On February 22, 2017, H.B. 2650 was introduced on the House floor. The purpose of this bill is to target Christian pastoral counselors, prohibiting the counseling of minors engaged in homosexual activity with the end result of regeneration, repentance, salvation, and holiness. This would charge pastoral counselors with child abuse for simply having a conversation.
Hamilton not only voted in support of the ironically titled the “Youth Mental Health Protection Act;” he co-sponsored the legislation for two years.
Pastoral counselors are psychologically trained ministers, rabbis, and priests that provide therapy services. If your pastor has a license to practice counseling, and attempts to guide a misguided young person (who practices homosexuality) to the path of regeneration, repentance, and salvation, they would be charged with child abuse. This bill equates love-based pastoral counseling with electroshock therapy. This is not only offensive to every Christian, pastor, and priest, but it violates the First Amendment’s religious freedom clause.
In return for supporting this bill, along with the ENDHA, Bill received a campaign contribution from Fairness West Virginia associate, prominent LGBT activist lawyer, and first openly homosexual delegate Stephen Skinner. According to Hamilton’s Campaign Finance Report, his campaign received a $200 contribution from Skinner. Fairness West Virginia is an LGBT activist organization that was established to weaken the body of Christ, strip away religious liberty, and implement liberal homosexual legislation.
On February 1, 2016, Hamilton co-sponsored H.B. 4343, which was a replica of H.B. 2650, but failed passage.
It is clear that the overwhelming majority of Upshur County would strongly oppose H.B. 2650. Regardless, Bill co-sponsored and voted for this legislation anyway. One can only conclude that he either ideologically supports this policy or co-sponsored it for campaign contributions. Personally, learning about this reality was deeply troubling, saddening, and disheartening.