Senate 388

WEST virginia legislature

2026 regular session

Introduced

Senate Bill 388

By Senator Grady

[Introduced January 15, 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 §18-9I-1, relating to requiring a public elementary or secondary school to make the Aitken Bible available to certain classrooms; specifying funds that can and cannot be used for this purpose; and clarifying that the requirement applies to public charter schools.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:

ARTICLE 9I. DISTRIBUTION OF AITKEN BIBLE.

§18-9I-1. Distribution of the Aitken Bible in public schools.

(a) A public elementary or secondary school shall, subject to §18-9I-1(b), make the Aitken Bible available to all fourth grade, eighth grade, and 10^th grade social studies classrooms.

(b) A public elementary or secondary school may accept and use private donations for the purposes of meeting the provisions of subsection (a) of this section. No public funds may be used for this purpose.

(c) Notwithstanding any other provision of code to the contrary, this section applies to public charter schools authorized pursuant to §18-5G-1 et seq. of this code.

NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to require that a public elementary or secondary school make the Aitken Bible available to all fourth grade, eighth grade, and 10^th grade social studies classrooms; specifying funds that can and cannot be used for this purpose; and clarify that the requirement applies to charter schools.

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