Del. Adam Vance

Maddy summaryHB 2635 sets specific classroom size limits for West Virginia public schools in kindergarten through sixth grade, requiring counties to maintain ratios of no more than 20 students per teacher in kindergarten (with one aide for classes over 10 students) and 25 students per teacher in grades 1-6 (with aides for grades 1-3 starting 2023-2026). It mandates that if classrooms exceed these limits, they must be split into two equally sized classes by the 2025-2026 school year to preserve aide coverage and individualized teacher time. County boards must implement these changes or use full/part-time interventionists as alternatives, and teachers in oversized classrooms face additional pay based on the excess student count. The bill directly affects K-6 public schools, teachers, and aides across West Virginia, with compliance deadlines phased through 2026.

Maddy summaryHJR 40 proposes a constitutional amendment to change how members of the West Virginia State Board of Education are selected. It would replace the current system of nine appointed members with a hybrid model: five members elected on a partisan basis from five geographic regions (serving staggered four-year terms), and four members appointed by the Governor with Senate consent. The amendment would require the Board to submit any rules or policies they create to the Legislature for review, approval, amendment, or rejection. If approved by voters in the 2026 general election, these changes would take effect with the 2028 general election, modifying the current appointment system for the Board.

Maddy summaryHB 3468 modifies West Virginia tax law to expand tax exemptions for certain public safety workers' pension benefits. It removes a $2,000 annual cap on tax-free treatment for pension payments, making full pension benefits exempt for Division of Natural Resources police, deputy sheriffs, full-time firefighters, and municipal police officers. The bill amends Section 11-21-12 of the West Virginia Code to include these specific professions in the existing pension exemption, which previously applied only to some public employees. This change directly affects law enforcement and emergency service workers receiving retirement benefits under state pension systems, eliminating federal adjusted gross income tax on their full pension payments.

Maddy summaryHB 3421 requires West Virginia coal-fired power plants to operate at a consistent 69% capacity level through 2040, maintain a 45-day on-site coal supply, and submit detailed operational plans to the Public Service Commission. It directly affects electric utilities operating coal plants by mandating they balance plant operations to preserve local jobs, stabilize energy costs, and avoid shutdowns without Commission approval. Key provisions include requiring utilities to provide supplemental plans for extending plant lifespans beyond retirement dates and preventing the use of securitized funds to close facilities. The bill also directs the Public Service Commission to coordinate West Virginia’s participation in regional energy markets to benefit ratepayers. These measures aim to secure coal generation as a stable energy source while protecting consumers from rate volatility.

Maddy summaryHB 3409 changes West Virginia's hunting and fishing license validity period from expiring at the end of the calendar year to lasting exactly one year from the date of purchase. This directly affects all individuals who buy hunting or fishing licenses in the state. The bill amends §20-2-35 of the West Virginia Code to replace the current "last day of the calendar year" expiration with a fixed one-year term starting on the purchase date. This policy change simplifies license validity without altering fees or requirements.

Maddy summaryHB 3170 requires all rental properties in West Virginia to have approved sewage systems instead of straight piping sewage. It directly affects landlords of rental properties and property owners converting previously owner-occupied homes into rentals, mandating updated plumbing to meet current standards. The bill’s key provision prohibits straight piping sewage and requires all rental properties to install certified sewage systems. This policy change applies statewide to all residential rental units, focusing on infrastructure upgrades for public health and safety.

Maddy summaryHB 3220 creates a statewide moratorium on public school closures and consolidations in West Virginia, except for cases of catastrophic structural failure or unresolved safety hazards. It requires the West Virginia Department of Education to review closures considered over the past five years and propose changes to the school funding formula that would prevent at least 80% of those closures based on financial or operational factors. The moratorium remains in effect until the legislature receives the proposed formula and takes action on it. This directly affects all West Virginia public school districts and students by delaying closure decisions pending the new funding approach.

Maddy summaryThis bill (HB 3323) requires healthcare providers, law enforcement, and emergency responders to report overdose data within 24 hours to the Office of Drug Control Policy. The collected data will populate a public dashboard tracking non-fatal and fatal overdoses, opioid antagonist use, drug types, and treatment outcomes - including location, demographics, and trends - to inform resource allocation and program effectiveness. It does not expand diversion programs to include felonies, as mistakenly implied in the title; the actual provisions focus solely on overdose reporting and data transparency. The bill mandates a daily-updated public dashboard with visualizations, including overdose hotspots and medication-assisted treatment coordination. This policy change directly affects hospitals, first responders, and law enforcement agencies by requiring standardized data reporting.

Maddy summaryHB 3280 authorizes West Virginia's Department of Human Services to transfer ownership of state-owned land and buildings (previously leased to nonprofits) to regional mental health or intellectual disability centers operated by local nonprofit organizations. This transfer requires the facilities to be leased at a nominal rate since January 2025, used for mental health/disability services, and involves zero purchase price with nonprofits assuming maintenance, insurance, and upkeep costs. The bill exempts these transfers from standard state procurement rules like public bidding. It directly affects state facilities and qualifying nonprofit centers delivering mental health and intellectual disability services.

Maddy summaryHB 3066 requires West Virginia's Corrections Commissioner to create an "Orange Alert" system that notifies registered crime victims within a 40-mile radius when a prisoner escapes or is released from a state correctional facility or jail. Victims must proactively register to receive these alerts, with registration details published in local newspapers. The bill mandates this system for all state correctional facilities and jails, making registration the victim's responsibility rather than automatic notification. This policy change establishes a formal notification framework but does not require automatic alerts for all victims.