Senate 919

WEST VIRGINIA LEGISLATURE

2026 REGULAR SESSION

Introduced

Senate Bill 919

By Senator Taylor

[Introduced February 11, 2026; referred
to the Committee on Education]

A BILL to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by adding a new section, designated §18-2-25f, creating of the Safe School Events Music Act; providing for a short title; prohibiting explicit music at interscholastic athletic events; requiring the West Virginia Secondary School Activities Commission to adopt rules governing music played at events; prohibiting the use of clean versions of explicit songs; and providing enforcement authority and penalties.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:

ARTICLE 2. STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION.

§18-2-25f. Safe School Events Music Standards at WVSSAC-Sanctioned Events.

(a) Short title. – This section may be cited and referred to as the "Safe School Events Music Act."

(b) Legislative Findings and Purpose. –

(1) The Legislature finds that interscholastic athletic contests and activities are school-sponsored events attended by students and families and shall maintain an environment consistent with educational standards, good sportsmanship, and community expectations.

(2) The purpose of this section is to provide a uniform statewide standard governing music played at interscholastic events.

(c) Definitions. - For purposes of this section:

(1) "School-sponsored music" means any recorded or live music selected, approved, or permitted by a public school, including music played over a public address system, during warm-ups, timeouts, halftime, pep band performances, cheer or dance performances, or music provided by a third-party vendor.

(2) "Explicit song" means a song whose original or primary commercial release contains profanity, sexual content, references to illegal drug use, slurs, or other material designated as explicit or carrying a parental-advisory label on a major distribution or streaming platform.

(3) "Clean version of an explicit song" means any edited, radio, or clean version derived from a song whose original or primary commercial release is explicit.

(4) A song originally released in a clean form shall not be deemed explicit solely because an explicit remix or altered version is later released.

(d) Prohibited Conduct. -

(1) Music played at any WVSSAC-sanctioned interscholastic athletic event or activity shall be appropriate for a school environment and shall not include explicit language or content.

(2) Clean versions of explicit songs are prohibited at WVSSAC-sanctioned events, regardless of whether profane or explicit words have been edited or removed.

(e) WVSSAC Rulemaking Requirement. - The West Virginia Secondary School Activities Commission shall propose and adopt rules to implement this section, including:

(1) Approval responsibilities of principals or designees;

(2) Procedures for addressing violations during contests; and

(3) Progressive penalties for violations, which may include warnings, fines, loss of postseason hosting privileges, or other sanctions within the authority of the commission.

(f) Enforcement. –

(1) Contest officials or WVSSAC representatives may require immediate cessation of any music reasonably believed to violate this section or commission rules.

(2) Repeated or willful violations may result in sanctions as established by WVSSAC rule.

(g) Effective Date. - WVSSAC shall adopt rules required by this section no later than July 1 following enactment, and the rules shall apply beginning with the next school year.

NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to create the Safe School Events Music Act.

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