State Sen. Laura Wakim Chapman Resigns as Health Committee Chair, Citing Political Pressure

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — State Senator Laura Wakim Chapman resigned as chair of the West Virginia Senate Health and Human Resources Committee on Tuesday, stepping down just as the 2026 legislative session prepared to convene. Chapman, a Republican from Ohio County, said she was leaving the leadership post due to political pressure from Senate leadership.
Chapman had served as committee chair since being appointed by Senate President Randy Smith last year. In a brief resignation letter, she accused Smith of pressuring her to pledge support for his continued leadership, saying that demand prompted her decision to step aside.
Her departure comes as lawmakers begin the 60‑day session, leaving one of the Senate’s major committees without its chair at a critical time for health‑related legislation. Chapman will continue serving as a member of the Senate but will no longer lead the committee’s work.