Del. Corby Dillon

Maddy summaryHB 4633, titled "Enrollment Stabilizer for Budget Planning," adds §18-9A-29 to West Virginia law to stabilize school funding calculations. The bill requires county school boards to use the highest of three enrollment measures when calculating state aid: actual enrollment, 98% of the prior year’s enrollment, or a three-year rolling average. This mechanism aims to reduce budget volatility caused by annual enrollment fluctuations for public schools. The change directly affects all West Virginia county school boards and their budget planning under the Public School Support Program.

Maddy summaryHB 4684 eliminates tax credits for corporations and businesses using solar, wind, or other renewable energy systems after July 1, 2025, while maintaining tax credits for individual homeowners with residential renewable energy systems. It also requires renewable energy projects to be set back at least one mile from residential homes and mandates $400 million in liability insurance per 100 acres for cleanup after disasters. The bill directly affects commercial renewable energy operators by removing financial incentives, but does not impact residential users. These changes aim to reduce state subsidies for large-scale renewable energy operations.

Maddy summaryHB 4682, the Fourth Amendment Restoration Act, prohibits West Virginia law enforcement officers and local government officials from using specific surveillance and artificial intelligence technologies without a warrant. It bans real-time security monitoring, facial recognition, license plate readers, surveillance drones, and other listed tools for law enforcement purposes unless a court issues a warrant based on probable cause. Violators face felony charges with penalties including up to one year in prison and $10,000 fines per violation. The bill also allows individuals to sue officials who violate these restrictions and requires immediate discontinuation of existing use of banned technologies by all local governments. The law takes effect immediately upon passage.

Maddy summaryHB 4686 amends West Virginia law to clarify that landowners (and their immediate family members) do not need a hunting license to hunt on their own private property during open seasons. The bill specifically adds this exemption to existing provisions, while maintaining that licenses are still required if the land is designated as a wildlife refuge or preserve. It directly affects private landowners who hunt on their own property, removing a licensing requirement they previously faced. The change streamlines existing exemptions without altering requirements for public land hunting or other license categories.

Maddy summaryHB 4683 prohibits data centers from using groundwater or aquifers for cooling, directly affecting new and existing data center facilities in West Virginia. The bill requires data centers to use alternative cooling methods like closed-loop systems, air-cooling, or reclaimed water, and mandates real-time water monitoring with public reporting of usage. It also imposes pre-construction requirements including hydrogeologic studies and denies permits if aquifer impacts are identified. Violations trigger daily civil penalties of at least $50,000 and permit revocation. The law aims to protect groundwater resources, private wells, and municipal water supplies from depletion caused by data center operations.

Maddy summaryHB 4634 establishes the "Support for Neglected Schools Act" by amending West Virginia law to clarify how the School Building Authority allocates state and federal funds for school facility improvements. It directs the authority to allocate up to 10% of available funds for statewide educational projects or programs under the state board's jurisdiction, with specific requirements like 10-year facility plans for state board projects. Additionally, it sets aside 2% for emergency funding and reserves 5% specifically for multi-use vocational-technical education facilities, including equipment updates. This bill directly affects school districts, vocational centers, and the School Building Authority by modifying existing funding distribution procedures for school construction and major improvements.

Maddy summaryHB 4630, titled the "Pedophilia Prosecution Act," amends West Virginia's computer crime law to strengthen penalties for using digital platforms to solicit minors for sexual activity. It defines "minor" as anyone under 18 or someone claiming to be under 18, and increases penalties for solicitation (up to 10 years in prison) and for traveling to meet a minor after solicitation (up to 30 years). The bill removes a current restriction requiring all investigations of false minor claims to be conducted solely by law enforcement, allowing broader investigative authority. This change directly affects adults over 18 who use computers to target minors for illegal sexual acts.

Maddy summaryHB 4669 prohibits the addition of specific fluoride compounds - fluorosilicic acid, sodium fluorosilicate, and sodium fluoride - to public water systems in West Virginia. It directly affects water utilities and local governments that currently fluoridate drinking water. The bill creates a new "Safe Drinking Water Act" section banning these additives in public water systems and prohibits local ordinances requiring or allowing fluoride addition. This law would take effect immediately upon passage, removing existing fluoride treatment from public water sources.

Maddy summaryHB 4672 allows adopted adults aged 18 or older, or their direct descendants if the adoptee has died, to request certified copies of their original birth certificates from the State Registrar. The bill requires written requests and specifies that these copies must clearly state they cannot be used for legal identification. It applies the same procedures, fees, and waiting periods to adopted individuals as those used for non-adopted West Virginia residents seeking birth certificates. The original adoption records remain sealed except as permitted by this bill or other law.

Maddy summaryHB 4676 eliminates West Virginia's application of the "open fields doctrine," a legal rule allowing police to search areas like fields or wooded land surrounding a home without a warrant. The bill directly affects property owners whose land extends beyond their immediate dwelling (including fenced areas and woods), requiring police to obtain a warrant for searches there, except for established constitutional exceptions. It defines "open fields" as private property a reasonable person would view as private, not generally open to the public. The bill abolishes the previous common law rule and aligns state law with Fourth Amendment protections. This change applies to searches under both federal and West Virginia constitutional safeguards.