Del. Jarred Cannon

Maddy summaryHCR 88 is a ceremonial resolution honoring two West Virginia first responders nominated for the Medal of Valor. It specifically recognizes Captain Donald Lawson (New Martinsville Police) for rescuing two people from carbon monoxide poisoning despite his own hospitalization, and Darrell Lambert (Lake Volunteer Firefighter) for entering a burning building without protective gear to save a trapped resident, sustaining burns in the process. The resolution formally confirms the Legislature's approval of their award and directs the House Clerk to send a copy to Governor Morrisey. This is a symbolic honor with no new policy or funding changes, directly affecting only these two nominees. It passed unanimously in both chambers on April 3, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 3013 requires movie theater chains operating six or more theaters across multiple locations in West Virginia to provide open captioning for at least two weekly showings of films that include open captioning in their production. It also mandates that theaters offer audio description upon request for films that feature audio description. The law excludes drive-in theaters and prohibits requiring new equipment purchases if it would create an undue financial burden on theaters. This bill directly affects larger theater chains and aims to improve accessibility for deaf, hard-of-hearing, blind, and low-vision patrons.

Maddy summaryHCR 78 is a non-binding resolution urging West Virginia's Division of Highways to prioritize completing I-73 (the "King Coal Highway") across Wayne, Mingo, McDowell, Mercer, and Wyoming counties. It requests the highway agency treat the project as a high priority to improve economic development and emergency access, especially after recent flooding exposed transportation challenges in the region. The resolution asks the state to provide necessary funding and executive support to expedite the highway's completion but does not allocate new funds or create new law. It directly affects the Division of Highways and residents of the five specified counties by formally advocating for this infrastructure project.

Maddy summaryHB 3304 (West Virginia House Bill 3304) directs the state to create four patriotic statues commemorating the 250th anniversary of the U.S. founding. The bill establishes a state commission (chaired by the Tourism Secretary) to oversee construction of these statues in each of West Virginia's four geographic regions, requiring completion by the 2026 anniversary date. The statues must honor both U.S. history and West Virginia's heritage, with construction to follow state purchasing laws. This is a procedural bill focused on commemorative monuments, not policy changes.

Maddy summaryHCR 93 is a concurrent resolution requesting the West Virginia Division of Highways name a 4.3-mile bypass segment on US 33 in Roane County the "Scott Miller Bypass Road." It specifically asks the Division to install signs at both ends of the bypass to identify the road, honoring W. Scott Miller (for whom the area was named) and his grandson Scott W. Miller, a WWII soldier killed at Normandy who received a Purple Heart. This resolution has no policy or funding impact - it solely requests a ceremonial road name change. The resolution was adopted by the House on March 27, 2025, and referred to the Senate Transportation Committee.

Maddy summaryHB 2987, titled "Relating to the Consumer Data Protection Act," creates a "safe harbor" for businesses that implement written cybersecurity programs meeting specific standards. It directly affects businesses processing personal data for at least 100,000 consumers or deriving over 50% revenue from selling data for 25,000+ consumers, shielding them from punitive damages in data breach lawsuits if they maintain required administrative, technical, and physical security measures. The bill also grants consumers rights to access, correct, delete their personal data, and opt out of targeted advertising, while exempting government entities and providing limited immunity for universities offering cybersecurity programs. It establishes enforcement by the Attorney General and defines key terms like "personal information" and "data breach" to clarify scope.

Maddy summaryHouse Resolution 12 urges West Virginia's members of Congress to oppose a potential federal funding cut for the Local Food for Schools and Child Care (LFSCC) program. The LFSCC program provided $660 million over three years to help schools and child care sites purchase locally grown food, directly supporting farmers, ranchers, and local food businesses. This resolution expresses concern that terminating the program would harm rural economies and child nutrition efforts, as the funding was specifically used for fresh, minimally processed foods in school meals. The resolution does not create new policy but requests action from West Virginia's congressional delegation to preserve existing funding.

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 2835 creates the West Virginia Infrastructure Deployment Clearinghouse, a statewide map-based data hub managed by the West Virginia GIS Technical Center. This hub will centralize geospatial information to help state agencies, local governments, and businesses plan infrastructure projects like broadband networks more efficiently, reducing duplication and speeding up installations. The bill requires agencies to follow standardized protocols for sharing location data while protecting confidential information, and establishes a special fund for operations. It directly affects state and local government entities involved in infrastructure planning and project permitting.

Maddy summaryHB 2737 establishes the Higher Education Health and Aid Grant program, providing funding to West Virginia's public colleges and universities to address student food insecurity and health/hygiene needs. The grant can be used for campus food and health aid pantries, shelf-stable food, and specific health supplies like toiletries, medical items, and hygiene products. Institutions must track inventory and submit detailed spending reports to the Higher Education Policy Commission, with annual impact reports required for the legislature by July 1, 2026. The program becomes effective July 1, 2025, targeting all state institutions with campuses.