CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — Republican Gov. Patrick Morrisey has issued a slew of aggressive executive orders on his first day as West Virginia’s chief executive. One order creates a process for families to apply for religious exemptions to required school vaccinations. That marks a massive departure for a state with one of the strictest vaccine policies in the nation. Another order calls for the termination of all Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, or DEI, initiatives from the state. Morrisey says he believes the change will protect West Virginians from racial and gender discrimination — especially “inappropriate” preferential treatment for certain groups over others.
