Laura Wakim Chapman
Republican · WV · Member, West Virginia Senate, District 1
A constitutional lawyer from Wheeling who litigates First and Second Amendment cases, serving the Northern Panhandle in the West Virginia Senate. She works on income tax cuts, health care access and school security.
Where Laura Wakim Chapman stands, based on their records
Supports
Government Efficiency (2 records), Public Safety and Crime Control (1 record), Social Programs and Welfare (1 record),
Opposes
Environment and Public Health (8 records), Government Spending Reduction (1 record), Gun Control (1 record),
Mixed record
Healthcare Affordability (2 support · 1 oppose), Labor Rights (1 support · 1 oppose), Anti-Corruption (1 support · 1 oppose),
Track record
Track record — Healthcare Affordability
Healthcare Affordability · 2 support · 1 oppose
Led Senate Bill 526, the Pharmacist Prescribing Authority Act, which the Legislature passed and the governor signed.
April 12, 2025Supports Healthcare Affordability
Source: legiscan.com
Voted for Senate Bill 718, a bill to make hospitals publish their prices, facility fees and insurer discount contracts. The Senate passed it 22-12, but the House never voted on it, so it did not become law.
March 31, 2025Supports Healthcare Affordability
Source: legiscan.com
Voted for House Bill 2007, which restricted gender-affirming medical care for minors. The Senate passed it 30-2 and it became law.
March 10, 2023Opposes Healthcare Affordability
Source: wvlegislature.gov
Track record — Environment and Public Health
Environment and Public Health · 8 oppose
Voted for Senate Bill 641, which narrows which aboveground storage tanks the state regulates near drinking water. The Senate agreed to the House version 25-8 and it became law.
March 13, 2026Opposes Environment and Public Health
Source: legiscan.com
Voted for Senate Bill 420, a bill to push utilities to run coal plants at about two thirds of full output year round. The Senate passed it 22-11, but the House never voted on it, so it did not become law.
March 4, 2026Opposes Environment and Public Health
Source: legiscan.com
Voted for House Bill 3444, which repeals the old laws on newborn eye medication and reporting. The Senate passed it 18-15 and it became law without the Governor's signature.
April 10, 2025Opposes Environment and Public Health
Source: legiscan.com
Voted against Senate Bill 730, a bill to make forest carbon offset deals be registered with the state and recorded at the courthouse. The Senate rejected it 16-18, so it did not become law.
April 2, 2025Opposes Environment and Public Health
Source: legiscan.com
Voted for Senate Bill 592, a bill to remove several kinds of storage tanks from the post-2014 chemical spill safety law. The Senate passed it 25-7, but the House never voted on it, so it did not become law.
March 14, 2025Opposes Environment and Public Health
Source: legiscan.com
Voted for Senate Bill 460, a bill to let parents opt children out of school vaccine requirements for religious reasons. The Senate passed it 20-12, but the House rejected its own amended version, so it did not become law.
February 21, 2025Opposes Environment and Public Health
Source: legiscan.com
Voted for House Bill 5105 to expand school vaccination exemptions for private, parochial and virtual public school students. The Senate passed it 20-12, but the governor vetoed it.
March 9, 2024Opposes Environment and Public Health
Source: wvlegislature.gov
Introduced Senate Bill 535 to allow religious and philosophical exemptions from school vaccination requirements. The bill remained in committee.
February 1, 2023Opposes Environment and Public Health
Source: wvlegislature.gov
Track record — Labor Rights
Labor Rights · 1 support · 1 oppose
Voted against House Bill 4005, the Workforce Development Act of 2026, which follows federal law on which jobs are closed to workers under 18. The Senate passed it 27-7 and it became law.
March 9, 2026Supports Labor Rights
Source: legiscan.com
Voted for House Bill 2013, which takes civil service and grievance rights away from new hires in five state agencies. The Senate passed it 24-10 and it became law.
April 8, 2025Opposes Labor Rights
Source: legiscan.com
Track record — Anti-Corruption
Anti-Corruption · 1 support · 1 oppose
Voted for Senate Bill 587, which doubles the point at which governments must seek competing construction bids to $50,000. The Senate agreed to the House version 27-7 and it became law.
April 12, 2025Opposes Anti-Corruption
Source: legiscan.com
Voted against House Bill 3412, as rewritten by the Senate to narrow the state's Freedom of Information Act for every public body. The Senate passed it 25-9, but the House never agreed to the rewrite, so it did not become law.
April 11, 2025Supports Anti-Corruption
Source: legiscan.com
Track record — Government Efficiency
Government Efficiency · 2 support
Voted for Senate Bill 587, which doubles the point at which governments must seek competing construction bids to $50,000. The Senate agreed to the House version 27-7 and it became law.
April 12, 2025Supports Government Efficiency
Source: legiscan.com
Led Senate Bill 1 to require utilities to coordinate work with road paving. The Legislature passed it and the governor signed it.
April 11, 2025Supports Government Efficiency
Source: legiscan.com
Track record — Government Spending Reduction
Government Spending Reduction · 1 oppose
Introduced Senate Bill 718 to give kinship and fictive-kin foster caregivers equal financial support. The bill remained in committee.
February 8, 2024Opposes Government Spending Reduction
Source: wvlegislature.gov
Track record — Public Safety and Crime Control
Public Safety and Crime Control · 1 support
Voted for Senate Bill 548, a bill to require yearly youth violence prevention training in public schools. The Senate passed it 26-8, but the House never voted on it, so it did not become law.
March 18, 2025Supports Public Safety and Crime Control
Source: legiscan.com
Track record — Social Programs and Welfare
Social Programs and Welfare · 1 support
Introduced Senate Bill 718 to give kinship and fictive-kin foster caregivers equal financial support. The bill remained in committee.
February 8, 2024Supports Social Programs and Welfare
Source: wvlegislature.gov
Track record — Public Education Quality
Public Education Quality · 1 support · 1 oppose
Voted against House Bill 2513, which raises required yearly training for county school board members from seven hours to twelve. The Senate passed it 27-7 and it became law.
April 3, 2025Opposes Public Education Quality
Source: legiscan.com
Voted for Senate Bill 548, a bill to require yearly youth violence prevention training in public schools. The Senate passed it 26-8, but the House never voted on it, so it did not become law.
March 18, 2025Supports Public Education Quality
Source: legiscan.com
Track record — Gun Control
Gun Control · 1 oppose
Voted for Senate Bill 963, a bill to limit when a domestic violence protective order can take away a person's guns. The Senate passed it 22-11, but the House never voted on passage, so it did not become law.
March 4, 2026Opposes Gun Control
Source: legiscan.com
Track record — Election Integrity
Election Integrity · 1 oppose
Voted against House Bill 3017, a bill to make counties inspect every ballot-counting machine for modems before early voting. The Senate rejected the amended bill 16-18, so it did not become law.
April 9, 2025Opposes Election Integrity
Source: legiscan.com
Track record — Personal Income Tax Reduction
Personal Income Tax Reduction · 1 support
Voted for House Bill 2526 to reduce West Virginia personal income taxes. The Senate passed it 33-0 and it became law.
February 25, 2023Supports Personal Income Tax Reduction
Source: wvlegislature.gov
Track record — Civil Rights
Civil Rights · 2 oppose
Proposed a floor amendment to Senate Bill 601, the Women’s Bill of Rights, defining sex in state law; the Senate adopted her amendment and passed the bill, but it did not become law.
February 28, 2024Opposes Civil Rights
Source: legiscan.com
Voted for House Bill 2007, which restricted gender-affirming medical care for minors. The Senate passed it 30-2 and it became law.
March 10, 2023Opposes Civil Rights
Source: wvlegislature.gov
Track record — Corporate Accountability
Corporate Accountability · 1 support
Voted for Senate Bill 718, a bill to make hospitals publish their prices, facility fees and insurer discount contracts. The Senate passed it 22-12, but the House never voted on it, so it did not become law.
March 31, 2025Supports Corporate Accountability
Source: legiscan.com
Track record — Public Infrastructure
Public Infrastructure · 1 support
Led Senate Bill 1 to require utilities to coordinate work with road paving. The Legislature passed it and the governor signed it.
April 11, 2025Supports Public Infrastructure
Source: legiscan.com
Track record — General
General · 5 records
Received the West Virginia Coal Association endorsement for the 2026 state Senate election.
April 30, 2026
Source: wvcoal.com
Led Senate Bill 459 to protect contact between children and step-siblings after a custody decision. The Legislature passed it and the governor signed it.
March 13, 2026
Source: legiscan.com
Resigned as chair of the Senate Health and Human Resources Committee after a dispute with Senate leadership.
January 13, 2026
Source: heraldstaronline.com
Was named chair of the West Virginia Senate Health and Human Resources Committee.
January 15, 2025
Source: home.wvlegislature.gov
Signed a letter endorsing Donald Trump for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination.
June 7, 2023
Source: wvpublic.org
Past race Laura Wakim Chapman ran in:
- State Senate - District 1 · November 3, 2026 · State Senate District 1; West Virginia · incumbent