Rep. Brandon Steele

Maddy summaryHB 2199 amends West Virginia's sexual offense statutes to increase penalties for certain crimes and create new offenses. It raises the minimum prison sentence for sexual assault involving victims under 12 (from 15 to 35 years) and adds a new offense called "sexual extortion," which criminalizes threatening to share intimate recordings or images to coerce sexual acts. The bill also modifies sentencing ranges for existing offenses like sexual assault in the second and third degrees, with penalties including fines up to $25,000 and prison terms of 10-60 years. These changes directly affect individuals convicted of sexual offenses under the revised statutes.

Maddy summaryHB 2198 requires courts to impose up to 10 years of supervised release after other sentences (like probation or prison) end for defendants convicted of specific drug offenses, excluding marijuana cases (such as delivery or possession with intent to deliver Schedule I, II, or III drugs). This supervision, managed by probation officers, includes standard probation conditions and may require a monthly fee up to $50 based on the defendant’s ability to pay. Courts can modify or revoke supervision for violations but cannot require more total time than the original 10-year term. The bill directly affects individuals sentenced for these targeted drug crimes in West Virginia.

Maddy summaryHB 2207 clarifies that inmates serving life sentences or convicted of specific offenses - including crimes against the person, sexual offenses, child abuse, or human trafficking - are ineligible for "good time" (time off their sentence for good conduct). Instead, these inmates must complete one year of mandatory post-release supervision with electronic or GPS monitoring after reaching their calculated release date. The bill applies to all such offenders, including those already incarcerated, and does not affect good time eligibility for other inmates convicted of different offenses.

Maddy summaryHB 2220 modifies West Virginia's spousal privilege law to expand exceptions allowing spouses to testify against each other in criminal cases involving child abuse. It specifically changes the law to exclude cases where the offense was committed against "any child" (not just the child of one or both spouses). This means spouses can now be compelled to testify in cases where a child - regardless of familial relationship to the spouse - is the victim of abuse. The bill directly affects criminal prosecutions for child abuse where spousal testimony is relevant, removing the previous limitation that only covered the spouse's own children.

Maddy summaryHB 2215 requires non-custodial parents applying for public assistance to cooperate with child support enforcement as a condition for eligibility, and disqualifies them if they're behind on child support payments. It also requires custodial parents to cooperate in establishing paternity as a condition for benefits, but prohibits forcing them to investigate non-custodial parents. The bill mandates the state department to create rules for these requirements, effective January 1, 2025. It directly affects individuals seeking public assistance who are either non-custodial or custodial parents. The changes align with federal child support guidelines under 7 C.F.R. §273.11.

Maddy summaryHB 2216 clarifies and revises West Virginia's pretrial release rules to expand access to release without cash bail for most misdemeanor defendants. It requires judicial officers to release defendants on their own recognizance (without requiring money or property) for most misdemeanor charges - unless the offense involves violence, threats against minors, weapons, drug violations, sexual abuse, serious traffic offenses, or property crimes exceeding $250 in value. The bill prohibits "cash only" or "property only" bail, mandates that personal recognizance bonds include an unsecured monetary amount, and requires judges to set the least restrictive conditions necessary to ensure court appearance and public safety. This directly affects all individuals charged with criminal offenses in West Virginia who appear before a judicial officer for pretrial release decisions.

Maddy summaryHB 2218 makes it a felony to adulterate, alter, or change the tested potency or purity of medical cannabis - either from its actual results or as listed on a patient's or caregiver's ID card. It directly affects medical cannabis testing facilities, labs, and individuals involved in the medical cannabis supply chain who might tamper with test results. The bill imposes penalties of up to $2.5 million per incident and permanent license revocation for businesses, or up to $100,000 fines plus 1-5 years in prison for individuals per incident. This establishes specific criminal penalties for falsifying medical cannabis test results under West Virginia law.

Maddy summaryHB 2209 amends West Virginia's controlled substance monitoring law by removing two specific requirements: (1) the reporting obligation for opioid antagonists (like naloxone), and (2) a prohibition on dispensing certain medications. It updates reporting rules for pharmacies, hospitals, and medical providers to include patient details, drug information, and dispensing dates for Schedule II-V controlled substances. The bill also adds a 72-hour dispensing limit for practitioners treating their own patients (max two 72-hour cycles in 15 days) and requires the Board of Pharmacy to notify doctors about new abuse-deterrent buprenorphine formulations. These changes directly affect pharmacies, hospitals, and healthcare providers who dispense controlled substances within the state.

Maddy summaryHB 2214 creates West Virginia's False Claims Act specifically for Medicaid fraud. It directly affects Medicaid providers (like hospitals and clinics) who submit false claims, and allows private citizens to file lawsuits on behalf of the state for fraudulent claims. Key provisions include requiring triple damages plus penalties for false claims, defining "knowingly" as actual knowledge or reckless disregard, and establishing a 5-year statute of limitations. The law exempts Medicaid claims from the $25,000 threshold that applies to other state claims, focusing exclusively on Medicaid program integrity.

Maddy summaryHB 2211 modifies West Virginia's fraud laws related to counterfeit or stolen access devices (like credit cards). It requires courts to calculate the total value of all transactions from multiple uses of such devices against a single victim - not per transaction - to determine sentencing. This affects individuals convicted of fraud involving these devices, potentially increasing penalties for repeated offenses against one victim. Penalties range from a $1,000 fine or six months in jail for possession to up to $10,000 or ten years in prison for intentional fraud.