Del. Erica Moore

Maddy summaryHB 3050, the "Community School Funding Formula Revision Act," requires the West Virginia Department of Education (WVDE) to review school closures and consolidations considered during the current year and the previous four fiscal years. Within 180 days of the bill's passage, WVDE must propose changes to the School Aid Formula intended to prevent at least 80% of closures that were due to financial or operational reasons. The bill mandates this review process to address the root causes of school closures without altering existing funding allocations, directly affecting how state education funding is evaluated and adjusted. It aims to stabilize school districts by modifying the funding formula to prevent future closures based on financial challenges.

Maddy summaryHB 3005, the West Virginia Consumer Privacy Act of 2025, requires businesses to obtain explicit consumer consent ("opt-in") before selling or sharing their personal financial information. It directly affects West Virginia consumers and businesses like financial institutions, credit reporting agencies, mortgage lenders, and brokers that handle consumer financial data. The law mandates that businesses clearly disclose what information is being shared and gives consumers control over their data to prevent identity theft and unsolicited marketing. Violations carry fines of up to $10,000 per offense, with additional penalties for bad-faith lawsuits.

Maddy summaryHB 2888 amends West Virginia Code §17-2A-8 to clarify and expand the West Virginia Commissioner of Highways' authority over road maintenance and repair. The bill requires the commissioner to implement "reasonable design techniques to minimize flood damage" during road projects and mandates public hearings with virtual participation options before closing or discontinuing state roads. It also updates procedures for acquiring land for road projects, establishing road standards, and maintaining public records related to road rights-of-way. The bill directly affects the state highway department's operational procedures and public engagement processes for road maintenance decisions. (This is a procedural amendment to existing duties, not a new funding or program.)

Maddy summaryHB 2975 updates West Virginia's optometry licensing laws to modernize practice standards. It permits licensed optometrists to perform certain eye procedures they've been trained on through accredited programs (including those taught at 50% of accredited schools), expands their ability to prescribe specific oral medications (like antibiotics and anti-inflammatories) from a board-approved formulary, and clarifies scope of practice definitions. The bill directly affects licensed optometrists in West Virginia by updating their legal authority to examine, diagnose, and treat eye conditions. Key provisions include revising drug prescribing rules, defining "appendages" (eyelids, conjunctiva, etc.), and adding new sections to align with current optometric education standards.

Maddy summaryHB 2970 requires election officials to include specific verification information on absentee ballot envelopes in West Virginia. This information allows election officials to confirm a voter's identity with high confidence when ballots are returned, without publishing personal details like signatures. The bill directly affects absentee voters and election officials who process mail-in ballots. It modifies existing absentee voting procedures under §3-3-5 of West Virginia law to add this verification step, ensuring identity confirmation while protecting voter privacy. The change applies to all absentee ballots returned by mail or electronically.

Maddy summaryHB 2971 updates West Virginia's back-to-school sales tax holiday by increasing the price limits for exempt items. It raises the maximum price for clothing to $150 (from $125), school supplies to $60 (from $50), instructional materials to $25 (from $20), laptops/tablets to $600 (from $500), and sports equipment to $180 (from $150). The holiday remains active during the first Sunday of August plus the preceding Friday and Saturday and the following Monday. This change directly affects West Virginia consumers purchasing qualifying school items during this period, excluding business or trade purchases.

Maddy summaryHB 2972 amends West Virginia law to clarify which tree removal activities qualify as "timbering operations" for sediment control regulations. It narrows existing exemptions by specifying that tree cutting for oil/gas infrastructure, highway maintenance, or personal use (on one's own property without hiring a professional) only counts as timbering if the trees are sold for commercial wood products. The bill directly affects timber operators, landowners, and entities like oil/gas companies that previously might have been exempt from sediment rules. It updates the legal definition to ensure sediment control measures apply to commercial timber harvesting activities, excluding incidental removals not tied to commercial wood sales.

Maddy summaryHB 2839 requires all West Virginia public elementary, middle, and high schools to provide free feminine hygiene products to female students. County boards of education must supply these products using existing funds allocated for hygiene items, without requiring new state spending. The bill directly affects female students in public K-12 schools by ensuring access to these essential products during school hours. It establishes a clear policy change to address period poverty in educational settings through existing budget mechanisms.

Maddy summaryHB 2862 exempts ambulances transporting patients for non-emergency appointments from paying tolls on West Virginia turnpikes. The bill amends state law to specifically exclude these vehicles from toll obligations under the electronic toll collection system. This change directly affects ambulance operators and emergency service providers using toll roads for scheduled non-emergency medical transports. The provision removes the requirement for these vehicles to pay tolls, though it does not apply to emergency response trips. The bill focuses solely on removing a financial burden for this specific type of vehicle during non-urgent patient transport.