Abortion Policy, Law & Politics

West Virginia's Legislature has advanced Senate Bill 173, which would criminalize the mailing of abortion medications mifepristone and misoprostol, imposing prison terms of 3 to 10 years and risking medical license loss for providers prescribing across state lines. The bill, supported by Sen. Chris Rose, R-Monongalia, aims to close access to abortion pills from out-of-state prescribers and telehealth, further restricting reproductive autonomy in a state with an existing near-total abortion ban.

The West Virginia Senate passed Senate Bill 173 to ban the mailing or delivery of abortion medications into the state, imposing civil penalties and possible prison time for violations. The bill, supported by both Republican and Democratic senators, now moves to the House of Delegates for consideration.

West Virginia's Senate Judiciary Committee approved Senate Bill 173, which would make it a felony for out-of-state providers to send abortion pills to residents and allow civil action against violators, with exceptions for legitimate medical reasons. The bill, aimed at closing a loophole in the state's abortion ban, now heads to the full Senate for a vote amid opposition citing constitutional concerns and enforcement challenges.

West Virginia Senate Bill 43, introduced in 2026, seeks to remove rape and incest exceptions from the state's Unborn Child Protection Act, allowing abortion only in cases of fetal nonviability, ectopic pregnancy, or medical emergency. This marks the fourth attempt in less than a year to pass such legislation, with the bill now referred to the Committee on Health and Human Resources and the Committee on the Judiciary.