Del. Josh Holstein

Maddy summaryHB 4701 creates the West Virginia Math & Science Teacher Scholarship Act, providing debt relief to certified math, science, and special education teachers working in West Virginia public schools. Eligible teachers receive up to $2,000 after three years of service and an additional $2,000 after six years (capped at $4,000 total), contingent on holding a master's degree in their specialty field and meeting residency requirements. The program, administered by the state's education office, requires teachers to maintain employment in qualifying positions to receive funds. It will operate from January 1, 2027, through January 1, 2037, with a sunset provision.

Maddy summaryHB 4707 prohibits counties, cities, towns, and housing authorities from requiring hotels or motels to participate in programs that house homeless individuals or families using housing vouchers. The bill directly affects hotel and motel owners by preventing local governments or housing agencies from mandating their involvement in these programs. Key provisions define "homeless individuals" as those lacking fixed nighttime residence (e.g., living on streets, in shelters, or vehicles) and "hotels/motels" as establishments offering temporary overnight lodging. This bill does not create new housing programs but stops existing or future programs from forcing hotels or motels to join them.

Maddy summaryHB 4713 exempts cash tips received by workers from West Virginia's personal income tax. This directly affects service industry employees, such as servers and bartenders, who earn cash tips. The bill adds a new section to the state tax code (§11-21-12o) stating that cash tips from any source are not subject to income tax. The change applies only to cash tips, not digital or non-cash tip payments.

Maddy summaryHB 4705 requires all West Virginia public schools to observe a 1- to 2-minute moment of silence at the start of each school day. This applies directly to public school students and teachers, who must refrain from interfering with students' quiet reflection during this time. The bill explicitly prohibits teachers from suggesting what students should reflect on during the silence, while encouraging parents to discuss the purpose of the moment with their children. The law aims to provide students with a daily opportunity for quiet reflection as stated in the legislature’s findings.

Maddy summaryHB 4704 exempts the purchase of daylight fluorescent orange or blaze orange outerwear (sold for hunter's safety) from West Virginia's sales tax during the first two weeks of November each year. This directly affects hunters who buy safety gear during that specific period, removing the sales tax cost. The key provision removes sales tax liability for these items under §11-15-9v of the West Virginia Code during the designated November window. The bill focuses solely on a temporary tax exemption for a specific safety product, with no other policy changes.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires anyone purchasing real estate in West Virginia to officially record their deed with the county clerk within three months of closing the transaction. It directly affects all property buyers who need to establish legal ownership through public records. The key provision sets a strict 90-day deadline for recording deeds, replacing any longer or unspecified timelines in current practice. This change applies to standard real property transfers, ensuring deeds are documented promptly in county records.

Maddy summaryHB 4699 creates a tax credit for West Virginia employers who hire individuals participating in substance abuse recovery programs. It directly affects employers (with 1-100+ employees) and qualified individuals who are in good standing with a drug court program, working at least 120 hours monthly at minimum wage, and not displacing existing workers. Employers can claim a credit of up to $2,000 per eligible employee annually (capped at $14,000 total per business), based on their employee count (e.g., businesses with 1-10 employees can claim for 1 person). The credit requires annual application, verification of employee eligibility, and confidentiality protections for personal health information, with unused credits not carrying over.

Maddy summaryHB 4659 transfers oversight of most childcare services in West Virginia from the Department of Human Services to the West Virginia Department of Education. It requires residential child-care centers, day-care centers, and family day-care facilities to obtain licenses, certifications, or registrations from the Department of Education instead of the previous agency. The bill also updates requirements for evacuation plans, facility registrations, and exemptions (like public schools or summer camps) while maintaining existing standards for care. This change directly affects childcare providers operating under state oversight, shifting their regulatory authority to the education department.

Maddy summaryHB 4698 requires West Virginia public high schools (grades 9-12) to make adoption awareness materials available to students upon request. The materials must cover adoption types, foster care vs. private adoption, resources for pregnant students, and child development information. Schools must provide written materials to parents or guardians of pregnant students who receive the information. This bill, effective for the 2026-2027 school year, directly affects high school students and their families by providing standardized adoption resources through school counseling offices.

Maddy summaryHB 4598 requires the West Virginia Secretary of State to include "change audit data" in the existing $1,000 annual subscription service for voter registration data starting January 1, 2027. This data will show the reason for and date of each modification to voter records, such as address changes or registration status updates. The bill specifically amends existing law to mandate this addition to the subscription service, which currently provides basic voter list information. It directly affects subscribers who purchase the annual voter data subscription and the Secretary of State's office, which must implement the change.