Del. Scot Heckert

Maddy summaryHB 3417 would require the West Virginia State Police to cover the cost of incarcerating individuals they arrest until those individuals are convicted of a crime or released. Currently, counties pay for the incarceration of people arrested by local law enforcement, but this bill shifts that financial responsibility to the state police for arrests they make. The bill amends state law to specify that when an inmate is arrested by the state police, the state police must pay the per diem cost for housing in a jail facility. This change would directly affect the state police budget and reduce counties' financial obligations for cases initiated by the state police.

Maddy summaryHB 3409 changes West Virginia's hunting and fishing license validity period from expiring at the end of the calendar year to lasting exactly one year from the date of purchase. This directly affects all individuals who buy hunting or fishing licenses in the state. The bill amends §20-2-35 of the West Virginia Code to replace the current "last day of the calendar year" expiration with a fixed one-year term starting on the purchase date. This policy change simplifies license validity without altering fees or requirements.

Maddy summaryHB 3378 establishes a legal expectation of privacy in West Virginia legislators' private offices within the State Capitol or official legislative spaces. It makes it illegal for anyone - including staff, visitors, or journalists - to record audio, video, or electronic communications without the legislator’s prior consent, or to install surveillance devices without written permission. Exceptions include security measures by Capitol personnel, recordings with explicit consent, and court-authorized surveillance. Violating this law would be a felony punishable by up to five years in prison or a $10,000 fine. The bill directly affects legislators, their staff, and anyone entering legislative offices.

Maddy summaryHB 3266 amends West Virginia's compulsory school attendance law to establish specific requirements for families choosing home instruction. It requires parents to submit a notice of intent, provide proof of educational qualifications (like a high school diploma or college degree), and have children assessed annually through standardized tests, public school testing programs, or certified teacher-reviewed portfolios. The bill also specifies that county boards may deny home instruction requests only after a court order showing clear evidence of educational neglect. This directly affects families opting for home schooling, ensuring they meet state educational standards while maintaining county oversight.

Maddy summaryHB 3319, the "Restoring Sanity Act," prohibits West Virginia public schools and state universities from requiring instruction, course content, or statements about specific concepts deemed "factual" or "beliefs" related to race, gender, or sexuality. It bans diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) offices at public colleges and redirects funds from such offices to merit scholarships for lower-income, first-generation, or in-state students. The bill also requires schools to report complaints about violations and prohibits employees from being required to use a student's preferred pronoun if it conflicts with their biological sex, while clarifying that using biological sex-based pronouns does not create legal liability. These provisions apply directly to school districts, public charter schools, the West Virginia Board of Education, and state universities.

Maddy summaryThis bill (HB 3323) requires healthcare providers, law enforcement, and emergency responders to report overdose data within 24 hours to the Office of Drug Control Policy. The collected data will populate a public dashboard tracking non-fatal and fatal overdoses, opioid antagonist use, drug types, and treatment outcomes - including location, demographics, and trends - to inform resource allocation and program effectiveness. It does not expand diversion programs to include felonies, as mistakenly implied in the title; the actual provisions focus solely on overdose reporting and data transparency. The bill mandates a daily-updated public dashboard with visualizations, including overdose hotspots and medication-assisted treatment coordination. This policy change directly affects hospitals, first responders, and law enforcement agencies by requiring standardized data reporting.

Maddy summaryHB 3309 would amend West Virginia's retirement law to allow sheriffs in the public retirement system to retire at age 62 with eight years of actual, contributing service, instead of the standard 10 years required for newer members. This change specifically applies to sheriffs who became members through their election as sheriff and are not covered by another retirement plan. The bill creates a separate retirement eligibility standard for sheriffs, lowering the service requirement from 10 to 8 years. This policy directly affects eligible sheriffs by providing an earlier retirement option under the amended law.

Maddy summaryHB 3268 modifies rules governing student transfers for athletic and academic eligibility in West Virginia secondary schools. It requires the West Virginia Secondary School Activities Commission to update its rules regarding athletic eligibility for students transferring between schools and for incoming ninth-grade students' academic eligibility. The bill amends existing statutes to clarify the commission's authority to adjust these rules, directly affecting student-athletes and their eligibility to participate in school sports programs. This is a procedural change to commission rulemaking authority, not a new law affecting student rights or school funding.

Maddy summaryHB 2187 would allow K-12 teachers in West Virginia who hold valid concealed handgun permits to carry concealed firearms on school grounds when designated as "school protection officers" by their school. The bill amends state law to create this exception, explicitly permitting teachers (but not all staff) to carry concealed weapons as part of their role, provided they meet standard concealed carry requirements. This changes existing rules that generally prohibit firearms on school premises, except for specific exemptions like law enforcement. The bill is currently under review by the House Judiciary Committee after initial referral to Education.

Maddy summaryHB 3188 prohibits individuals who are lawfully detained by police from providing false names or failing to identify themselves, with violations punishable as misdemeanors (up to 1 year in jail) or felonies (up to 5 years) if harm results. It also clarifies that loitering or prowling is illegal only when circumstances cause reasonable safety concerns, requiring officers to first ask for identification and explanation before arresting. The bill allows courts to order restitution for victims of false identification and correct public records containing false information. These provisions apply to law enforcement officers, detained individuals, and anyone affected by false identification misuse.