Del. Josh Holstein

Maddy summaryHB 2133 clarifies that the three-year time limit for filing occupational pneumoconiosis claims (which applies to claims filed after last exposure or diagnosis) does not restrict a claimant's ability to seek an evaluation from the Occupational Pneumoconiosis Board. The bill amends West Virginia Code §23-4-15 to explicitly state that filing deadlines for claims do not apply to the evaluation process. This directly affects workers with occupational pneumoconiosis - commonly linked to coal mining - who need board evaluations for compensation. The change ensures claimants can access evaluations without being barred by claim filing deadlines, maintaining clarity in the existing legal process.

Maddy summaryHB 2382 prohibits camping and storing camping gear (like tents, cots, or sleeping bags) on specific public property without permission. It bans these activities on Capitol grounds, courthouses, municipal offices, streets, parks, and trails - areas defined as public property owned or controlled by state, county, or municipal governments. Violators face fines of $25-$100 or up to 30 days in jail per day of violation. The bill includes exceptions for authorized uses but does not address broader homelessness or safety concerns beyond the defined legal prohibitions.

Maddy summaryHB 3086 establishes a minimum net enrollment requirement of 1,200 students for West Virginia counties to receive full state school funding. It directly affects smaller counties with fewer than 1,400 students, requiring their enrollment numbers to be adjusted upward to meet this minimum for funding calculations. The bill amends the school aid formula to ensure counties below 1,400 students receive funding based on the adjusted minimum, using a population density calculation to determine the adjustment amount. This policy change modifies how state education funds are distributed to counties with low student populations.

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 2835 creates the West Virginia Infrastructure Deployment Clearinghouse, a statewide map-based data hub managed by the West Virginia GIS Technical Center. This hub will centralize geospatial information to help state agencies, local governments, and businesses plan infrastructure projects like broadband networks more efficiently, reducing duplication and speeding up installations. The bill requires agencies to follow standardized protocols for sharing location data while protecting confidential information, and establishes a special fund for operations. It directly affects state and local government entities involved in infrastructure planning and project permitting.

Maddy summaryHB 2502 requires West Virginia internet and telecom providers to automatically credit customers for service interruptions lasting five or more days (120 hours) when the outage isn't caused by the customer. Credits must be calculated proportionally to the days without service and applied in the next billing cycle. The Attorney General can enforce this by suing providers for excessive charges and imposing civil penalties up to $5,000 per violation. Providers must also report monthly outage data (including credit amounts and geographic scope) to the Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division, excluding mobile service disruptions.

Maddy summaryHB 2878 requires railroad companies to provide alternative access routes when their maintenance or construction work blocks a state road that serves as the sole entry/exit for residents for more than six hours (for emergency vehicles) or more than 24 hours (for all vehicles). The bill specifically applies to state roads where rail companies are conducting work, mandating that they coordinate with the Division of Highways to minimize disruptions. It directly affects railroad companies, which must arrange these alternatives, and residents who rely on the blocked road for daily access. This policy change focuses on preventing prolonged community isolation during rail infrastructure work.

Maddy summaryHB 2422 would require all municipal elections in West Virginia to be held on the same day as statewide primary or general elections, which occur on the Tuesday after the first Monday in November during even-numbered years for general elections. This change would directly affect cities and towns (municipalities), eliminating separate local election dates and mandating coordination with county commissions on election timing, administrative costs, and election official use. Municipalities would share election costs based on their proportion of registered voters in the county, and must comply with existing rules for county election official coordination. The bill aims to streamline election administration by aligning municipal elections with the established statewide election cycle.

Maddy summaryHB 2030 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 operators by preventing local governments and housing authorities from mandating their involvement in such programs. It adds new sections to West Virginia law defining "homeless individuals or families" (those lacking stable housing) and "hotel or motel" (temporary lodging for transient guests), while explicitly stating these entities cannot be compelled to join voucher-based housing initiatives. The law applies uniformly across county, municipal, and housing authority levels without creating new housing programs.

Maddy summaryHB 2879 creates the West Virginia Math, Science and Special Education Teacher Scholarship Act, providing debt relief to qualifying educators. It offers up to $2,000 in debt relief after three years of teaching in West Virginia public schools and an additional $2,000 after six years, totaling a maximum of $4,000 per teacher. To qualify, teachers must hold a master's degree in math, science, or special education, be West Virginia residents for at least one year, and work full-time in eligible public school positions. The program, funded through state budget appropriations, runs from January 1, 2026, through December 31, 2036.