Del. Scot Heckert

Maddy summaryHB 5273 requires candidates for municipal offices (like city council or mayor) to file campaign financial statements with their county clerk instead of the Secretary of State. It mandates that all campaign finance reports for these candidates be published online by the county clerk within 48 hours of the filing deadline. The bill also updates filing requirements for other offices, specifying electronic submission for certain statewide and county-level candidates, while allowing paper filings for others under defined conditions. This changes where municipal campaign reports are submitted and accelerates public access to this financial data.

Maddy summaryHB 5176 creates a searchable online database managed by the West Virginia State Police for individuals convicted of specific animal cruelty offenses, including violations of sections like §61-8-19 (cruelty to animals). The database will include names, birth dates, offense details, and county of conviction for those convicted of listed misdemeanor or felony animal abuse crimes. Convicted individuals must pay a $125 annual fee (to be paid to their county State Police office) to maintain their listing, with fees deposited into a dedicated State Police fund. Removal from the database is possible after 5 years for misdemeanors or 15 years for felonies (with proof of rehabilitation), or immediately if the conviction is expunged or pardoned.

Maddy summaryHB 4568 prohibits serving legal documents (like summonses) for civil or Family Court cases on property owned by counties in West Virginia. This directly affects plaintiffs trying to initiate lawsuits against county entities and county governments as defendants. The bill adds a new section to state law (§56-3-35) explicitly banning such service on county-owned land. It does not change existing rules for serving process on private property or in other locations. The law would take effect upon enactment.

Maddy summaryHB 4459 would repeal all existing West Virginia laws regulating kratom (Chapter 19, Article 12F) and remove kratom ("Mitragyna speciosa") from Schedule I of the state's controlled substances list (Section 60A-2-204). This would eliminate legal restrictions on kratom sales, possession, and use for consumers and businesses currently operating under the repealed regulations. The bill directly affects kratom vendors, users, and enforcement agencies by ending the state's classification of kratom as an illegal Schedule I substance. It does not create new regulations but removes the existing legal framework governing kratom.

Maddy summaryHB 4403 requires all West Virginia homeless shelters to register annually with the Bureau for Public Health and obtain a safety certificate by July 1, 2026. Shelters must meet standardized health, fire safety, staffing, and background check requirements, including resident grievance procedures and incident reporting. Violations could result in fines up to $5,000 per violation or temporary suspension of operations. The law applies to all shelters regardless of funding source, including faith-based facilities that retain federal religious protections while complying with health and safety standards.

Maddy summaryHB 4402 establishes a new role for "school protection officers" in West Virginia, allowing sheriffs (with county commission approval) to appoint qualified county residents to serve on school property. These officers must have good moral character and no felony convictions, take an oath, and post a bond, but they are exempt from standard deputy sheriff civil service and retirement rules. The bill grants them general police powers - including arrest authority - within their assigned school district, while prohibiting them from participating in labor disputes or serving outside their district. It also clarifies that school districts paying for these officers are not considered their employers and are not liable for damages from their official actions.

Maddy summaryHB 4834 amends West Virginia law to explicitly permit women’s wrestling as a sanctioned sport in public high schools and public charter schools. The bill directly affects school districts and athletic programs by allowing them to officially recognize and sponsor girls' wrestling teams under existing athletic regulations. It adds women’s wrestling to the list of permitted interscholastic athletic events without changing eligibility rules for students. The change requires the West Virginia Secondary School Activities Commission to approve wrestling as a sanctioned sport under its authority.

Maddy summaryHB 5600 adds the West Virginia Fire Marshal's office as a formal representative to the Law-Enforcement Professional Standards Subcommittee (LEPS). This subcommittee oversees law enforcement officer training, certification, and inactive certification reinstatement. The bill amends existing law to include the Fire Marshal's office as the twelfth member on the committee, alongside current representatives from state police, sheriffs, police associations, and other entities. This change directly affects the LEPS committee's composition and ensures fire marshal input in professional standards decisions.

Maddy summaryThis is a commemorative House resolution honoring former West Virginia House Speaker and Chief Justice Timothy P. Armstead following his passing. It memorializes his service, names a conference room in the House as the "Speaker Tim Armstead Memorial Conference Room," and extends condolences to his family. The resolution does not create new laws or affect policy - it formally recognizes his legacy and contributions to West Virginia.

Maddy summaryHB 5605 requires West Virginia legislators to pass annual drug tests for illegal drugs and unprescribed legal drugs to receive compensation or expense reimbursement. The bill mandates testing by December 31 each year, with legislators covering their own testing costs. Failure to pass or complete the test results in the loss of all legislative pay and reimbursements for that session. This policy directly affects all state legislators, linking their financial compensation to drug test compliance under the new provision.