Del. Jim Butler

Maddy summaryHB 4550 requires the state or its agencies to provide landowners with the property appraisal they used when making an initial offer to buy land in eminent domain cases. This applies to all eminent domain proceedings, such as when the government seeks to acquire private property for public projects like roads or schools. The bill mandates that the appraisal must be shared with landowners at the time of the first offer, increasing transparency in negotiations. This change directly affects landowners facing property takings and requires the government to disclose its valuation early in the process.

Maddy summaryHJR 20 proposes adding a new constitutional section recognizing the Holy Bible (66 books of Old and New Testaments) as "the divinely inspired, inerrant foundational document for our society and government" and requiring its "precepts" to be given "prominence and reverence" in West Virginia's public buildings, laws, policies, and schools. If approved by voters in 2026, this amendment would formally enshrine the Bible's role in state governance and public life. The bill is currently in the House Judiciary Committee, awaiting further legislative action before a voter referendum. It does not mandate Bible instruction in schools but seeks to establish the Bible as a foundational reference for state policy.

Maddy summaryHB 4450 requires West Virginia public schools to post adopted curriculum online (with login access for students and parents) by the start of each school year. It allows parents, custodians, or guardians of enrolled students to request inspections of classroom materials (including books and supplementary resources), with teachers required to schedule appointments within 10 business days and demonstrate how materials align with state standards. The bill also mandates that teachers list required books on class syllabi and makes them available to parents upon request. It establishes a formal complaint process for non-compliance, with county superintendents resolving issues within seven business days before escalating to the State Superintendent. This bill affects parents/custodians/guardians of students, not general taxpayers, as clarified by the bill's actual provisions.

Maddy summaryHB 4486 establishes fines for employers who knowingly hire unauthorized workers in West Virginia. It directly affects businesses and organizations that employ individuals without proper immigration authorization. The bill sets tiered penalties: $1,000-$10,000 for a first offense, $5,000-$20,000 for a second, and $10,000-$30,000 or up to one year in jail for third or subsequent offenses. Additional penalties apply for falsifying records or transferring assets to evade these requirements. The bill amends existing law to strengthen enforcement against employers who knowingly violate immigration hiring rules.

Maddy summaryHB 4496 requires creators and distributors of AI-generated media (such as videos, audio, or images) to include clear, visible disclosures identifying the content as artificial intelligence-generated. This applies to any public-facing media created or materially altered by AI, mandating specific disclosures like a 3-second on-screen label for videos or a spoken statement for audio content. Exceptions include internal research, basic AI-assisted editing (e.g., spell-check), and privately shared personal content. Violations could result in civil penalties of up to $100,000 per day for organizations or $1,000 per day for individuals.

Maddy summaryHB 4525 would change the election date for West Virginia's Intermediate Court of Appeals judges to coincide with the state's general election, rather than holding separate elections. This aligns judicial elections with the larger general election cycle, which typically sees higher voter turnout, as stated in the bill's findings. The election would use a nonpartisan ballot, meaning candidates' political party affiliations would not appear on the ballot. The bill directly affects voters in West Virginia who would cast ballots for these judges during general elections, and judicial candidates who would campaign under this new schedule.

Maddy summaryHB 4515 would establish rules for religious organizations leaving a denomination while keeping property. It requires a local church to get a two-thirds vote from its members to disaffiliate and mandates that the parent denomination provide a detailed financial accounting within 60 days. Property is divided into three classes: real estate (Class A) can be kept if over 50% of its costs were raised locally, movable items (Class B) go to the buyer, and financial assets (Class C) are split based on funding sources over two years. The bill aims to clarify property division during disaffiliation disputes without favoring either side.

Maddy summaryHB 4429 creates a pilot program for a "work/incarceration prison" in West Virginia, targeting non-violent offenders sentenced to two years or less who have not been convicted of sex-related offenses. Eligible offenders can work at the facility and earn a 20% reduction in their sentence for good conduct, but serious rule violations result in transfer to a standard facility with an additional year added to their sentence. The bill allows only one county to establish the pilot (with a $500,000 suggested initial appropriation), requires the program to be self-sustaining through offender work, and mandates an annual evaluation by the Division of Corrections to assess effectiveness and potential expansion. The program does not apply to violent offenders or those with longer sentences.

Maddy summaryHB 4432 establishes new tenant protections and landlord notice requirements for residents in factory-built home rental communities (including mobile homes, manufactured homes, modular homes, and house trailers). It defines "good cause" for eviction, requiring landlords to provide written notice before terminating tenancy for reasons like rent arrears or lease violations, and clarifies that tenants cannot be deemed to have abandoned their home due to catastrophic events like floods or tornadoes. The bill also defines key terms like "factory-built home rental community" and "good cause" to standardize protections. These changes directly affect tenants and landlords in multi-unit factory-built home communities across West Virginia.

Maddy summaryHB 4420 increases the West Virginia Parkways Authority's membership from seven to eleven members by adding two representatives each from Kanawha, Fayette, Raleigh, and Mercer counties. The bill maintains existing representation with two members from each congressional district and one at-large public member, while expanding regional coverage to include these specific counties. This change directly affects the authority's governance structure, ensuring county-level representation in its decision-making. The bill also includes standard provisions for member terms, qualifications, and administrative procedures, without altering the authority's core responsibilities.