V Convention: Delegate Selection Procedure (passed 29 to 1 on 1/20/2023). Outlines a procedure for West Virginia to select delegates to a “convention for proposing amendments” under Article V of the U.S. Constitution.
Legislator Scores
[ + ] Pro-liberty Vote[ - ] Anti-liberty Vote[ . ] Did not Vote
Name Party District Score 123456
Mike Azinger R SD-003 40% +-.+--
Jason Barrett R SD-016 50% ++-+--
Craig Blair R SD-015 50% ++-+--
Donna Boley R SD-003 67% ++-...
Michael Caputo D SD-013 33% -+---+
Charles Clements R SD-002 50% ++-+--
Vince Deeds R SD-010 50% ++-+--
Amy Nichole Grady R SD-004 50% ++-+--
Bill Hamilton R SD-011 60% ++.+--
Mark Hunt D SD-008 50% ++-+--
Glenn Jeffries D SD-008 67% .+-+..
Robert Karnes R SD-011 50% +-++--
Michael Maroney R SD-002 50% ++--..
Patrick Martin R SD-012 33% +--+--
Mark Maynard R SD-006 50% ++-+--
Eric Nelson R SD-017 50% ++-+--
Mike Oliverio R SD-013 50% ++-+--
Rupert Phillips R SD-007 50% ++-+--
Robert Plymale D SD-005 20% -+.---
Ben Queen R SD-012 50% ++-+--
Rollan Roberts R SD-009 33% +--+--
Patricia Rucker R SD-016 33% +--+--
Randy Smith R SD-014 50% ++-+--
David Stover R SD-009 50% ++-+--
Mike Stuart R SD-007 50% ++-+--
Chandler Swope R SD-006 50% ++-+--
Tom Takubo R SD-017 75% ++-+..
Eric Tarr R SD-004 50% ++-+--
Jay Taylor R SD-014 50% ++-+--
Charles Trump R SD-015 50% ++-+--
Laura Wakim Chapman R SD-001 50% ++-+--
Ryan Weld R SD-001 50% ++-+--
Michael Woelfel D SD-005 20% .+----
Jack Woodrum R SD-010 50% ++-+--

Average Constitutional Score by Party

Party Score
Republican 49.7%
Democrat 38%