Gov. Jim Justice is facing a tight deadline to sign bills that were approved in the 2024 legislative session. Justice has until midnight on March 27, 2024, to finish signing bills, with several key pieces of legislation hanging in the balance.
Gov. Jim Justice is facing a tight deadline to sign bills that were approved in the 2024 legislative session. Justice has until midnight on March 27, 2024, to finish signing bills, with several key pieces of legislation hanging in the balance.
Pressure mounts on Gov. Jim Justice to veto House Bill 5105, which seeks to relax vaccine requirements for students attending public virtual, private, and parochial schools in West Virginia. Healthcare and education professionals, including the West Virginia Association of School Nurses and the American Academy of Pediatrics, have vehemently opposed the bill, fearing its potential to undermine public safety and childhood immunization progress. With over 3,600 signatures on a petition urging the veto and concerns over the resurgence of preventable diseases, the governor faces a critical decision. Meanwhile, proponents of the bill argue for religious exemptions and vow to continue advocating for broader exemptions in future legislative sessions.