Del. Erica Moore

Maddy summaryHB 3376 allows school districts facing imminent consolidation to hold emergency levy elections outside regular primary or general election dates. This amendment to West Virginia law enables local levying bodies to schedule special elections specifically to address funding needs related to school consolidation, bypassing standard election timing rules. The bill requires clear ballot wording specifying the levy purpose and tax rates for different property classes, while maintaining standard election procedures for processing votes. It directly affects school districts in counties with pending consolidation plans seeking immediate voter approval for renewal levies. The policy change streamlines election timing without altering levy amounts or creating new taxes.

Maddy summaryHB 3374 would increase state funding for rural West Virginia schools serving students with individualized education plans (IEPs). It specifically raises the per-child funding ratio from the current standard to a 3:1 student-to-staff ratio for these students in rural counties. This change would directly affect rural school districts and their students with IEPs by providing additional resources to support specialized educational needs. The bill amends education funding formulas to adjust how these schools receive state funds based on enrollment of students requiring IEPs.

Maddy summaryHB 3329 amends West Virginia law to strengthen penalties for sex offenses against children under 12 and for filming minors in sexually explicit conduct. It mandates prison sentences without probation for sex offenses involving force, weapons, or moving the victim, with a minimum 20-year sentence for first offenses. Repeat offenders face life imprisonment without parole. The bill also increases penalties for filming minors in sexually explicit conduct, imposing fines up to $10,000 or up to 10 years in prison for violations.

Maddy summaryHB 3078 establishes a 15 mph speed limit in licensed childcare zones during childcare hours (when children are entering or leaving). It defines childcare zones as all licensed childcare property, including grounds and 125 feet of adjacent streets or highways, similar to existing school zone rules. The bill requires the West Virginia Division of Highways to install signage marking these zones and applies the speed restriction during childcare operation times. This directly affects drivers passing near licensed childcare facilities during drop-off/pick-up periods, mirroring the safety measures already in place for school zones. The bill does not change existing speed limits outside these designated zones.

Maddy summaryHB 3220 creates a statewide moratorium on public school closures and consolidations in West Virginia, except for cases of catastrophic structural failure or unresolved safety hazards. It requires the West Virginia Department of Education to review closures considered over the past five years and propose changes to the school funding formula that would prevent at least 80% of those closures based on financial or operational factors. The moratorium remains in effect until the legislature receives the proposed formula and takes action on it. This directly affects all West Virginia public school districts and students by delaying closure decisions pending the new funding approach.

Maddy summaryHB 2697 prohibits all state-funded colleges, universities, and community colleges in West Virginia from charging students, former students, or graduates for academic transcripts. The bill directly affects these institutions and their students by banning transcript fees as a standard practice. Key provision: It amends state law to explicitly state that no such institution may impose a fee for issuing transcripts. This is a concrete policy change eliminating a common administrative cost for students. The bill does not alter other fees or services.

Maddy summaryHB 3280 authorizes West Virginia's Department of Human Services to transfer ownership of state-owned land and buildings (previously leased to nonprofits) to regional mental health or intellectual disability centers operated by local nonprofit organizations. This transfer requires the facilities to be leased at a nominal rate since January 2025, used for mental health/disability services, and involves zero purchase price with nonprofits assuming maintenance, insurance, and upkeep costs. The bill exempts these transfers from standard state procurement rules like public bidding. It directly affects state facilities and qualifying nonprofit centers delivering mental health and intellectual disability services.

Maddy summaryHB 3066 requires West Virginia's Corrections Commissioner to create an "Orange Alert" system that notifies registered crime victims within a 40-mile radius when a prisoner escapes or is released from a state correctional facility or jail. Victims must proactively register to receive these alerts, with registration details published in local newspapers. The bill mandates this system for all state correctional facilities and jails, making registration the victim's responsibility rather than automatic notification. This policy change establishes a formal notification framework but does not require automatic alerts for all victims.

Maddy summaryHB 3214, the Mountain Homes Act, creates a state-funded program to support housing construction for workers in West Virginia. It establishes the Mountain Homes Fund, which provides loan guarantees to eligible business entities (like developers or private partners) to finance housing projects. To access funds, applicants must submit detailed applications meeting specific criteria, and projects must align with the fund's purpose of addressing housing needs for the workforce as the state's economy diversifies. The Department of Economic Development administers the program, requires annual reporting to the Governor and legislature, and prohibits use of funds for certain purposes like luxury housing.

Maddy summaryHB 3221, the Burial Equity Act, expands burial benefits in West Virginia state cemeteries to include eligible former National Guard and military reserve members (such as Individual Mobilization Augmentees and Active Guard Reserve), their spouses, and dependent children. It sets specific eligibility criteria: four years of service, two years of West Virginia residency before death (or service in West Virginia units), and a non-dishonorable discharge, with retroactive application for deaths after March 15, 2022. The bill creates a Burial Equity Grant Program administered by the Veterans Affairs department, offering up to $1,000 per family to cover burial costs on a first-come, first-served basis. It also establishes a dedicated Burial Equity Fund, initially funded with $50,000 from the legislature, to support these grants using state appropriations, federal funds, and private donations.