Del. Jordan Bridges

Maddy summaryHB 4889 increases retirement benefits for eligible West Virginia state retirees and their beneficiaries. It provides a 10% phased increase (over three years starting July 1, 2026) to monthly benefits for retirees aged 70+ with at least 25 years of service who currently receive less than $1,000 per month, and for beneficiaries of joint survivor annuities receiving less than $500 per month. The bill applies only to those retired before the bill's effective date and does not affect benefits retroactively.

Maddy summaryHB 4888 would change West Virginia's child support rules so that no payments are required when both parents share equal (50-50) physical custody of a child and both parents work. Currently, child support is calculated based on both parents' incomes, but this bill would eliminate that requirement specifically in cases of equal custody and dual employment. The change applies when a court orders equal time with the child and both parents are employed, meaning neither parent would owe the other child support. This directly affects families with shared custody arrangements where both parents are working full-time.

Maddy summaryHB 4890 would provide a 10% annual pay increase for non-uniformed administrative staff and personnel at West Virginia's Division of Corrections, Division of Juvenile Services, and the West Virginia Regional Jail and Correctional Facility Authority, effective July 1, 2026. This adjustment aims to address staffing challenges by helping retain current workers and attract new employees to these correctional facilities. Funding would come from general revenue for the Division of Corrections and Juvenile Services, and from a special revenue fund for the Regional Jail Authority, avoiding additional general fund appropriations. The bill also requires that the pay increase be applied even if it exceeds the current maximum pay grade for an employee's position.

Maddy summaryHB 4886 clarifies travel permissions for individuals under home confinement in West Virginia. It specifies that people confined to their homes may travel only for essential purposes: work, medical appointments, religious services at their chosen place of worship, court-ordered activities, and grocery shopping for food and household items. The bill amends existing law to explicitly define these permitted destinations, removing ambiguity about allowable travel. This directly affects individuals sentenced to home confinement by circuit or magistrate courts. The change focuses solely on defining permitted travel, not altering sentencing terms or monitoring requirements.

Maddy summaryHB 4839 creates a geographic compensation differential for sworn members of the West Virginia State Police assigned to areas with significantly higher housing costs than the statewide median. Eligible troopers receive a salary supplement calculated as a percentage of their base pay, based on how much housing costs exceed the state average in their designated zone. The State Budget Office will designate these zones using objective housing data (median home values and rental rates) and update them biennially. The supplement does not count toward retirement calculations, ends if a trooper leaves the zone, and is funded through new legislative appropriations without reducing existing benefits. This bill directly affects State Police personnel in high-cost regions, aiming to improve recruitment and retention.

Maddy summaryHB 4726 requires West Virginia's Department of Health and Human Resources to prioritize housing applications for foster youth who have turned 18 and are transitioning out of foster care, specifically for those who do not qualify for existing transitional living services. The bill mandates that the department give priority to these young adults for government-assisted housing programs, such as HUD, to improve housing stability during their transition to independence. It directly affects foster youth aged 18 and older leaving the system without qualifying for transitional living placements under current law. This policy change focuses on concrete housing access, not broader outcomes or advocacy.

Maddy summaryHB 4724 caps annual out-of-pocket costs for specific therapy services at $500 per year for West Virginia residents diagnosed with a terminal illness (an incurable condition likely leading to death). It applies to licensed occupational, speech-language, and physical therapy services, requiring insurers to limit copays for these services to no more than the amount charged for primary care physician visits or $500 annually - whichever is lower. The cap applies to all covered therapy services until the patient's death, as defined in the bill. This policy directly affects terminally ill patients who rely on these therapies, ensuring their out-of-pocket costs do not exceed the specified annual limit.

Maddy summaryHB 4589 clarifies that time limits for filing occupational pneumoconiosis claims do not restrict when workers can seek medical evaluations from the Occupational Pneumoconiosis Board. It directly affects coal miners and others diagnosed with pneumoconiosis (like black lung disease) who need to obtain board evaluations to pursue compensation. The bill explicitly states that standard claim filing deadlines (three years for diagnosis or exposure) do not apply to the evaluation process itself. This ensures claimants can access necessary medical assessments without being barred by the usual time limits for submitting formal claims.

Maddy summaryHB 4727 would increase all state teacher salaries in West Virginia by 25% across every salary scale and experience level, effective for the 2024-2025 school year. It directly affects all public school teachers paid under the state minimum salary schedule, including those with varying certifications (like A.B., M.A., or special education) and years of experience. The bill amends the existing salary schedule by adding 25% to every base salary figure shown in the table, such as raising a 0-year experience 4th Class teacher's salary from $39,057 to approximately $48,821. This is a direct pay increase applied uniformly to all teacher classifications without changing certification requirements or adding new benefit categories.

Maddy summaryHB 4716 amends West Virginia law to improve how the Industrial Access Road Fund is managed, directly affecting counties and municipalities that use the fund for industrial infrastructure. The bill establishes that 0.75% of state tax collections (or $3 million annually) will fund industrial access roads, with unspent funds needing to be spent within three years or reverting to the State Road Fund. It allows counties to coordinate with regional economic development groups to fund cross-county projects and requires financial guarantees (like bonds) for new industrial sites if construction isn't already underway. The bill ensures funds are used for road construction, safety upgrades, and federal project matching, prioritizing sites with confirmed or imminent industrial development.