Del. Jordan Maynor

Maddy summaryHB 3127 adds a 50-cent fee to every new vehicle registration and registration renewal in West Virginia. This fee, collected by the DMV, will directly fund the Deputy Sheriff’s Retirement Fund. The bill amends existing law to redirect these registration fees - paid by all vehicle owners - to support retirement benefits for deputy sheriffs. It does not change registration requirements or create new taxes beyond the specified fee. The policy change is limited to reallocating this existing fee stream to a specific retirement fund.

Maddy summaryHCR 49 is a West Virginia legislative resolution (not a bill) requesting the Maryland General Assembly reject proposed changes to the North Branch Potomac River's water classification. It argues that designating the river as "Cold Water Aquatic Life" (instead of "Warm Water") would require West Virginia industrial facilities to install costly thermal controls like cooling towers to meet stricter discharge standards, imposing unnecessary costs. The resolution claims this would violate the U.S. Constitution's dormant commerce clause by unduly burdening interstate commerce, citing Supreme Court precedents like *Sporhase v. Nebraska*. It asks Maryland to withdraw the proposal and directs West Virginia's Attorney General to investigate the constitutional issues. (Note: This is a procedural resolution, not a law affecting policy changes.)

Maddy summaryHB 3137 creates tax incentives to attract data center operators to West Virginia by offering property tax exemptions and credits for facilities powered by coal-generated electricity. The bill directly affects data center developers and operators, requiring them to use electricity from West Virginia coal-fired power plants to qualify. Key provisions include defining eligibility criteria, establishing a streamlined application process, and requiring compliance to maintain tax benefits. The legislation aims to boost economic growth by drawing private investment, creating jobs in construction and technology, and supporting the state's coal industry.

Maddy summaryHB 2789, the "Michael Brandon Cochran Act," requires West Virginia hospitals to administer a C-peptide test (which measures insulin-related proteins) to ICU patients who are unconscious or have blood sugar below 50 mg/dl, regardless of diabetes diagnosis. It also mandates post-mortem C-peptide testing for patients who died after showing symptoms like brain damage, seizures, or disorientation during ICU care. Hospitals failing to comply face a $10,000 penalty per violation. The bill creates a grant program to help hospitals cover testing costs and staff training, funded through state appropriations and private donations.

Maddy summaryHB 2065 would allow Gold Star parents (mothers or fathers of veterans killed in combat) to receive one free Gold Star Family license plate for personal use, exempting them from standard vehicle registration fees. The bill defines a "Gold Star parent" as a parent of a veteran eligible for a gold star lapel pin under federal law (10 U.S.C. § 1126). This extends the existing fee exemption for Gold Star spouses (widows/widowers) to include parents, applying to a single vehicle registered in the parent's name.

Maddy summaryHB 3073 requires West Virginia counties to use separate voting machines exclusively for training purposes, prohibiting their use in actual elections except in two specific emergencies: machine failure during voting or insufficient funds to purchase dedicated training machines. If counties lack funds for separate training machines, they must test and certify any machines used for training to ensure accuracy before election day. The bill mandates that all testing must follow strict procedures outlined in §3-4A-26, including public testing with pre-audited ballots and certification of error-free equipment. This directly affects county election officials and their management of voting equipment security and testing protocols.

Maddy summaryHB 2388 would amend West Virginia's wage and hour law to exempt seasonal ski area workers from standard maximum hour requirements. Specifically, it adds a new exemption for employees working less than seven months per year at ski areas, excluding them from overtime and hour limits under §21-5C-3. This directly affects seasonal workers at ski resorts during their limited operational seasons. The bill does not change minimum wage rules but modifies hour restrictions for this specific group of workers. The exemption applies only to those employed seasonally, as defined in the new provision.

Maddy summaryHB 2925 would make certain panhandling practices unlawful in West Virginia, directly affecting individuals soliciting money in specific public or private locations. The bill prohibits panhandling at bus/train stops, in public transit, on streets/sidewalks (if blocking paths, following people, or threatening harm), and on private property without permission. Violations carry misdemeanor penalties: $100 for a first offense and $250-$1,000 for repeat offenses. Fire departments are exempt from these restrictions when soliciting donations for their operations.

Maddy summaryHB 2865 modifies parole eligibility for specific violent offenses in West Virginia. It increases the minimum time inmates must serve before becoming parole-eligible for second-degree murder (from 10 to 20 years) and for attempted second-degree murder (from 5 to 20 years), as outlined in amended sections §61-2-3 and §61-11-8. The bill also clarifies that inmates convicted of attempted first-degree murder remain subject to a minimum 10-year parole eligibility period under §61-11-8(4). These changes directly affect individuals serving prison sentences for these specific crimes, raising the required time served before parole consideration.

Maddy summaryHB 2758 prohibits any entity from intentionally injecting, releasing, or dispersing chemicals, substances, or apparatus into West Virginia's atmosphere with the purpose of altering temperature, weather, or sunlight intensity. This directly affects federal agencies, private entities, or other groups conducting such atmospheric experiments within the state. The bill explicitly bans these activities by amending state law to make such dispersal unlawful. It takes effect 30 days after passage and aligns with the West Virginia Department of Environment Protection's air quality monitoring responsibilities.