Del. Bill Flanigan

Maddy summaryHB 4842 clarifies and strengthens civil remedies for individuals whose intimate images are disclosed without consent in West Virginia. The bill amends §55-20-3 to explicitly apply to cases involving sexual extortion (as defined in §61-8B-6), establish joint and several liability for all liable parties, and create civil penalties. It directly affects people who suffer harm from intentional or reckless disclosure of private intimate images they did not consent to share. The law ensures victims can pursue legal action against perpetrators who knew the image was private, the victim didn’t consent, and the victim was identifiable.

Maddy summaryHB 4463 amends West Virginia's sanitarian licensing laws to modernize training requirements and clarify licensing authority. It authorizes the Board of Sanitarians to offer online training as an alternative to in-person sessions, allowing applicants to complete training anytime during the year and finish within six months of hire (excluding on-the-job training). The bill also clarifies that Registered Sanitarians may license applicants who complete approved training and on-the-job experience. Additionally, it requires the Board to establish reciprocity standards for out-of-state licensure by May 1, 2026. These changes directly affect sanitarian applicants, current license holders, and the Board's regulatory processes.

Maddy summaryHB 4546 changes West Virginia's reporting requirements for limited liability companies (LLCs) and foreign LLCs from annual to biennial (every two years). It mandates that these businesses submit a report to the Secretary of State containing their name, addresses, agent for service, and an email for notices, due between January 1 and July 1 of every other calendar year. The bill applies directly to all LLCs operating in West Virginia, including foreign entities authorized to do business here, and takes effect July 1, 2026. This change does not alter existing fees or forgive prior annual filing failures.

Maddy summaryThis bill expands the authority of county commissions in West Virginia to sell or lease county-owned property by introducing competitive bidding as an alternative to traditional public auctions. It allows counties to sell real property directly to private parties if the price is at least 75 percent of the appraised value, while sales to government entities and nonprofits may be made without considering market value. The legislation also requires public notice through legal advertisements, establishes minimum pricing standards based on assessed values or third-party appraisals, and mandates transparency by posting all formal offers on county websites for at least 30 days. Additionally, the bill clarifies that property sold to volunteer fire departments, ambulance services, and community centers must revert to the county if those organizations later propose to dispose of it, unless the county explicitly waives this right in the deed.

Maddy summaryHB 4893 increases penalties for contempt of court in West Virginia magistrate courts. It raises maximum fines for contempt: from $50 to $200 for a first offense, $100 to $500 for a second offense, and $100 to $1,000 (or up to 10 days in jail) for a third or subsequent offense related to the same matter. The bill applies directly to individuals disrupting court proceedings, including witnesses, jurors, parties, or officers who commit contempt. These changes take effect for offenses occurring after the bill's passage, with appeals still allowed to circuit court as in criminal cases.

Maddy summaryHB 4602 would require West Virginia's Department of Human Services (DHS) to create a 15-month pilot program contracting with private companies to provide administrative support staff for caseworkers in the Bureau of Social Services. The program would target districts with high caseloads, staffing vacancies, or high rates of children placed out-of-state in foster care, using technology to free up caseworkers' time for direct family interactions. DHS must maintain full oversight of all cases, ensure contracted aides meet similar qualifications as staff, and submit a report to the legislature on outcomes and recommendations. This pilot aims to improve caseworker capacity without changing existing staffing requirements or permanent agency structure.

Maddy summaryHB 4603 creates a new process for resolving certain criminal and juvenile cases without a formal court trial. It establishes a system allowing courts to offer alternatives like community service or counseling instead of a conviction for eligible cases, such as criminal charges that could lead to jail time or juvenile proceedings. The bill amends existing West Virginia law to define and incorporate this "pre-adjudicatory alternative disposition" process, specifying which cases qualify and how they are handled. This change aims to provide non-punitive resolutions for qualifying cases while streamlining court proceedings.

Maddy summaryThis bill (HB 5162) amends West Virginia law governing tax lien sales. It requires sheriffs to suspend sales when property is already sold, liens are unredeemed, tax amounts are incorrect, or property is tax-exempt. County commissions gain authority to decide whether a suspended lien should be sold (removing it if not) or included in the next sale. The bill also clarifies that tax deeds acquired by government entities (like states, counties, or municipalities) for tax-exempt properties extinguish all prior tax liens and prevent future ad valorem taxation on that property. This directly affects sheriffs, county governments, and owners of tax-exempt properties.

Maddy summaryHB 5260 adds "edible" as an allowable form of medical cannabis in West Virginia, with strict requirements for safety and regulation. It requires processors to obtain bureau approval for each edible product, mandates specific shapes (like squares or circles), limits edibles to lozenges or gelatins, and caps THC content at 10mg per serving with a 15% potency variance. The bill prohibits color additives in edibles and requires all medical cannabis dispensing to be reported to the state's controlled substance monitoring database. This directly affects patients using medical cannabis, caregivers, and licensed processors who must comply with these new edible-specific rules.

Maddy summaryHB 5629 updates West Virginia's Unclaimed Property Act to extend the time nursing homes must wait before reporting abandoned resident funds to 180 days (from 30 days) after a resident's death. It requires safety deposit boxes and other depositories to deliver contents to the State Treasurer within specific timeframes, clarifies claim filing processes, and prohibits finders from claiming property immediately. The bill also allows the Treasurer to waive reciprocal claim forms with other states and clarifies that estate executors must liquidate personal property before transferring proceeds. These changes primarily affect nursing homes, financial institutions holding unclaimed property, and the State Treasurer's office.