Del. Jim Butler

Maddy summaryHCR 72 designates March 20, 2025 as "Black Lung Awareness Day" in West Virginia. It honors coal miners affected by black lung disease (coal worker's pneumoconiosis), a preventable occupational lung condition caused by coal dust exposure. The resolution does not create new laws, funding, or policy changes - it serves as a ceremonial observance recognizing the disease's impact and existing protections like the Black Lung Benefits Act. It follows the Federal Coal Mine Health and Safety Act's emphasis on miner safety without altering current regulations.

Maddy summaryHB 2502 requires West Virginia internet and telecom providers to automatically credit customers for service interruptions lasting five or more days (120 hours) when the outage isn't caused by the customer. Credits must be calculated proportionally to the days without service and applied in the next billing cycle. The Attorney General can enforce this by suing providers for excessive charges and imposing civil penalties up to $5,000 per violation. Providers must also report monthly outage data (including credit amounts and geographic scope) to the Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division, excluding mobile service disruptions.

Maddy summaryHB 3072 requires new two-lane highways in West Virginia to use a "Super Two" design, which adds alternating passing lanes on rural roads to allow safe passing in both directions. This applies to all new road construction projects that do not need full four-lane infrastructure, meeting existing safety standards for lane width and shoulders. The design improves immediate traffic safety by reducing hazardous passing attempts while enabling future upgrades to four lanes with minimal modifications. It follows Texas' approach to cost-effectively enhance safety on existing two-lane corridors.

Maddy summaryHB 2087 requires West Virginia public schools to post adopted curriculum online by the start of each school year, with access limited to students, parents, or guardians. It grants parents, custodians, or guardians the right to inspect classroom materials (including books) upon request, including scheduling appointments within 10 business days and receiving explanations linking materials to state standards. The bill also mandates that teachers list required books on class syllabi and make them available to parents upon request. Additionally, it establishes a complaint process for non-compliance, allowing parents to report issues to school superintendents, with annual statewide reporting of complaints to the Legislative Oversight Commission. (Note: The bill specifically affects parents/guardians of enrolled students, not general taxpayers as noted in the title.)

Maddy summaryHJR 40 proposes a constitutional amendment to change how members of the West Virginia State Board of Education are selected. It would replace the current system of nine appointed members with a hybrid model: five members elected on a partisan basis from five geographic regions (serving staggered four-year terms), and four members appointed by the Governor with Senate consent. The amendment would require the Board to submit any rules or policies they create to the Legislature for review, approval, amendment, or rejection. If approved by voters in the 2026 general election, these changes would take effect with the 2028 general election, modifying the current appointment system for the Board.

Maddy summaryHB 3442 would expand self-defense protections in West Virginia by allowing residents to use deadly force without retreating in their home, residence, or curtilage (immediate surrounding area) when they reasonably fear death or serious harm from an intruder. It creates a complete legal defense against both civil lawsuits and criminal charges for lawful defensive use of force, including against intruders attempting to enter or commit felonies on property. The bill also extends these protections to situations outside the home where a person reasonably believes they or others face imminent death or serious harm that can only be stopped with deadly force. It specifically states that individuals acting within these rules are not required to retreat and will be entitled to recover court costs and fees if sued. This bill directly affects homeowners, residents, and others defending their property or persons under these specified circumstances.

Maddy summaryHB 3461 changes when West Virginia judges of the Intermediate Court of Appeals are elected. It moves their elections from separate contests to occur during the state's regular general elections. The bill requires these judicial races to be voted on a nonpartisan ballot and follows existing tie-breaking rules for judicial elections. This directly affects judicial candidates and voters in those specific races.

Maddy summaryHB 3436, the Genetic Privacy Act, would require companies and organizations collecting genetic data in West Virginia to obtain clear, specific consumer consent before using or sharing that information. It defines "genetic data" broadly to include DNA sequences, health-related information connected to genetic testing, and related analyses. The bill mandates that entities provide privacy notices about data collection, use, and disclosure, and allows consumers to access or delete their data. It includes exceptions for healthcare providers under HIPAA, research with proper consent, and government use (with new warrant requirements starting in 2027), directly affecting genetic testing companies and any business handling consumer genetic information in the state.

Maddy summaryHB 3467 prohibits West Virginia state agencies and public entities from entering into contracts for $100,000 or more with companies that boycott Israel. It requires companies to provide written certification they are not currently boycotting Israel and will not during the contract term. The bill clarifies that this restriction applies to all state spending units, including agencies previously exempt from contracting rules. It defines "boycott of Israel" as actions penalizing Israel or Israeli businesses, and voids any violating contracts as against public policy. The law takes effect on July 1, 2022, as amended by this bill.

Maddy summaryHB 3464 establishes civil liability for West Virginia judges who knowingly violate laws, conduct unlawful hearings, or abuse litigants in their judicial duties. It removes judicial immunity for "willful misconduct," requiring clear evidence of such actions before a civil suit can be filed. Plaintiffs may seek compensatory damages, punitive damages for egregious cases, and attorney fees, but must first report misconduct to a judicial oversight body. The bill creates a 5-year statute of limitations, mandates public reporting of investigations, and allows disciplinary actions like suspension for proven misconduct, while protecting good-faith judicial decisions.