Del. Erica Moore

Maddy summaryThis House Resolution (HR 8) is a symbolic request from the West Virginia House of Delegates asking Congress to pass the federal National Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act (HR 38). It states that West Virginia residents with valid concealed carry permits should be able to carry concealed weapons in any state that allows concealed carry, without needing to verify if that state recognizes their West Virginia permit. The resolution does not change any laws itself but urges Congress to enact HR 38, which would require all states to honor out-of-state concealed carry permits, similar to how driver's licenses are recognized across state lines. It directly affects West Virginia permit holders traveling to other states.

Maddy summaryHB 3138 would create a 25-foot buffer zone around first responders (including police, firefighters, and emergency medical personnel) while they are lawfully performing their duties. It makes it unlawful to approach within 25 feet after receiving a verbal warning, specifically to impede their work, threaten them with harm, or harass them. Violators would face misdemeanor charges with fines of $50-$500 or up to one year in jail. The bill directly affects anyone near first responders during emergency operations and aims to protect them from interference. (Note: The bill is in early stages, having been introduced on March 4, 2025.)

Maddy summaryHB 3143, the Workforce-Education Partnership Act, allows West Virginia business owners to contract employees to participate in vocational programs or high school classes while keeping them on payroll. Business owners receive a tax credit equal to 100% of the employee’s wages during participation, capped at $50,000 per business annually and $5 million statewide. The program requires written agreements between businesses and schools, ensures employees retain all benefits (including workers’ compensation), and prohibits replacing certified teachers in core subjects. It limits tax credits to one academic year per employee per tax year and mandates state approval for claims.

Maddy summaryHB 3110 allocates $5,000 per deputy sheriff position in each West Virginia county from the state general revenue fund, with funds required to be used **only** for deputy pay raises. This directly affects all counties with deputy sheriff positions by providing dedicated state funding specifically for increasing deputy salaries. The bill’s key provision mandates that counties cannot use these funds for any other purpose, ensuring the money is solely directed toward compensating deputies. It does not change existing pay structures but creates a new funding stream for raises. (This is a procedural funding bill, so the summary is concise as requested.)

Maddy summaryHB 3123 requires mammography facilities in West Virginia to notify patients and their healthcare providers when a mammogram shows heterogeneously or extremely dense breast tissue (using the standard Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System). The bill mandates that facilities include specific patient-friendly language in lay summaries explaining that dense tissue may make cancer harder to detect and increase risk, while emphasizing continued routine screening. It also requires density information to be included in reports sent to the referring healthcare provider and allows facilities to provide additional educational materials like ACR brochures or DenseBreast-info.org resources. This bill directly affects patients receiving mammograms, radiologists, and mammography facilities, focusing solely on improving awareness through standardized notification.

Maddy summaryHB 3108 would add a $15,000 annual commission to West Virginia sheriffs' pay after they collect 85% of all property taxes (real and personal) in their county. This commission, paid from tax funds, would become part of the sheriff's regular compensation alongside their existing salary. The bill directly affects county sheriffs, who serve as the chief tax collectors for their jurisdictions. It modifies current compensation by creating a fixed payment tied to a specific tax collection threshold.

Maddy summaryWest Virginia's HB 2006 defines "sex," "male," and "female" in state law based on biological characteristics observed at birth, stating there are only two sexes. It specifies that "female" refers to individuals with reproductive anatomy for producing ova, and "male" refers to those with anatomy for producing sperm, while clarifying that intersex individuals ("DSD conditions") do not constitute a third sex. The bill aims to preserve single-sex spaces like women's restrooms, changing rooms, and domestic violence shelters by requiring state institutions to classify people based on this biological definition. It explicitly states the law cannot be enforced in conflict with the *Grimm v. Gloucester School Board* court ruling, which protects transgender students' access to facilities matching their gender identity.

Maddy summaryHB 3073 requires West Virginia counties to use separate voting machines exclusively for training purposes, prohibiting their use in actual elections except in two specific emergencies: machine failure during voting or insufficient funds to purchase dedicated training machines. If counties lack funds for separate training machines, they must test and certify any machines used for training to ensure accuracy before election day. The bill mandates that all testing must follow strict procedures outlined in §3-4A-26, including public testing with pre-audited ballots and certification of error-free equipment. This directly affects county election officials and their management of voting equipment security and testing protocols.

Maddy summaryHB 2400 prohibits election officials from mailing or delivering absentee ballot applications to voters without a specific request. The bill requires that applications only be provided when a voter personally requests them from the county clerk, either in person, by mail, or electronically. Applications must remain available at county clerk offices and online via the Secretary of State’s website. This change directly affects all registered voters in West Virginia by eliminating unsolicited mailings of ballot applications, ensuring they are only sent to those who actively seek them. The bill amends West Virginia Code §3-3-5 to clarify that unsolicited delivery is unlawful.

Maddy summaryHJR 30 proposes a constitutional amendment to limit service in five specific West Virginia constitutional offices to three consecutive terms, effective January 1, 2029. It directly affects the Secretary of State, State Auditor, State Treasurer, Attorney General, and Commissioner of Agriculture. The amendment prevents any individual from serving more than three consecutive terms in these roles for terms beginning after January 1, 2029, while grandfathering terms served prior to that date. The proposed change must be ratified by voters in the 2026 general election to take effect.