Del. Corby Dillon

Maddy summaryHB 2990 requires West Virginia's Commissioner of Highways to annually develop and submit a comprehensive plan for routine repaving of all normally asphalt-surfaced state roads. The bill amends existing highway duties to mandate this annual plan, directly affecting the Commissioner's office and the state's road maintenance program. This legislation focuses on establishing a regular schedule for repaving infrastructure, without specifying funding mechanisms or timelines for implementation.

Maddy summaryHB 2991, the Internet Reliability Act, would reclassify Internet Service Providers (ISPs) as telecommunications utilities under West Virginia law, bringing them under the regulatory oversight of the Public Service Commission (PSC). This change directly affects ISPs operating in West Virginia, subjecting them to the same rate-setting, service standard, and accountability rules currently applied to traditional phone and cable companies. The bill amends §24-2-1 of the West Virginia Code to explicitly include ISPs in the definition of "public utilities" subject to PSC jurisdiction. The bill was introduced on February 26, 2025, and referred to the House Energy and Public Works Committee, with no further action taken as of the provided date.

Maddy summaryHB 2977 would repeal all existing West Virginia laws requiring mandatory vehicle inspections and inspection stickers. This bill directly affects all vehicle owners in West Virginia by eliminating the legal requirement to obtain and display an annual inspection sticker. The key mechanism is removing sections of the state code (§17C-16-1 through §17C-16-9) that governed inspection stations, penalties for non-compliance, and registration suspension for unsafe vehicles. If passed, vehicle owners would no longer need to get state-mandated inspections to legally operate their vehicles in West Virginia.

Maddy summaryHB 2996 renames the West Virginia Advanced Energy and Economic Corridor Authority as the King Coal Highway Economic Advisory Board and modifies its structure. The bill reduces the board's membership from 15 to 11 members, requiring representation from the economic development agencies of McDowell, Mercer, Mingo, Wayne, and Wyoming counties. It also mandates six additional members with specific industry expertise, including coal mining, oil/gas, utility, manufacturing, agriculture, and historical knowledge of the region. The board's purpose is to provide guidance on reducing regulatory barriers and fostering economic diversification for counties along the King Coal Highway, which face economic challenges linked to shifts in the coal industry.

Maddy summaryHB 2992 amends West Virginia's commercial feed law to exempt farmers who sell feed produced exclusively on their own farm from needing a Commercial Feed Distributor Permit. This directly affects small-scale farmers who make and sell their own animal feed without using commercial distribution channels. The bill modifies the definition of "distributor" (in §19-14-2(h)) to clarify that such farm-sold feed does not require a permit. This is a technical regulatory change simplifying compliance for local farm-to-farm feed sales.

Maddy summaryHB 2994, the Public Electrical Savings Act, establishes rules for public entities (like schools or government buildings) entering into solar power purchase agreements (PPAs) with private providers. It requires these agreements to guarantee customers a lower cost per kilowatt-hour than the local utility's rate, limits contracts to five years (with renewal), and mandates 48-hour backup power storage during outages. The bill also caps total solar capacity at 3% of a utility's annual peak demand and sets individual limits: 50kW for residential, 1,000kW for commercial, and 2,000kW for industrial facilities. Utilities must respond within 30 days to PPA requests regarding capacity limits, or the agreement proceeds as if limits weren't reached. This directly affects public entities seeking solar partnerships and solar providers offering such agreements in West Virginia.

Maddy summaryHB 2995 replaces West Virginia's air pollution control code with the "Fueling Modern Life Act," declaring carbon dioxide a foundational nutrient for life and prohibiting its treatment as a pollutant. The bill bans state efforts to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, including "net-zero" targets, and requires state support for carbon-based fuels like coal, oil, and natural gas. It directly affects state environmental agencies, fossil fuel businesses, and regulatory processes by eliminating all existing air pollution provisions related to CO2. The law would remove 21 existing sections of state code and establish new policy that prioritizes fossil fuel use over emission reduction. This is a procedural change to state law, not a new environmental regulation.

Maddy summaryHB 2989 requires West Virginia electricity providers to offer customers a choice between smart meters and manual meters for their homes, businesses, or rental units. It directly affects all utility customers who currently have smart meters installed. The bill mandates that utilities must provide the option to decline smart meters in favor of manual meters that are read manually, contain no battery, and emit no electromagnetic signal. Incidental radiation from electricity flow (not from the meter itself) is excluded from the definition of an electromagnetic signal under this provision. This bill does not change utility rates or require utilities to install manual meters, only to offer the choice upon request.

Maddy summaryHB 2971 updates West Virginia's back-to-school sales tax holiday by increasing the price limits for exempt items. It raises the maximum price for clothing to $150 (from $125), school supplies to $60 (from $50), instructional materials to $25 (from $20), laptops/tablets to $600 (from $500), and sports equipment to $180 (from $150). The holiday remains active during the first Sunday of August plus the preceding Friday and Saturday and the following Monday. This change directly affects West Virginia consumers purchasing qualifying school items during this period, excluding business or trade purchases.

Maddy summaryHB 2974, the "Second Amendment Preservation Act," declares federal regulations on intrastate firearm sales within West Virginia invalid, prohibiting state officials from enforcing such rules. It imposes $50,000 civil penalties for violations and requires the West Virginia Attorney General to defend residents facing federal charges over intrastate firearm transactions or prosecute federal agents who enforce prohibited regulations. The bill directly affects West Virginia residents engaging in local firearm sales, law enforcement, and federal agencies like the ATF operating within the state. It explicitly states that federal laws restricting intrastate firearm transfers violate both the U.S. and West Virginia constitutions.