Rep. Doug Smith

Maddy summaryHB 4289 authorizes the West Virginia Board of Funeral Service Examiners to implement a specific regulatory rule (6 CSR 01) governing funeral service professionals. The rule covers requirements for funeral directors, embalmers, apprentices, courtesy card holders, and funeral establishments. This is a procedural bill that formally approves an existing rule the board developed and revised, rather than creating new policy or changing current standards. It directly affects funeral service professionals and businesses regulated under this rule.

Maddy summaryHB 4272 authorizes the West Virginia Department of Agriculture to implement an existing regulatory rule (61 CSR 40) concerning exempted dairy farms and milk processing. The bill formally approves a previously developed rule that was modified to address legislative committee concerns, specifically governing how certain small-scale dairy operations and milk product processing are regulated. This is a procedural authorization, not a new policy change, and directly affects dairy farms classified as "exempted" under the rule.

Maddy summaryHB 4291 authorizes the West Virginia Board of Landscape Architects to create a rule allowing certain individuals to apply for a waiver of initial licensing fees. This bill directly affects new landscape architecture license applicants who may qualify for fee relief under the proposed rule. The key mechanism is enabling the Board to establish specific criteria and application procedures for these fee waivers through a formal legislative rule. The bill itself does not set the waiver criteria but provides the legal authority for the Board to develop them. (This is a procedural bill; no new fees or policies are created by the bill itself.)

Maddy summaryHB 4280 authorizes the West Virginia State Auditor to use a specific rule (155 CSR 01) that sets standards for how state officers must request payments from the Auditor. This bill directly affects state officers who issue payment requisitions, ensuring they follow consistent, standardized procedures when requesting funds. The rule, already filed and modified to address legislative committee feedback, establishes clear requirements for these payment requests. As a procedural bill confirming existing rule authority, it does not create new policy but formalizes current administrative standards.

Maddy summaryHB 4284 authorizes the West Virginia Board of Barbers and Cosmetologists to create specific rules for waxing specialists. This procedural bill does not change existing regulations but grants the Board the authority to establish formal rules under the code (3 CSR 14) governing these professionals. It directly affects waxing specialists and their licensing requirements in the state. The bill simply enables the Board to develop and implement these rules through standard rulemaking procedures.

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes West Virginia's Board of Optometry to create and implement a specific rule about oral pharmaceutical certificates. It formally approves a rule the Board had previously proposed (documented as 14 CSR 02), which addresses optometrists' authority to prescribe certain medications orally. The rule was modified after feedback from the Legislative Rule-Making Review Committee and refiled in 2025. This change directly affects optometrists and the Board of Optometry by establishing clear regulatory procedures for prescribing practices. The bill does not create new policy but confirms the Board's authority to enforce an existing rule.

Maddy summaryHB 4301 authorizes the West Virginia Board of Optometry to establish and update its fee schedule for professional services through a regulatory rule (14 CSR 05). This bill directly affects optometrists and optometry practices that pay fees to the Board for licensure and regulatory compliance. It specifically approves a previously drafted rule that was modified and refiled after review by the Legislative Rule-Making Review Committee. The bill does not change fee amounts but formalizes the Board's authority to manage its fee structure under existing law.

Maddy summaryHB 4299 authorizes the West Virginia Board of Optometry to adopt a specific regulatory rule (14 CSR 01) that was previously filed and modified following review by the Legislative Rule-Making Review Committee. This bill directly affects optometrists and optometry practices in West Virginia by allowing the Board to implement the approved rule without further legislative action. The key mechanism is the formal authorization of an existing regulatory rule that already underwent the required procedural steps, including committee review and refiling. The bill does not change the content of the rule but ensures its official adoption under state regulations.

Maddy summaryHB 4302 authorizes West Virginia's Board of Optometry to implement a specific administrative rule (14 CSR 08) for optometrists seeking licensure through reciprocity with other states. The bill formally approves a rule the Board previously developed, modified to address legislative committee concerns, which governs how out-of-state licenses may be recognized. This affects optometrists applying for West Virginia licensure without retaking exams, streamlining the process for qualified professionals moving between states.

Maddy summaryHB 4303 authorizes West Virginia's Board of Optometry to establish a specific rule (14 CSR 10) governing continuing education requirements for optometrists. The bill formally approves a rule that the Board had previously drafted, modified to address concerns raised by the Legislative Rule-Making Review Committee, and refiled in the State Register. This rule directly affects licensed optometrists in West Virginia by setting standards for their required ongoing professional education. The bill itself does not change the content of the rule, only grants the Board the authority to implement it.