WEST VIRGINIA LEGISLATURE

2026 REGULAR SESSION

Introduced

House Bill 5442

By Delegates Moore, Drennan, Ellington, Worrell, and Crouse

[Introduced February 11, 2026; referred to the Committee on Health and Human Resources]

A BILL to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by adding two new sections, designated §16-1-23 and §16B-3-22, relating to pregnancy and health; developing trainings on the uses and indications of certain drugs for pregnant women; and requiring licenses hospitals or similar institutions to complete training.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:

CHAPTER 16. PUBLIC HEALTH.

§16-1-23. Development of trainings on the uses and indications of progesterone and mifepristone in pregnant women.

(a) The Office of Maternal, Child and Family Health is hereby continued.

(b) The Office of Maternal, Child and Family Health shall establish an advisory council on the uses and indications of progesterone and mifepristone in pregnant women: Provided, That no member of the advisory council shall be a past or present employee of, board member of, or volunteer with an abortion industry organization as defined in §16-66-1 of this code.

(c) The Office of Maternal, Child and Family Health shall develop, in consultation with the advisory council, the following trainings for licensed healthcare providers:

(1) A training based on a review of the scientific literature, both domestic and international, on the use of progesterone to counteract the effect of mifepristone when used in the course of a chemical abortion; and

(2) A training based on a review of the scientific literature, both domestic and international, on the risks, identification, and treatment of adverse outcomes of chemical abortion, especially adverse outcomes which could result in a patient seeking emergency medical care

(d) The Office of Maternal, Child, and Family Health may contract with a third party organization to provide the training to licensed healthcare providers: Provided, That such third party organization may not be an abortion industry organization as defined in §16-66-1 of this code.

CHAPTER 16B. INspector General.

§16B-3-22. Training requirements for hospitals or similar institutions providing gynecologic, obstetric, and/or emergency care.

(a) Any hospital, or other similar institution, required to be licensed under this article, which employs licensed healthcare providers for the provision of gynecologic and/or obstetric services to pregnant women shall ensure such licensed healthcare providers complete the trainings provided for in §16–1-23 of this code.

(b) Any hospital, or other similar institution, required to be licensed under this article, which employs licensed healthcare providers for the provision of emergency room services shall ensure such licensed healthcare providers complete the training provided for in §16–1-23(c)2 of this code.

NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to require training on the uses and indications of certain drugs for pregnant women.

Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from a heading or the present law and underscoring indicates new language that would be added.