Del. Sean Hornbuckle

Maddy summaryHB 5360 would provide cost-of-living adjustments to certain retired public employees and teachers in West Virginia. Starting July 1, 2026, retirees aged 60+ who have received retirement payments for at least five years under the Public Employees Retirement System or Teachers Retirement System would automatically receive monthly adjustments equal to the annual increase in the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' consumer price index. This change directly affects eligible retirees by linking their annuity payments to inflation. The bill does not create new benefits but modifies existing retirement payments to help offset rising living costs. The proposal is currently under review by the House Finance Committee.

Maddy summaryHB 5362 would amend West Virginia's Hope Scholarship Program by establishing income limits for eligibility, requiring scholarship recipients to use public school testing resources, and restricting scholarship use to in-state schools. The bill would require the Board of Education to create rules for reimbursing counties when public schools provide services to scholarship students. It directly affects families applying for Hope Scholarships for their children attending public or private schools in West Virginia. The bill is currently in the early stages of the legislative process, having been introduced on February 9, 2026, and referred to the House Education committee.

Maddy summaryHB 5375, the Truancy Reform Act, changes West Virginia's truancy laws to prioritize support over punishment. It removes criminal penalties for students aged 18 or older who miss school, replaces fines with school attendance requirements for first offenses, and creates a pretrial diversion program for parents/guardians of children under 18. This allows families to avoid conviction by addressing truancy causes within 60 days, with courts able to delay sentences and refer families to Department of Human Services for home-based support. The bill also modifies penalties for repeat offenses, including conditional school enrollment after a third violation for 18+ students. It directly affects parents, guardians, custodians, and students aged 18+ in truancy cases.

Maddy summaryHB 5346 establishes the School Aid Formula Study Commission to evaluate West Virginia's public school funding system and propose recommendations for improvement. The commission, composed of 12 members including school board representatives, education experts, teachers, rural/urban school board members, and community stakeholders, will study funding options and report findings to the Legislature by July 2028. Its work aims to address challenges like declining enrollment, school closures, and reduced funding that have strained public education. The commission's recommendations will guide potential legislative changes to modernize school funding and ensure stable, adequate resources for all public schools.

Maddy summaryHB 5363 would allow West Virginia counties to establish public daycare facilities through a county-run "Daycare Authority." It requires counties to either collect signatures from 10% of registered voters (based on the last gubernatorial election) or have the county commission initiate a voter referendum to approve funding via local taxes, fees, or levies. The bill permits adjacent counties to jointly operate a daycare through a memorandum of understanding. This policy directly affects county residents seeking affordable childcare and county commissions responsible for funding and managing the facilities.

Maddy summaryHB 5315 allocates additional federal funds to the West Virginia Department of Commerce, Division of Forestry, for fiscal year 2026. It increases the budget by $250,000 for employee salaries and benefits and $500,000 for operational expenses, using unspent federal funds already designated for forestry. The bill directly affects the Division of Forestry's ability to cover staffing and daily operations during the 2026 fiscal year. This is a routine budget adjustment to utilize existing federal resources, not a new policy or program.

Maddy summaryHB 5302 reallocates $6,000,000 from unused state funds (unappropriated surplus) to the Department of Human Services' Foster Care program for fiscal year 2026. The funds are specifically directed to the "Bring Them Home Fund" under the Bureau for Social Services. This supplemental appropriation increases funding for foster care services without changing eligibility or program rules. It directly affects foster care programs and children in state custody served by the Department of Human Services.

Maddy summaryHB 5291 transfers $21 million from the Premium Tax Savings Fund to the Public Entity Insurance Trust Fund for the 2026 fiscal year. This supplemental appropriation reallocates unspent state funds within the Department of Administration's budget, specifically moving money between two existing trust funds without changing public policy or affecting residents directly. The bill adjusts budget allocations but does not create new programs or requirements.

Maddy summaryHB 5309 moves $15 million in unused funds from the Governor’s Office Civil Contingent Fund (FY2023) to the state’s General Revenue surplus for the 2026 fiscal year. It expires the remaining balance from the 2023 fund and creates a new appropriation line for the same fund in FY2026 to reflect this transfer. This is an administrative accounting adjustment - no new spending or policy changes are created, and it directly affects only state budget accounting systems, not citizens or programs.

Maddy summaryHB 5304 increases funding for payments to individuals and entities filing claims against the West Virginia state government. It amends Section 8 of the 2026 state budget (HB 2026) by raising the total appropriation from $864,750 to $2,314,750, adding $1,100,000 from general revenue funds and $250,000 from special revenue funds to the existing $964,750 from state road funds. This adjustment addresses increased claim volumes resulting from prior legislation (HB 3152 and HB 3157) that expedited claim processing. The bill directly affects claimants who have filed lawsuits against the state seeking compensation. It does not change eligibility rules but ensures sufficient funds are available for payments during fiscal year 2026.