Public Comments

WV HB 4797 is an embarrassing waste of legislative time that elevates a divisive political pundit over the real needs of West Virginians. Creating a “Charlie Kirk Memorial First Amendment Freedom Act” and a special “First Amendment Freedom of Speech Day” while families struggle with child care, healthcare, and basic economic security feels like a slap in the face to those who actually live with the consequences of lawmakers’ neglect. Instead of addressing jobs, schools, infrastructure, and the cost of living, this bill caters to culture-war theatrics, and I find it deeply DISGUSTING that our legislature would prioritize symbolic praise for a controversial figure over meaningful work for the people of this state. I strongly recommend this ridiculous bill be scrapped immediately so as not to further waste taxpayer dollars which should be focused on bills that actually help West Virginia citizens.  

I disagree with this bill as I don't think that Charlie Kirk is symbolic of freedom of speech. While he did use his rights to practice and grew a large audience, he was not the first, nor the most successful. His practices did not create a movement or a change for the betterment of society collectively. he was a debater who more often than not was controversial and criticized core values and ideas of our society.

I strongly oppose House Bill 4797.

The First Amendment belongs to everyone. It should never be used as a political prop or tied in state law to a single contemporary partisan figure. HB 4797 does not protect free speech. It uses government power to elevate and mandate praise for one political activist, including directing public schools to participate in that narrative.

Charlie Kirk has a well-documented public record of statements widely condemned as misogynistic, hostile to LGBTQ Americans, and dismissive of marginalized communities. Enshrining such a figure in statute dishonors West Virginia and sends a message that divisive and demeaning rhetoric is acceptable when it serves a political agenda.

This bill will deepen political division, invite constitutional challenges, and misuse the Legislature’s authority for ideological messaging instead of governing. West Virginians deserve laws that unite us and protect real freedoms—not culture-war symbolism written into statute.

I urge the Legislature to reject HB 4797.

I am a West Virginia constituent in Beckley, Raleigh County, and I support HB 4527 because it reduces everyday administrative burden and helps residents stay legally registered without unnecessary stress.

This bill directs the West Virginia Division of Motor Vehicles to create an opt-in system where vehicle owners can save billing information in a secure portal so registration renewals can occur automatically after the DMV receives confirmation that personal property taxes were paid. For working families, caregivers, rural residents, and people juggling multiple jobs or health issues, it’s easy to miss a deadline that has nothing to do with safety and everything to do with paperwork. This bill shrinks that gap.

The safeguards matter. The DMV must send notice two weeks before any charge, using the method the registrant chooses (text, email, or U.S. mail). Residents can change the billing date or payment method up to five days before the charge. That combination supports autonomy while still offering a smoother default path.

HB 4527 also improves coordination between counties and the DMV by requiring monthly reporting of paid personal property taxes and setting a timeline for the DMV to apply that information to accounts. And if a payment does not show up correctly, the bill requires a way to upload receipts or proof of payment (or bring them to a local office), which gives residents a practical correction route.

In short, HB 4527 modernizes a routine process, decreases accidental lapses, and respects residents’ time while keeping notice and control in the owner’s hands.

• I respectfully oppose any proposal to designate a Memorial Day or official state recognition for Charlie Kirk in West Virginia.

  Memorial days and state honors should be reserved for individuals or events that unite our communities and reflect broadly shared values of service, sacrifice, and respect for all West Virginians. Charlie Kirk is a highly partisan national political figure whose work and public statements have been deeply divisive and controversial. Granting an official day of recognition risks politicizing state honors and alienating many residents who do not share or support his views.

  West Virginia has countless veterans, first responders, educators, miners, community leaders, and public servants whose contributions directly benefit our state and whose service brings people together rather than deepening political divisions. Our limited capacity for official recognition should prioritize those who have demonstrated clear, positive, and unifying impact on the people of West Virginia.

  For these reasons, I urge lawmakers to reject this proposal and keep state-recognized memorials and honors focused on individuals and causes that genuinely reflect the shared values and interests of all West Virginians.

My name is Wyatt and I am a resident of Martinsburg. I am writing to express my strong opposition to HB 4797 and HCR 7.

While I respect the importance of the First Amendment, I believe these measures are an inappropriate use of our legislative session for several reasons:

1. Priorities: Our state faces pressing local challenges. Legislative time should be spent on issues that directly improve the lives of West Virginians, rather than honoring a person from Illinois with no historical ties to our state.

Educational Autonomy: I am concerned by the mandate in HB 4797 that requires the Department of Education to develop specific programs centered on a singular political activist. Our schools should focus on non-partisan civic education.

Fiscal Responsibility: Designating new memorial weeks and potential holidays involves state resources. I urge the committee to consider if this is the most effective way to spend taxpayer dollars.

On Race and Civil Rights

• ​The Civil Rights Act: "We made a huge mistake when we passed the Civil Rights Act in the 1960s... [It] created a beast, and that beast has now turned into an anti-white weapon." (The Charlie Kirk Show, April 2024)
• ​On Black Professionals: "If I see a Black pilot, I'm going to be like, boy, I hope he's qualified." (The Charlie Kirk Show, January 23, 2024)
• ​On Martin Luther King Jr.: Kirk described the civil rights icon as "awful" and "not a good person," explicitly stating it was "true" that he viewed King as a "bad guy." (FactCheck.org / The Charlie Kirk Show, 2024)
• ​On Diversity & Excellence: "If I'm dealing with somebody in customer service who's a moronic Black woman, I wonder is she there because of her excellence, or is she there because of affirmative action?" (The Charlie Kirk Show, January 3, 2024)

​On Women and Family

• ​On Feminism: "Feminism must be defeated for the West to be saved... Reject feminism. Submit to your husband... You're not in charge." (The Charlie Kirk Show, August 26, 2025)
• ​On Women’s Education: At the 2025 Young Women’s Leadership Summit, he called on women to abandon career-focused education to "submit to a godly man" and raise "more children than you can afford."
• ​On Female Success: "You do not have the brain processing power to otherwise be taken really seriously. You had to go steal a white person's slot to go be taken somewhat seriously." (Referring to prominent women of color, The Charlie Kirk Show, July 13, 2023)

​On Gun Violence and Public Safety

• ​On Gun Deaths: "I think it's worth it to have a cost of, unfortunately, some gun deaths every single year so that we can have the Second Amendment." (2023)

I ask that you vote "No" on these measures and instead focus on the local issues that matter most to our communities.

Sincerely,

HB 4797 is an embarrassment. It drags West Virginia into national culture-war theater by creating “First Amendment Freedom of Speech Day” and a memorial week tied to “the date of Charlie Kirk’s birth,” then naming the entire package “The Charlie Kirk Memorial First Amendment Freedom Act.”

If I understand correctly, you are asking the Governor to issue a proclamation praising Kirk and to direct the Department of Education to run student activities recognizing him. That is not protecting speech. That is the state picking a controversial political figure and demanding public participation, while ignoring the full context of who he was.

Kirk has been repeatedly criticized for racist and bigoted statements. His own quotes condemn him.

West Virginia deserves better than becoming a punchline and a headline. There are certainly ways to celebrate the First Amendment without honoring a figure whose public career was marked by hateful rhetoric.

If nothing else I've said matters, please at least consider that Charlie Kirk had no ties to WV, and that we have plenty of WV champions who can be memorialized.

Vote no on this bill! To honor a person who has a history of using racial and hateful comments makes no sense. To honor someone like Charlie Kirk is an embarrassment to all West Virginians. Vote No on this bill!

What is the purpose of this bill celebrating and mandating school lessons for a figure that was both divisive and not from West Virginia? Not to minimize this individual’s contributions but where is the bill for Rep Melissa Hortman who was assassinated?

While I acknowledge the tragedy of any loss of life, I believe this resolution sets a dangerous precedent by honoring an individual who promoted deeply divisive and harmful ideologies. Charlie Kirk, through his organization Turning Point USA and his public platforms, consistently espoused views that many Americans, including myself, find abhorrent. These include promoting racism, homophobia, transphobia, Islamophobia, sexism, and Christian Nationalism to name a few. 

The tragic circumstances of Kirk's death should not overshadow the harmful legacy of his work. While we can condemn violence in all forms, we must also be critical of the ideologies that promote division and discrimination in our society. We should be honoring those who bring Americans together, not those who have sowed division and hatred.

• Packing or cracking of minority and dissenting voters
• Maps that preserve political power while appearing statistically compliant
• Disproportionate harm to communities with limited political or financial means