Del. Joe Ellington

Maddy summaryHB 5499 creates a system to monitor and address financial and governance issues in West Virginia school districts before they escalate. It requires the state to track specific indicators like over-reliance on temporary funding, declining savings, or repeated audit findings, and place districts meeting thresholds on a public "Watch List" with a requirement to submit a corrective action plan. The bill establishes a new independent Office of School System Performance and Accountability (OSPA) to oversee early intervention, stabilization, and transparency, while mandating detailed documentation before state takeover. This system aims to prevent crises through early transparency, local accountability, and structured support for school districts.

Maddy summaryHB 5472 formally adds mine rescue personnel to West Virginia's definition of "emergency responders" under the Survivor Benefits Act. This means qualified mine rescue teams - those meeting specific training and certification requirements - will now be eligible for survivor benefits if they die while performing mine emergency response duties, such as responding to explosions, fires, or equipment maintenance. The bill amends existing law to include mine rescue personnel in the same category as firefighters, EMS, and law enforcement for benefit eligibility. It directly affects mine rescue team members who meet state training standards and perform authorized emergency response activities. The legislation extends existing survivor benefits without creating new costs or programs.

Maddy summaryHB 4426 creates a special State Road Construction Account within the State Road Fund to provide dedicated highway construction and maintenance funding for 10 specific West Virginia counties: Raleigh, Fayette, Wyoming, Mercer, Kanawha, Greenbrier, Monroe, Summers, McDowell, and Nicholas. The bill explicitly requires that funds from this new account must be in addition to, not reduce, existing highway funding those counties receive from the general State Road Fund. It ensures counties listed in the bill will not lose their regular highway funding simply because they receive money from this new account. The account will be used for highway projects in these counties as defined in specific transportation plans from 2017.

Maddy summaryHB 5433 requires all state-regulated health insurance plans to cover hearing aids and annual audiological evaluations for insured individuals with hearing impairment. The bill mandates coverage for initial and replacement hearing aids (every 36 months), necessary adjustments, and at least one yearly hearing evaluation. It limits coverage to $1,400 per hearing-impaired ear every 36 months for standard hearing aids, while allowing individuals to pay extra for more expensive options without penalties. The law applies to policies issued or renewed after January 1, 2026, and excludes batteries and cords from coverage.

Maddy summaryHB 5442 requires hospitals and healthcare providers in West Virginia to complete training on the uses and risks of progesterone and mifepristone for pregnant women, specifically focusing on medication abortion (referred to as "chemical abortion" in the bill). The training covers how progesterone can counteract mifepristone and how to identify/treat complications from medication abortion, developed by the Office of Maternal, Child and Family Health. Hospitals providing gynecologic, obstetric, or emergency care must ensure their licensed staff complete this training, with restrictions preventing contracts with organizations defined as part of the "abortion industry." The bill does not change abortion access but mandates standardized education for healthcare providers.

Maddy summaryHB 5330 allows healthcare providers in West Virginia to give medication directly to sexual partners of patients diagnosed with bacterial vaginitis or trichomoniasis (a type of vaginal infection), when the partner cannot or is unlikely to seek care themselves. The bill expands existing "expedited partner therapy" rules to include these specific infections, using antibiotics like metronidazole (Flagyl) and clindamycin cream. Providers must counsel patients and provide written materials about seeking medical care, and the partner must have been exposed within the last 60 days. This directly affects healthcare professionals, patients with these infections, and their sexual partners who face barriers to accessing treatment. The bill aims to improve treatment access for partners without requiring them to visit a clinic.

Maddy summaryHB 5355 requires West Virginia public school districts to place any teaching position held by an uncertified individual up for public bidding every school year. This applies directly to school districts and teachers currently working without valid teaching certification. The bill mandates that such positions remain open for bid annually until filled by a certified educator, ensuring only qualified staff occupy teaching roles. It does not change certification requirements but adds a recurring annual bidding process for uncertified positions.

Maddy summaryHB 5200 creates an Office of Entrepreneurship within West Virginia's Secretary of State's office to support entrepreneurs, startups (businesses under 5 years old), and scale-ups (businesses with proven growth metrics like 20% annual revenue increase). The office will serve as a central liaison between these businesses and state agencies, helping navigate government processes, coordinate resources, and identify systemic barriers. Key mechanisms include requiring state agencies to provide data (with confidentiality protections), mandating 48-hour responses to business inquiries, and requiring annual reports to the Economic Development Committee on entrepreneurship progress. This bill directly affects small business owners and growth-oriented enterprises seeking state support.

Maddy summaryThis House Resolution (HR 11) encourages West Virginia's K-12 students to design a new state highway route number shield for the 2026 anniversaries of the U.S. founding (250th) and the U.S. numbered highway system (100th). It directs the West Virginia Division of Highways and Department of Tourism to hold a statewide student design competition, requiring the shield to maintain federal safety standards for legibility while incorporating West Virginia identity. The winning design would be implemented gradually on state highways starting July 2027, replacing existing signs only as they wear out, and the student designer would receive legislative recognition. The resolution is procedural and non-binding, focusing on celebration and civic engagement rather than new policy.

Maddy summaryHR 9 is a ceremonial resolution honoring the late West Virginia House Delegate Douglas John Skaff Jr. It expresses the House of Delegates' condolences to his family and commemorates his service, including his roles as a delegate representing multiple districts and as Minority Leader. The resolution has no policy impact - it is purely symbolic, acknowledging his career in public service, business, and community leadership. It was unanimously adopted by the House on February 5, 2026, the same day it was introduced.