W.Va. governor pledges personal health journey alongside new food dye ban

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WCHS) — West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey told the nation he plans to live a healthier lifestyle during a ceremony Friday where he called on the state's residents to do the same.

"I plan to travel this journey with you and I'm going to do my best, my personal best, to make the hard choices to get healthier,” he said.

This comes after he signed a bill that would ban certain synthetic dyes from foods in West Virginia; a choice that got the attention of United States Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert Kennedy Jr.

"I want to thank governor Morrisey and these legislators for their courage, for their vision, for their willingness to stand up to the most powerful industries in the world, stand up for the people of West Virginia and set an example, a shining example for the rest of the country,” Kennedy said.

The governor hasn't wasted any time in proving he's committed to making healthier choices. On Friday evening he tweet a photo of the sunset during a walk.

Senate Health Chair Laura Chapman, R-Ohio, said she is excited for these new health initiatives the governor is promoting.

"I think it's a great idea when our citizens are challenged,” she said. “I think it makes it more fun to kind of be a part of something bigger than ourselves. I'm very excited."

With these new initiatives, she’s hoping that health insurance premiums could decrease.

"We are facing some of the most expensive health insurance premiums in America,” she said. “And I think that if we could get our citizens healthier, generally speaking, that we could perhaps lower our health insurance premiums."