Del. Kathie Hess Crouse

Maddy summaryHB 3069 creates a salary adjustment for West Virginia teachers based on regional housing costs. It provides a "market pay enhancement" to certified teachers in counties where base salaries fall below competitive levels relative to neighboring areas, calculated using median home prices from the National Association of Realtors. The enhancement amount is determined annually by comparing the median home price in a teacher’s county and adjacent counties (including border states) to West Virginia’s statewide median, then applying a percentage-based multiplier to the county’s average teacher salary. This adjustment applies only to teachers in counties where base pay is deemed insufficiently competitive, with the first calculation effective July 15, 2025, and updated every five years thereafter. The policy directly affects public school teachers in West Virginia counties facing regional pay disparities.

Maddy summaryHB 3093 provides legal immunity to mental health professionals who conduct mental hygiene checks for possible involuntary hospitalization under West Virginia law. It directly affects licensed counselors, social workers, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants performing these evaluations. The bill creates protection from liability when providers follow specific procedures outlined in the law, including having particularized expertise in mental health and conducting examinations per court orders. This change modifies liability standards for professionals involved in involuntary hospitalization cases involving substance use disorders or mental illness.

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 2065 would allow Gold Star parents (mothers or fathers of veterans killed in combat) to receive one free Gold Star Family license plate for personal use, exempting them from standard vehicle registration fees. The bill defines a "Gold Star parent" as a parent of a veteran eligible for a gold star lapel pin under federal law (10 U.S.C. § 1126). This extends the existing fee exemption for Gold Star spouses (widows/widowers) to include parents, applying to a single vehicle registered in the parent's name.

Maddy summaryHB 2968 ends West Virginia's Public Employees Insurance Association (PEIA) as a state-run healthcare plan and allows it to operate as a private insurance company. Instead of employer payments going to PEIA, the bill requires employers to pay $1,100 monthly directly into employees' Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) for healthcare premiums or related costs. Employees can choose to use these HSA funds for any healthcare provider or continue using PEIA as a private insurer. The change takes effect on July 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 3074 requires West Virginia's Secretary of State to include "change audit data" in the existing $1,000 annual subscription service for voter registration data. This data shows monthly changes to voter records (like additions, deletions, or address updates) as a "delta" from the previous month. The bill directly affects organizations and individuals who purchase this subscription for noncommercial purposes, such as election monitoring or research. The Secretary must provide this data within 30 days via a secure digital platform, making it part of the standard subscription package. The change does not alter subscription fees or eligibility but adds transparency about voter record modifications.

Maddy summaryThis bill repeals West Virginia's outdated dog tax by removing sections of the state code (§19-20-1, §19-20-2, and §19-20-11) that previously required dog owners to pay a tax. It directly affects dog owners in West Virginia who were subject to this tax under the existing law. The bill eliminates the requirement for dog owners to pay this tax and removes the administrative processes for collecting it. No new provisions or mechanisms are added - only the repeal of the existing tax.

Maddy summaryHB 2965 redirects employer payments currently made to West Virginia's Public Employees Insurance Association (PEIA) into a Health Savings Account (HSA) for state employees. Starting July 1, 2025, eligible employees would receive $1,100 monthly into their HSA, which they can use to pay for healthcare insurance premiums and related expenses. Employees would choose their own healthcare plans using these funds instead of being enrolled in PEIA. The bill changes how employer contributions are delivered but does not alter existing insurance coverage options.

Maddy summaryHB 3034 establishes the West Virginia TEACH Scholarship Program to provide financial aid for child-care workers pursuing degrees in early childhood education at state community colleges. The program targets workers at eligible facilities (caring for six or more children) and requires recipients to work in West Virginia child-care settings for at least two years after graduation. Administered by the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission, it aims to address staffing shortages in child-care by making higher education more accessible. The bill mandates annual reporting on program outcomes to track its impact on workforce participation and child-care quality.

Maddy summaryHB 3029 requires West Virginia's Board of Education to create and deploy a secure, internet-based "Home School Portal" by August 1, 2026. The portal will allow homeschooling families to electronically submit Notices of Intent (including exemption options) and required reports, while school boards can receive and manage these submissions. Key features include role-based access, secure data handling, mandatory dashboards for both families and boards, and clear labeling of optional information (which cannot be required). The system must work across all 55 counties with a single solution and notify users when submissions are received.