Senate 609

WEST virginia legislature

2026 regular session

Introduced

Senate Bill 609

By Senator Rucker

[Introduced January 27, 2026; referred
to the Committee on Health and Human Resources]

A BILL to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by adding a new section, designated §18B-1-12, relating to exempting students of higher education from compulsory vaccination requirements.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:

ARTICLE 1. GOVERNANCE.

§18B-1-12. Rights of students to exemptions from compulsory immunizations.

A student shall be exempt from a college, university, or vocational technical school’s compulsory immunizations upon the presentation to the student’s school of a certification signed by the student if he or she is 18 years of age or older or the student’s parent or legal guardian stating that they object to immunization based on sincerely held religious beliefs.

NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to exempt students at college, universities, and vocational and technical schools from any compulsory immunization requirements.

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