By Leann Ray | Editor-in-chief
“The reality is that the equality of transgender women and girls takes nothing away from, and in fact promotes, the equality of all women and girls. We will continue to advance the fundamental principle that all young people deserve equal opportunity to thrive and succeed.” — Joshua Block, senior counsel for the ACLU’s LGBTQ and HIV Rights Project
The U.S. Supreme Court on April 9, 2026. (Photo by Ashley Murray/States Newsroom)
By Lori Kersey
West Virginia officials on Tuesday celebrated a U.S. Supreme Court decision upholding the state’s ban on transgender athletes participating in women’s school athletics.
Becky Pepper-Jackson attends the Lambda Legal Liberty Awards on June 8, 2023 in New York City. (Photo by Roy Rochlin/Getty Images for Lambda Legal )
By Jacob Fischler and Shauneen Miranda
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday kept in place state laws banning transgender athletes from participating on women’s and girls’ sports teams.
NATIONAL
A voter drops off his ballot at the Salt Lake County Government Center in Salt Lake City as votes are cast in Utah’s 2024 primary election. Utah and at least eight other states enacted voting laws this year that will make it more difficult for some voters to cast their ballots during the midterm elections in November. (Photo by Spenser Heaps for Utah News Dispatch)
By Anna Claire Vollers
At least nine states — including West Virginia — have passed voting laws this year that will make it more difficult for some voters to cast their ballots during the midterm elections in November.
By Ariana Figueroa
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Supreme Court Tuesday struck down President Donald Trump’s attempt to redefine the constitutional right to birthright citizenship.
By Jennifer Shutt
WASHINGTON — White House budget director Russ Vought testified before a U.S. House panel Tuesday that his agency needs lawmakers to increase its annual budget, even though he hasn’t spent much of the $100 million Republicans approved in their “big, beautiful” law.
By Sam Gauntt
WASHINGTON — The Great American State Fair on the National Mall has all the trappings of a classic state fair: food vendors, merchandise, a Ferris wheel and scores of activities.
COMMENTARY
Physician’s Assistant Kim Gracey checks the throat of sick child Joselyn Mejia, age 4, at a low-cost clinic run by the Rocky Mountain Youth Clinics on July 28, 2009 in Aurora, Colorado. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)
By Ellen Allen
West Virginians understand that raising healthy children takes a village. Parents, grandparents, teachers, doctors, childcare providers and entire communities work together to give children the strongest possible start in life. But a troubling new report suggests that one of the most important building blocks for healthy childhood development — health insurance coverage — is slipping away from too many of our youngest children.
ICYMI
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