Del. Chris Toney

Maddy summaryHB 2515 requires West Virginia K-6 teachers to document and report student behavior that is violent, threatening, intimidating, or creates an unsafe learning environment. Teachers must file a report in the WVEIS system within 24 hours of excluding a student, and students excluded three times in a month may face in-school suspension, out-of-school suspension, or alternative learning center placement. The bill clarifies it does not conflict with federal disability laws (IDEA and Section 504) and prohibits suspending students solely for absenteeism. It also mandates the State Board adopt a statewide disciplinary policy for grades 6-12. This directly affects elementary school teachers, students with disruptive behavior, and school administrators managing discipline.

Maddy summaryHB 2521 provides a one-time cost-of-living supplement to West Virginia state retirees with annual retirement benefits under $75,000. To qualify, retirees must be at least 65 years old and have been retired for five or more consecutive years as of July 1, 2026. The supplement equals 10% of their annual benefit amount below $75,000, paid as a single lump sum. This policy change specifically affects lower-income retirees under the state retirement system who meet the age and tenure requirements, effective July 2026. The bill does not create ongoing annual increases but offers a one-time adjustment to retirement benefits.

Maddy summaryHB 2946 would exempt retirement income for retired West Virginia campus police officers from the state's personal income tax, effective July 1, 2025. The bill amends the tax code to exclude such retirement benefits - received under qualified retirement plans at colleges and universities - from taxable income, including survivorship payments. This exemption applies to all retirement income received after the effective date, regardless of the specific retirement system. The bill directly affects retired campus police officers employed at West Virginia's colleges and universities.

Maddy summaryHB 2890 clarifies the compensation rules for county board of education members in West Virginia. It sets a maximum rate of $260 per meeting attended, with members unable to earn compensation for more than 40 meetings in a fiscal year. The bill also specifies that up to five additional paid meetings are allowed for specific events like elections, disaster hearings, or school closures, and allows members to recover compensation for missed meetings after curing a training requirement default within three months. This bill does not change existing rates but eliminates ambiguity around meeting limits and exceptions.

Maddy summaryHB 2657 would allow West Virginia county school boards to offer voluntary Saturday classes for public and charter school students who are failing courses or falling behind academically. The bill requires the West Virginia Department of Education to develop course content, eligibility criteria, and placement procedures for these sessions. Teachers participating would be paid at their regular rate for the hours worked, and Saturday classes would not count toward the state's required 180-day instructional year. This provision applies only to students needing extra academic support to pass courses, with no impact on school employee pay during related closures.

Maddy summaryHB 2508 would allow retired teachers in West Virginia who selected a joint life annuity (a retirement plan with a reduced monthly payment but continued payments to a surviving spouse) to switch to a higher-payment "maximum life annuity" (a plan with no survivor benefit) if their spouse dies within the first five years of their retirement. To make this change, the retired teacher must provide proof of the spouse's death and can only do so once. The new monthly payment cannot exceed the maximum life annuity amount that would have applied at the time of their retirement. This bill directly affects beneficiaries of the State Teachers Retirement System who experience the early death of a spouse during their retirement.

Maddy summaryHB 2640 amends West Virginia law to increase the maximum age for appointment as a State Police trooper from 39 to 45 years. This change directly affects individuals seeking to join the West Virginia State Police as troopers. The bill modifies the existing qualification requirement in §15-2-7(c) of the code, removing the 39-year cap and replacing it with 45 years. The policy change aims to expand the pool of eligible applicants without altering other recruitment or qualification standards.

Maddy summaryHB 2509 increases the maximum fees sheriffs can charge for specific court-related services, such as serving summonses and process, from $25 to $30 per instance. It also raises the portion of these fees allocated to the West Virginia Deputy Sheriff Retirement Fund from $2 to $5 per fee. County commissions would need to update their fee schedules to reflect these changes. The bill does not affect other sheriff fees, such as those for transporting prisoners or handling bonds.

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes West Virginia's Supreme Court to create rules allowing nonlawyers to practice law in limited, supervised roles - such as in child abuse/neglect and mental health cases - under a new "limited license legal practitioner" program. It establishes a task force (including bar association, law school, and judicial representatives) to design certification requirements, exams, practice scope, and costs for these practitioners. The task force must also recommend updates to professional conduct rules and complaint processes for this new role. The bill itself does not implement the program but enables the Court to develop it through this structured process.

Maddy summaryHB 2638 requires West Virginia courts to initiate criminal charges against parents when children are removed from their custody due to abuse or neglect. Specifically, it mandates that courts must bring criminal charges in two situations: (1) when a parent is convicted of an offense against a child (as defined in state law), and (2) when a parent's rights are terminated following a child's removal due to abuse or neglect. The bill directs courts to follow existing state laws (§61-8D-3 through §61-8D-5) to determine applicable penalties and fines for these offenses. This change directly affects parents whose children are removed from their care due to abuse or neglect, ensuring legal consequences are pursued.