Del. Margitta Mazzocchi

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 2503 establishes a clothing allowance program for children in foster care in West Virginia. It requires placement providers (foster parents, kinship caregivers, or residential care providers) to assess each child's clothing and necessity needs at initial placement, providing an initial allowance of at least $375 for an adequate wardrobe and approved necessities (non-clothing items like hygiene products), with supplementary allowances of $175 for extraordinary needs like illness or damaged items. The bill mandates that placement providers maintain a child's clothing inventory throughout care and outlines three payment methods: a reloadable instant card (issued within 48 hours), child welfare worker purchasing cards, or reimbursement for provider-purchased items. This policy directly affects children in foster care and their caregivers, ensuring consistent access to essential clothing and supplies through defined financial support.

Maddy summaryHB 2377 updates West Virginia's child welfare laws to improve reporting and oversight of child abuse and neglect cases. It requires immediate reporting via a 24-hour hotline or web system with a case identifier, mandates a backup reporting system by July 1, 2023, and creates a Critical Incident Review Team to analyze serious cases. The bill also permits the Foster Care Ombudsman access to case details (including reporter identity) and changes public access to abuse reports to align with the team's reporting guidelines. Additionally, it adds new requirements for the child welfare dashboard and ensures confidentiality for reporters.

Maddy summaryHCR 79 is a memorial resolution naming a specific road segment in Mingo County, West Virginia, as the "Donald Tackett Jr. Memorial Road." It directs the Division of Highways to rename a portion of County Route 3/2 (Moses Fork Road) between two intersections and install commemorative signs. This resolution honors Donald Tackett Jr., a Marshall University student who died in the 1970 plane crash, and affects the Division of Highways' road-naming authority. As a procedural memorial resolution, it does not create new laws or policies.

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 2158 removes the expiration dates (sunset clauses) for additional registration fees on pet food in West Virginia. Specifically, it eliminates the temporary deadlines (June 30, 2027 for bulk pet food and June 1, 2027 for smaller packages) that currently require businesses to pay extra fees. These fees - $50 per product for bulk pet food and $35 per product for smaller packages - will now be permanently collected. The funds will continue flowing into the West Virginia Spay Neuter Assistance Fund, which supports spay/neuter services provided by licensed veterinarians statewide. This change directly affects pet food manufacturers and distributors who must register their products.

Maddy summaryHB 2881 expands West Virginia's State Police Child Abuse and Neglect Investigations Unit by increasing its minimum membership size and adding more regional members to directly assist Child Protective Services offices. It allows honorably retired State Police officers to rejoin the unit under specific conditions, including completing required training (like firearms and criminal law updates) but prohibiting pension accrual, promotions, or rank changes. The unit must maintain statewide statistics on child abuse convictions and submit annual reports to the legislature, tracking case investigations without disclosing individual details. These changes aim to strengthen coordination between law enforcement and child protective services in handling abuse cases.

Maddy summaryHB 2609 requires device manufacturers and app stores to verify users' ages and obtain parental consent before allowing children under 16 to download applications. It mandates developers to provide parental controls - such as time limits, content filters, and account management tools - based on real-time age data provided by the app store. The law applies to new devices starting January 1, 2026, with older devices needing compliance by January 1, 2027. This directly affects parents/guardians, device makers (like Apple or Google), app developers, and children under 16.

Maddy summaryThis House Concurrent Resolution (HCR 6) requests the West Virginia Division of Highways rename a specific bridge in Logan County. The bridge, located at coordinates 37.76296, -81.84196 (over Buffalo Creek on County Route 16/18), would be named the "U.S. Army Warrant Officer Private Sidney Washington Memorial Bridge." The resolution honors Private Sidney Washington, a World War II Army Warrant Officer and lifelong coal miner from the area, who served until his death in 1970. The bill is procedural and commemorative, seeking to establish a permanent memorial at a specific location.

Maddy summaryHB 3116 updates West Virginia's incest statute to clarify and expand the definition of family relationships covered under the law. It specifically adds "aunt" and "uncle" to include relatives by marriage (e.g., a person's wife of an uncle or husband of an aunt) and ensures the law applies equally to same-sex marriages. The bill directly affects individuals in familial relationships involving married aunts/uncles or same-sex spouses, making the legal definitions more inclusive. It does not change penalties (5-15 years imprisonment or fines) but ensures the statute applies to all qualifying familial relationships, including those formed through marriage.