Del. Vernon Criss

Maddy summaryHB 2711 repeals the previous common law rule limiting trust durations and sets a new 1,000-year maximum for all trusts. It directly affects individuals and families creating trusts for estate planning, wealth transfer, or generational asset management. The key provision replaces the old time limit with a fixed 1,000-year rule, ensuring trusts comply with current law without requiring future legal adjustments. This change simplifies trust administration and aligns with modern estate planning practices.

Maddy summaryHB 3297 establishes the Washington Center for Civics, Culture, and Statesmanship at West Virginia University. The bill creates a new academic center focused on teaching civics, American culture, and leadership principles, directly affecting West Virginia University as its host institution. It authorizes the university to develop programs and use state funds for the center’s operations, with no additional funding specified in the bill text. The bill became law on April 30, 2025, as Chapter 149 of the 2025 Acts.

Maddy summaryHB 3152 directs the West Virginia Auditor to issue payment warrants for specific pre-existing claims against state agencies, totaling over $500,000. It affects named claimants including businesses (like Eastern Electric LLC and Progressive Electric, Inc.), individuals (such as Shawn Thomas Lester), and organizations (like the West Virginia Association of Rehabilitation Facilities), with payments sourced from either the General Revenue Fund or State Road Fund. The bill declares these claims as the state's "moral obligations" and authorizes direct payment without requiring new appropriations. This is a procedural payment order for settled claims, not a new policy or program.

Maddy summaryHB 2444 limits the types of financial records that video lottery businesses (permittees) must provide to the Lottery Commission during examinations. Specifically, it restricts the Commission's authority to require certain detailed financial documents from these businesses. The bill directly affects licensed video lottery operators by reducing the scope of financial information they must disclose during official reviews. This enacted law (Chapter 124, 2025 Regular Session) changes compliance requirements for permittees without altering lottery operations or public funding.

Maddy summaryHB 3209 requires every public and charter school in the state to have at least one school counselor for every 250 students. This law directly affects all public and charter schools by mandating a specific counselor-to-student ratio. The key provision sets a clear standard: schools must maintain a minimum of one counselor per 250 enrolled students, ensuring consistent access to counseling services. The bill became law on July 30, 2025, after approval by the governor.

Maddy summaryHB 2963 requires that after a bank merger, reorganization, purchase, or assumption of liabilities in West Virginia, the surviving bank entity must be insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). This directly affects banks undergoing such ownership changes, ensuring depositors' funds remain protected under FDIC insurance without interruption. The bill mandates that the surviving bank maintain FDIC coverage as part of the transaction process, preventing gaps in insurance that could occur during ownership transitions. It does not create new insurance programs but clarifies existing requirements for bank continuity.

Maddy summaryHB 2761 increases the monetary jurisdictional limit for civil cases in West Virginia magistrate courts from $20,000 to a higher amount. This change directly affects individuals and small businesses involved in civil disputes where the value exceeds $20,000 but falls within the new threshold. The bill amends the existing law to allow magistrate courts to handle more significant civil matters without requiring transfer to higher courts. The measure does not alter magistrate courts' jurisdiction over other areas like eviction cases or property disputes without title disputes. The bill became effective on July 7, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 3520 redirects $56.2 million in unused funds from 10 specific state accounts - such as the Treasurer’s Office ($20 million) and Insurance Commission Fund ($30 million) - into the State Fund’s General Revenue surplus for the 2025 fiscal year. The bill transfers money from accounts where balances exceeded necessary funding needs, as noted in the legislature’s findings. This action increases the available surplus balance in General Revenue for potential future appropriations. The bill does not create new spending but reallocates existing unspent funds to the state’s general treasury.

Maddy summaryHB 3412 would exempt the West Virginia legislative branch from public records disclosure requirements under state law, provided the legislature adopts its own rules governing record access. This bill amends existing public records law to add a new provision (§29B-1-8) stating the law does not apply to the legislative branch once it establishes its own disclosure rules. The bill directly affects the legislature itself, not other government entities or the public. It does not change current disclosure practices but creates a pathway for the legislature to develop its own procedures for handling public records. The exemption is procedural and requires the legislature to act first - no immediate change occurs without adopted rules.

Maddy summaryHCR 99 is a legislative resolution requesting the Joint Standing Committee on the Judiciary to study policies preventing financial fraud and scams in West Virginia. It directs the committee to examine current state laws, review national approaches, and focus on four key areas: reducing robocalls and spoofing, addressing cryptocurrency-related scams (noting $1.4 million in losses in 2023), improving victim restitution, and protecting against property title fraud. The resolution cites data showing 8,000 West Virginians lost $27 million to fraud in 2024, with national losses exceeding $12.5 billion. The committee must report findings and recommendations to the legislature, governor, and attorney general by December 31, 2025. This is a study resolution, not a law, and does not create immediate policy changes.