Del. Doug Smith

Maddy summaryHB 4203 authorizes the Board of Risk and Insurance Management to implement a specific insurance rule (115 CSR 02) for West Virginia's public entities insurance program. This rule, originally filed in 2025 and modified to address legislative committee feedback, directly affects public entities like counties, municipalities, and school districts that purchase insurance through this program. The bill formally approves the rule as filed in the State Register on October 10, 2025, without altering the rule's content. It is a procedural measure to finalize administrative approval, not a change to insurance coverage or costs.

Maddy summaryHB 4258 authorizes West Virginia's Tax Department to implement a specific rule (110 CSR 16A) governing online bingo and raffle operations. This rule, already developed and modified after review by the Legislative Rule-Making Review Committee, directly affects online gaming businesses operating in the state. The bill formally approves the rule as a legally binding regulation, ensuring these businesses must comply with the established tax and operational standards. It does not create new tax rates or policies but codifies an existing administrative rule.

Maddy summaryHB 4219 authorizes the West Virginia Department of Health to adopt a regulatory rule (64 CSR 57) that sets requirements for clinical laboratory practitioner licensure. The rule, revised to address concerns raised by the Legislative Rule-Making Review Committee, establishes standards for obtaining and maintaining licensure for these healthcare professionals.

Maddy summaryHB 4277 amends West Virginia law to authorize the Attorney General to create and enforce a specific rule (142 CSR 05) preventing unfair or deceptive practices in home improvement transactions, directly affecting home improvement contractors and consumers in the state. The bill adds a sunset provision requiring the rule to expire on August 1, 2036, unless renewed by the legislature. Key provisions include updating the rule’s authorization and establishing its fixed termination date. This focuses on concrete policy changes to regulate contractor conduct, not on predicted outcomes. The rule targets deceptive practices like misleading contracts or hidden fees during home repairs or renovations.

Maddy summaryHB 4243 authorizes West Virginia's Insurance Commission to create and enforce rules governing how insurance companies market property and liability insurance to large groups of people (mass marketing). The bill directly affects insurance companies that sell policies through mass marketing channels, such as online or direct mail campaigns. It formalizes an existing proposed rule (114 CSR 09) that was already filed with the State Register on July 25, 2025, giving the Commission legal authority to implement these specific marketing regulations. This is a procedural step to codify the Commission's rule-making power, not a new policy change.

Maddy summaryHB 4253 authorizes West Virginia's Tax Department to implement a specific rule (110 CSR 01M) for valuing public utility property (like electricity and gas infrastructure) used in calculating property taxes. This rule, developed after addressing legislative committee concerns, directly affects utility companies by determining how their property is assessed for tax purposes. The bill formally approves the Tax Department’s modified rule, which sets standards for property valuation under ad valorem (based on value) property tax laws. It does not change tax rates or create new taxes, but establishes the administrative process for how utility property is valued.

Maddy summaryHB 4257 authorizes West Virginia's Tax Department to create specific regulatory rules (110 CSR 13Q) for administering commercial patent incentives tax credits. This bill directly affects businesses seeking these tax credits by establishing clear guidelines for eligibility and claims. The key provision is the formal authorization for the Tax Department to develop and enforce these rules through the State Register. The bill does not create new tax credits or change existing tax rates, but focuses solely on the administrative process for an existing credit program.

Maddy summaryHB 4208 authorizes West Virginia's Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to promulgate a specific legislative rule (45 CSR 18) governing air pollution control from solid waste combustion facilities. The bill directly affects waste combustion facilities operating in the state by requiring them to comply with future DEP regulations under this rule. It does not create new pollution standards itself but formally approves the DEP's authority to develop and implement these rules. This procedural bill enables the DEP to establish enforceable requirements for air emissions from waste-burning operations.

Maddy summaryHB 4211 authorizes West Virginia's Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to implement existing rules controlling cross-state air pollution. It specifically targets annual emissions of nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen oxides during ozone season, which directly affects power plants, industrial facilities, and other major polluters within the state. The bill formalizes the DEP's authority under existing law to enforce these emission limits as outlined in the previously filed "45 CSR 43" rule. This creates a clear regulatory framework for managing pollution that crosses state lines, without establishing new emission caps.

Maddy summaryHB 4217 authorizes West Virginia's Department of Health to implement a specific regulatory rule (64 CSR 48) for emergency medical services. This procedural bill formally approves a rule the Department had previously proposed and modified to address legislative committee feedback. It does not change existing EMS standards but allows the Department to establish and enforce the rule through official channels. The rule directly affects EMS providers and agencies operating under state regulations.