Del. Erica Moore

Maddy summaryHB 5442 requires hospitals and healthcare providers in West Virginia to complete training on the uses and risks of progesterone and mifepristone for pregnant women, specifically focusing on medication abortion (referred to as "chemical abortion" in the bill). The training covers how progesterone can counteract mifepristone and how to identify/treat complications from medication abortion, developed by the Office of Maternal, Child and Family Health. Hospitals providing gynecologic, obstetric, or emergency care must ensure their licensed staff complete this training, with restrictions preventing contracts with organizations defined as part of the "abortion industry." The bill does not change abortion access but mandates standardized education for healthcare providers.

Maddy summaryHB 5435 modifies West Virginia's school funding formula to increase support for rural counties. It adds a multiplier to the "net enrollment" calculation for counties classified as "sparse-density" (those with fewer than five students per square mile). This adjustment directly increases state funding for school systems in these rural counties when their net enrollment falls below 1,400 students. The change applies to all school funding calculations under the state's public school support system, ensuring rural districts receive additional resources based on population density.

Maddy summaryHB 5434 creates a two-year moratorium on school closures or consolidations in West Virginia counties, directly affecting county school boards making such decisions. The bill requires county boards to prepare written reasons and impact statements detailing effects on students (including transportation time), finances, enrollment capacity, staff, and communities before proceeding. It mandates public hearings with specific notice requirements and input from school improvement councils, and pauses closures related to optional emergency levy elections. The moratorium allows time for revising school funding formulas while ensuring transparent, data-driven closure decisions.

Maddy summaryHB 4011 creates a certification framework for verifying that recycled materials used in manufacturing actually contribute to the final product, through third-party certification of "mass balance attribution." This directly affects manufacturers who want to use recycled feedstock (like plastic waste) in new products, as it standardizes how recycled content is measured and verified. The bill amends West Virginia's solid waste laws to clarify that advanced recycling facilities (which convert waste plastics into raw materials) are not considered waste disposal sites, supporting their role in recycling. By streamlining certification, the bill aims to reduce barriers for businesses adopting recycled materials in production.

Maddy summaryHB 5404 creates an Office of Entrepreneurship within the West Virginia Secretary of State's Office. It directly assists new and early-stage businesses (operating fewer than five years) by providing policy support, technical resources, and acting as a liaison with state agencies. The bill allocates $350,000 for fiscal years 2027-2028 to fund two full-time staff positions and support these services. This office would focus on helping businesses during their critical first three to five years of operation.

Maddy summaryHB 5103 requires the West Virginia Office of Health Facility Licensure and Certification to inspect office-based medication-assisted treatment programs (which provide opioid addiction treatment using medication) at least once every 24 months. These inspections must include reviewing patient records to ensure compliance with licensing rules and may involve a pharmacist and law enforcement officer. The bill mandates formal inspections every two years, in addition to unannounced complaint inspections already allowed. It directly affects opioid treatment programs operating in medical offices across West Virginia.

Maddy summaryHB 5419 amends West Virginia law to include search and rescue dogs from community groups under the West Virginia Emergency Management Search and Rescue Program in the definition of "law-enforcement officer" while they are actively working with human officers or search and rescue members. This change allows community search and rescue members to use reasonable force to protect these dogs, similar to how they would defend a human officer. The bill clarifies that the dogs are not state employees and do not receive employee protections or administrative status. The legislation aims to provide legal safeguards for these animals during their operational duties.

Maddy summaryHB 5058 requires restaurants in West Virginia to clearly label any menu item containing or made from "analogue products," "cell-cultured products," or "food products" (as defined in state law) with specific terms. This directly affects restaurants serving lab-grown or lab-made food alternatives, such as cultivated meat or plant-based substitutes. The key provision mandates that these labels appear prominently on all menus to inform consumers about the product type before purchase. The bill aims to ensure transparency for dining choices without specifying how restaurants must implement the labeling. It does not change food safety standards or restrict the sale of these products.

Maddy summaryHB 5409 clarifies that water and minerals in dissolved or undissolved form within produced liquids and solids from oil and gas drilling belong to the landowner or mineral rights holder, not the drilling operator. The bill amends West Virginia law to explicitly define "produced liquids and solids" to include these materials, resolving ambiguity about ownership of byproducts from drilling operations. This directly affects landowners, mineral rights holders, and oil/gas operators by establishing clear ownership rights to these substances. The legislation aims to prevent disputes over ownership of naturally occurring minerals and water in drilling byproducts.

Maddy summaryHB 5102 requires all health insurance plans in West Virginia to cover habilitative speech therapy for stuttering, effective July 1, 2026. It mandates that plans cover this treatment without annual visit limits, restrictions based on stuttering's cause (like developmental vs. acquired), or prior authorization requirements. The bill also requires coverage for both in-person and telehealth speech therapy services. This affects all health insurance policies sold in West Virginia that cover speech therapy, including employer-sponsored and individual plans.