Freedom Index

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

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

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: No

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 60% ++.+--
Jason Barrett R SD-016 33% +--+--
Craig Blair R SD-015 33% +--+--
Donna Boley R SD-003 33% +--...
Michael Caputo D SD-013 17% -----+
Charles Clements R SD-002 33% +--+--
Vince Deeds R SD-010 33% +--+--
Amy Nichole Grady R SD-004 33% +--+--
Bill Hamilton R SD-011 40% +-.+--
Mark Hunt D SD-008 33% +--+--
Glenn Jeffries D SD-008 33% .--+..
Robert Karnes R SD-011 67% ++++--
Michael Maroney R SD-002 25% +---..
Patrick Martin R SD-012 50% ++-+--
Mark Maynard R SD-006 33% +--+--
Eric Nelson R SD-017 33% +--+--
Mike Oliverio R SD-013 33% +--+--
Rupert Phillips R SD-007 33% +--+--
Robert Plymale D SD-005 0% --.---
Ben Queen R SD-012 33% +--+--
Rollan Roberts R SD-009 50% ++-+--
Patricia Rucker R SD-016 50% ++-+--
Randy Smith R SD-014 33% +--+--
David Stover R SD-009 33% +--+--
Mike Stuart R SD-007 33% +--+--
Chandler Swope R SD-006 33% +--+--
Tom Takubo R SD-017 50% +--+..
Eric Tarr R SD-004 33% +--+--
Jay Taylor R SD-014 33% +--+--
Charles Trump R SD-015 33% +--+--
Laura Wakim Chapman R SD-001 33% +--+--
Ryan Weld R SD-001 33% +--+--
Michael Woelfel D SD-005 0% .-----
Jack Woodrum R SD-010 33% +--+--

Average Constitutional Score by Party

Party Score
Republican 37.4%
Democrat 16.6%