The proposal for West Virginia's constitution to describe the Bible as accurate about natural history fails

West Virginia's House Joint Resolution 31 died in the House Judiciary Committee when a deadline for bills to pass committee expired. If adopted, the resolution would have asked the state's voters to ratify or reject the following amendment to the state constitution:

The state of West Virginia recognizes the Holy Bible, complete with the sixty-six books of the Old and New Testaments, as the divinely inspired, inerrant foundational document for our society and government, an accurate historical record of human and natural history, and the utmost authority for human moral behavior. As such, the Holy Bible and its precepts shall be given a place of prominence and reverence in the public buildings, laws, policies, and schools of the state of West Virginia.

The references to "natural history" and "public ... schools" together suggest that the amendment might have been intended or invoked to undermine the teaching of evolution and related topics, such as the Big Bang, in West Virginia's public schools.