“West Virginia’s new governor, Governor Patrick Morrisey, signed an Executive Order on January 14, 2025, formally providing the right to religious exemptions from mandatory vaccines for school children in his state—a historic feat following two ICAN-funded litigations. West Virginia now joins the other 45 states that recognize Americans’ inherent religious freedom!” - ICAN press release.

One day after his inauguration, Governor Morrisey signed an Executive Order allowing students to request exemptions from vaccine requirements for state schools and childcare centers based on religious or moral beliefs.

The Executive Order outlines West Virginia's "Equal Protection for Religion Act," passed in 2023, which aligns with the First Amendment. It states that the state cannot interfere with a person's religious freedom. The new Executive Order builds on this Act, affirming that West Virginians can refuse vaccines for religious or moral reasons and sets up a way to request exemptions. This is similar to a recent court decision in Mississippi, where ICAN successfully restored religious exemptions. After restoring the religious exemption for students in Mississippi, ICAN’s lawyers, supported by ICAN, filed two lawsuits for West Virginia parents wanting religious exemptions for their children's vaccinations. Both cases are still ongoing but have already seen early victories.

ICAN has been consistently leading the way with impactful litigation efforts throughout the country on this important subject. Only four states left—New York, California, Connecticut, and Maine—to complete ICAN’s "Free the Five" effort to bring back religious exemptions in every U.S. state! Visit the ICAN website to explore and learn more about their ongoing legal endeavors and initiatives that are shaping the landscape of educational rights and parental freedoms. To support future legal work like this, click here to donate!