West Virginia Referendums – Peace and Life Referendums

One Ballot Measure for 2024

For the full list of referendums we’re tracking, see our home page.

on BALLOT: NOVEMBER 5. 2024

See Ballotpedia page for more information and updates.

Current Status: Legislatively referred.

The ballot measure would add a new section, Section 23, to Article III of the West Virginia Constitution. The following underlined text would be added:^[1]

§3-23. Protection against medically assisted suicide.

No person, physician, or health care provider in the State of West Virginia shall participate in the practice of medically assisted suicide, euthanasia, or mercy killing of a person. Nothing in this section prohibits the administration or prescription of medication for the purpose of alleviating pain or discomfort while the patient’s condition follows its natural course; nor does anything in this section prohibit the withholding or withdrawing of life-sustaining treatment, as requested by the patient or the patient’s decision-maker, in accordance with State law. Further, nothing in this section prevents the State from providing capital punishment

Comment from Consistent Life Network: We are of course unhappy about the last sentence, since we also oppose capital punishment. But the amendment doesn’t actually promote executions, but only fails to prohibit them. Overall, this amendment would help in the goal of preventing socially-approved killing.