Del. Bob Fehrenbacher

Maddy summaryHB 4401 would lower the taxable wage base for unemployment insurance from $9,500 to $8,500 per employee per year. This means employers in West Virginia would pay unemployment taxes only on the first $8,500 of wages paid to each employee annually, rather than the current $9,500 threshold. The bill directly affects all West Virginia employers contributing to the state's unemployment insurance fund. It modifies the calculation method under West Virginia law for determining taxable wages, without changing unemployment benefit amounts or eligibility.

Maddy summaryHB 4120 creates a "Productive Energy Site Reclamation Waiver" that allows surface mine operators in West Virginia to apply for a waiver of contour restoration requirements when converting former mine sites into new energy generation projects (minimum 10 megawatts). The waiver releases the mine operator from contour restoration obligations and returns proportional bond funds to them, while also relieving the state of financial responsibility for incomplete restoration costs. To qualify, new energy developers must prove financial and technical capability, including experience with similar projects. This program prioritizes sites where mines have ceased operations or where original operators lack funds for full restoration, aiming to redirect land use toward economic development. The waiver does not affect other environmental reclamation obligations like soil or water cleanup.

Maddy summaryHB 4192 establishes the West Virginia Tri-Share Child-Care Assistance Program, which provides state-funded matching support for child-care costs for working families who do not qualify for existing state child-care subsidies. The program requires employers (with at least 20 employees working in WV for 20+ weeks annually) to contribute to employee child-care costs, with the state matching that contribution up to 100% using funds from a dedicated state fund. Eligible employees must have household income at or below the state median, and the Department of Commerce administers the program, verifying eligibility and distributing state matches directly to approved child-care facilities. This program is designed to supplement, not replace, the current state child-care subsidy system.

Maddy summaryHB 4154 requires West Virginia's public employee and teacher retirement systems to provide an annual cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) to retirees who have been retired for over 10 years. It directly affects current retirees from both the Public Employees Retirement System and State Teachers Retirement System who voluntarily retired in good standing. The bill mandates the first full COLA payment by June 30, 2026, with subsequent annual payments, and extends these adjustments pro-rata to beneficiaries receiving retirement benefits. This policy change modifies retirement benefit payments without altering eligibility or contribution requirements.

Maddy summaryHB 2964 changes the residency requirement for members of regional airport boards. Previously, board members only needed to reside in the county where the airport is located. The bill now requires all board members to live within the specific geographic service area served by the airport. This law, approved by the governor on April 25, 2025, directly affects who can serve on these boards by ensuring members live in the communities the airport primarily serves.

Maddy summaryHB 2595, the Non Profit Athletics Act, allows West Virginia public universities to partner with nonprofit corporations to manage their intercollegiate athletics programs. The bill requires that all voting directors of these athletic-focused nonprofits must be employees of the university or its affiliate, ensuring university control. It permits universities to transfer property to these nonprofits and exempts their athletic operations from standard state regulatory processes. The law aims to streamline athletic program management while keeping oversight within the university system, directly affecting public higher education institutions and their athletic departments.

Maddy summaryHB 3336 updates West Virginia's rules for plugging abandoned oil and gas wells. It removes the requirement for a four-and-one-half-inch casing in modern wells and eliminates the need to remove intermediate or surface casings in older wells, as long as other plugging standards are met. The bill maintains existing requirements for filling wells with nonporous materials (like mud or clay) and placing cement plugs at specific intervals above and below oil, gas, or water-bearing strata. This change primarily affects oil and gas well operators who must follow these plugging procedures when abandoning wells.

Maddy summaryHB 2014 establishes a state-certified microgrid program, creating a formal process for approving microgrids that meet specific reliability and community benefit standards. It directly affects utility companies, local governments, and community organizations seeking to develop or operate microgrids - localized energy systems that can function independently from the main power grid during outages. The law sets technical requirements for certification, including safety standards, grid interconnection protocols, and community engagement criteria, administered by the state's Public Utility Commission. This replaces previous ad-hoc approvals with a standardized program, ensuring consistent oversight for microgrid projects across the state.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a pilot program allowing the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to use design-build contracting for environmental infrastructure projects. It directly affects the DEP and contractors selected for these projects by setting specific procedures for program administration, including project selection criteria and contractor qualification requirements. The key provision requires the DEP to follow defined steps when implementing the pilot, ensuring transparency and compliance with state procurement rules for environmental work. The program is limited to a specific duration and scope as outlined in the law.

Maddy summaryHB 3030 updates administrative procedures for implementing West Virginia's existing Water Pollution Control Act. It affects state environmental agencies (like the DEP) responsible for enforcing water pollution regulations. The bill clarifies agency processes for permitting, monitoring, and enforcement under the current law but does not create new pollution standards or regulations. The bill was approved by the Governor on April 25, 2025, and became law on July 21, 2025.