Del. Mark Zatezalo

Maddy summaryHB 4502 authorizes West Virginia's Division of Motor Vehicles to issue a special license plate for autism awareness upon request. Vehicle owners who apply for this plate must pay a one-time $10 application fee and an annual $15 fee, in addition to standard registration costs. The fees collected ($10 initial + $15 yearly) are deposited into the State Road Fund. This voluntary plate option allows drivers to display autism awareness support without changing existing registration requirements.

Maddy summaryHB 4506 allows West Virginia State Police members who joined the retirement system on or after July 1, 2015, to convert their accrued annual or sick leave into additional retirement credit. The bill specifies that each day of leave will count as one day of credited service toward retirement, with remainders of 10 days or more counting as a full month and less than 10 days being disregarded. This provision does not apply to members who joined before July 1, 2015, and the additional credit will not count against the annual service limit of 12 months. The change clarifies that leave-based credit can now be used by newer members under a 1:1 conversion rate.

Maddy summaryHB 4507 would exempt the salaries of certain first responders from West Virginia's state personal income tax. It directly affects law enforcement officers, paid firefighters, correctional officers, and emergency medical services (EMS) personnel as defined in existing state law. The bill adds a new provision to the tax code stating these workers' salaries are not subject to state income tax. This change applies only to their earned income from these specific roles, not other income they may receive.

Maddy summaryHB 4457 would allow unaffiliated voters (such as independents) to request voting in any major political party's primary election ballot, if the party's state committee permits it. Currently, unaffiliated voters in West Virginia cannot vote for party candidates in primaries and only receive ballots for nonpartisan races and public questions. The bill requires each major party's state executive committee to decide whether to allow unaffiliated voters to cast a ballot for that party's candidates. Unaffiliated voters would still receive separate ballots for nonpartisan races and public questions, as required by existing law.

Maddy summaryHB 3012 changes how lottery revenue from racetrack video games is distributed in West Virginia. It creates a "Licensed Racetrack Modernization Fund" within the state lottery fund, funded by a portion of racetrack revenue after administrative costs (capped at 4% of gross terminal income). Racetracks can receive a 50% recoupment ($1 for every $2 spent) for facility improvements like new video lottery terminals or building upgrades, with unused funds carrying over for one additional year before reverting to the lottery fund. These rules apply to fiscal years 2011 through 2030.

Maddy summaryHB 2121 extends an existing property tax exemption to widowed spouses of disabled veterans who died while receiving service-connected disability benefits. Previously, this exemption expired upon the veteran's death, but the bill allows widows to retain the tax break after their spouse's passing. It directly affects surviving spouses of veterans with service-connected disabilities who were receiving benefits at the time of death. The law, effective July 31, 2025, modifies the state's property tax code to maintain this benefit for qualifying widows.

Maddy summaryHB 2123 modifies the criminal penalties for parents, guardians, or custodians convicted of child abuse. It changes the sentencing structure for these specific caregivers, adjusting the severity of penalties based on the abuse's nature and impact. The bill directly affects individuals in parental or custodial roles who face criminal charges for child abuse. Signed into law on April 25, 2025, it became Chapter 77 of the 2025 Regular Session Acts.

Maddy summaryHB 3336 updates West Virginia's rules for plugging abandoned oil and gas wells. It removes the requirement for a four-and-one-half-inch casing in modern wells and eliminates the need to remove intermediate or surface casings in older wells, as long as other plugging standards are met. The bill maintains existing requirements for filling wells with nonporous materials (like mud or clay) and placing cement plugs at specific intervals above and below oil, gas, or water-bearing strata. This change primarily affects oil and gas well operators who must follow these plugging procedures when abandoning wells.

Maddy summaryHB 2014 establishes a state-certified microgrid program, creating a formal process for approving microgrids that meet specific reliability and community benefit standards. It directly affects utility companies, local governments, and community organizations seeking to develop or operate microgrids - localized energy systems that can function independently from the main power grid during outages. The law sets technical requirements for certification, including safety standards, grid interconnection protocols, and community engagement criteria, administered by the state's Public Utility Commission. This replaces previous ad-hoc approvals with a standardized program, ensuring consistent oversight for microgrid projects across the state.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a pilot program allowing the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to use design-build contracting for environmental infrastructure projects. It directly affects the DEP and contractors selected for these projects by setting specific procedures for program administration, including project selection criteria and contractor qualification requirements. The key provision requires the DEP to follow defined steps when implementing the pilot, ensuring transparency and compliance with state procurement rules for environmental work. The program is limited to a specific duration and scope as outlined in the law.