Del. Marty Gearheart

Maddy summaryHB 2756, the "Uniform Public Expression Protection Act," creates a legal framework to protect individuals and entities filing or defending lawsuits involving constitutional rights like free speech, press, assembly, and petition on matters of public concern. It establishes expedited court procedures, allows immediate appeals for such cases, and permits recovery of attorney fees. The bill applies to lawsuits concerning communications about public issues (e.g., government actions or community matters), but explicitly excludes cases involving government employees acting officially, real property disputes, personal injury claims, or insurance matters. This law directly affects individuals, media, and organizations facing legal challenges over public expression, while streamlining judicial handling of these constitutional rights cases.

Maddy summaryHB 2751 authorizes Mason County to levy a special sales tax on tangible personal property and services sold within the Town of Henderson's Economic Opportunity Development District. This tax, which would fund local economic development efforts, applies specifically to businesses operating in Henderson and requires no additional approval from the state development office. The bill amends state law to allow Mason County Commission to establish this district and set tax rates without seeking prior state authorization. It directly affects businesses selling goods or services in Henderson and directs the tax revenue toward supporting the town's economic growth.

Maddy summaryHB 2759 increases penalties for bribery and corrupt government practices in West Virginia. It raises prison terms to up to 10 years for bribery (felony) and up to 3 years for lesser corruption (misdemeanor), with fines up to $250,000. Anyone convicted is permanently barred from holding any state office or position of trust. The bill also clarifies that all corruption convictions automatically disqualify offenders from public service.

Maddy summaryHB 2649 expands existing school disciplinary rules to include elementary school students, removing the current grade limitation that only applied to students in grades 6-12. The bill modifies §18A-5-1 to allow elementary teachers to exclude students for disruptive behavior and follow the same procedures for reporting and disciplinary actions as middle/high school teachers. This directly affects elementary school teachers, students in elementary grades, and school principals who must now implement these procedures for younger students. The key change is extending the existing disciplinary framework - such as classroom exclusion, electronic reporting to WVEIS, and suspension protocols - to cover all elementary school students.

Maddy summaryHB 2680 creates a pilot program for a "work/incarceration prison" in West Virginia, allowing only one county to establish the facility. It applies to adult offenders sentenced to two years or less for non-violent, non-sex-related offenses who maintain good conduct, offering a 20% sentence reduction for participation. Offenders violating program rules face transfer to a standard facility with an additional year added to their sentence. The bill requires the facility to become self-sustaining through offender work, proposes a $500,000 initial appropriation, and mandates annual evaluation by the Division of Corrections to assess effectiveness and potential expansion.

Maddy summaryHB 2665 requires the West Virginia Treasurer to transfer 50% of the unspent funds in reappropriated revenue accounts (funds originally designated for specific purposes but later freed up) to the state’s General Revenue Fund within 30 days. This applies to all such accounts unless transferring would violate federal law, breach repayment agreements, or risk bond repayments. The bill directly affects state budget management by redirecting unused funds from specialized accounts into the general budget pool. It does not alter existing funding for specific programs but changes how unspent allocated funds are handled. The bill is currently in the House Finance Committee for review.

Maddy summaryHB 2677 requires West Virginia's state education board to create a model policy banning K-12 students from using personal cell phones or handheld devices during instructional time, with exceptions for emergencies or contacting parents. County school boards must adopt policies consistent with this model, though enforcement details remain local. The bill directly affects all public K-12 schools and students in West Virginia by mandating a statewide framework for phone restrictions during class. It focuses on balancing academic focus with safety needs, without specifying penalties or device types beyond "personal handheld communication devices."

Maddy summaryHB 2666 (West Virginia House Bill 2666) allows landowners or lessees whose property is damaged by deer or wildlife to hire a third-party hunter to kill the animals using a bow and arrow. The bill amends existing law to explicitly permit this hiring process, requiring the director of natural resources to issue permits for such activity. It maintains existing restrictions, requiring hunters to follow the same bow and arrow specifications as during regular hunting seasons. This directly affects landowners facing property damage from wildlife, providing a new option to address the issue through authorized third-party hunting. The bill does not change general hunting regulations but streamlines a specific damage-control mechanism.

Maddy summaryHB 2643 requires the West Virginia Parkways Authority to stop collecting tolls on the West Virginia Turnpike once all bonds for the project are fully paid or a trust fund for repayment is established. This applies only after the Turnpike is certified as being in good condition by the state Highway Division. Within 90 days of the final bond payment, the Authority must discontinue all tolls and remove toll facilities. The bill directly affects drivers using the Turnpike and shifts maintenance responsibility to the state Highway Division.

Maddy summaryHB 2647 repeals §18-2-25e of West Virginia Code, which previously allowed student-athletes to transfer between schools without losing athletic eligibility. This bill directly affects high school student-athletes who move to a new school within the state, as it removes the existing rule permitting them to immediately compete in sports after transferring. The key mechanism is the deletion of the specific code section governing transfer student eligibility, ending the current exception. The bill does not create new rules but eliminates the existing provision, meaning transfer students would no longer automatically retain eligibility under this policy. (2 sentences, as it is a procedural repeal bill).