Del. Eric Brooks

Maddy summaryHB 3190 expands West Virginia's public intoxication law to include intoxication from controlled substances, not just alcohol. It defines "intoxicated" to cover impairment from any controlled substance under state law, directly affecting individuals appearing in public while impaired by such substances. The bill establishes misdemeanor penalties for violations, including fines ($5-$100) and optional alcohol/controlled substance education programs for first offenses, with stricter penalties for repeat violations. It also updates provisions for law enforcement arrests and handling of intoxicated individuals in public settings.

Maddy summaryHB 2087 requires West Virginia public schools to post adopted curriculum online by the start of each school year, with access limited to students, parents, or guardians. It grants parents, custodians, or guardians the right to inspect classroom materials (including books) upon request, including scheduling appointments within 10 business days and receiving explanations linking materials to state standards. The bill also mandates that teachers list required books on class syllabi and make them available to parents upon request. Additionally, it establishes a complaint process for non-compliance, allowing parents to report issues to school superintendents, with annual statewide reporting of complaints to the Legislative Oversight Commission. (Note: The bill specifically affects parents/guardians of enrolled students, not general taxpayers as noted in the title.)

Maddy summaryHB 2527 creates a tuition reimbursement program for West Virginia Corrections employees. It provides 20% annual tuition coverage for undergraduate courses at state colleges/universities, with full 100% reimbursement after five years of continued employment. Employees must first exhaust other financial aid (like Pell Grants), maintain academic progress, and prove employment to qualify. The program directly affects Corrections officers seeking to earn degrees while working.

Maddy summaryHB 2475 raises pay for special education staff in West Virginia. It matches the salary of Special Education Aides (Aide V) to Early Childhood Classroom Assistant Teachers' pay scale and adds a 5% increase for those aides. It also provides a 10% pay increase for self-contained special education teachers. The bill defines a "critical vacancy" as a position needed for student safety or compliance, requiring certified staff to fill such roles immediately until a new hire is secured. This directly affects special education aides and teachers in self-contained classrooms across West Virginia school districts.

Maddy summaryHCR 35 is a commemorative resolution requesting the West Virginia Division of Highways to name a specific road segment in Fayette County as the "U.S. Air Force Sergeant Thomas Madison Oxley Memorial Road." It directly affects the portion of Main Street East between Patterson Avenue and Lochgelly Road (with specified coordinates) and honors Sergeant Oxley's military service, community leadership, and contributions to West Virginia. The resolution asks the highway department to install signs at both ends of the road segment to identify the memorial name. This is a procedural request without policy changes, currently pending in the Senate Transportation Committee.

Maddy summaryHB 3135 creates a new felony offense for protestors who intentionally block public roads, streets, or sidewalks used by the public, making it illegal to obstruct passage. It defines "obstruct" as rendering a path impassable, unreasonably inconvenient, or hazardous. Violations are misdemeanors (fines of $500+ and up to 1 month in jail), but become felonies with harsher penalties ($1,000+ fine and 3-3 years in prison) if the obstruction blocks emergency vehicles, hospitals, or if the person has prior similar convictions. The bill directly affects individuals who protest by physically blocking public thoroughfares, imposing specific criminal penalties for such actions.

Maddy summaryHB 2635 sets specific classroom size limits for West Virginia public schools in kindergarten through sixth grade, requiring counties to maintain ratios of no more than 20 students per teacher in kindergarten (with one aide for classes over 10 students) and 25 students per teacher in grades 1-6 (with aides for grades 1-3 starting 2023-2026). It mandates that if classrooms exceed these limits, they must be split into two equally sized classes by the 2025-2026 school year to preserve aide coverage and individualized teacher time. County boards must implement these changes or use full/part-time interventionists as alternatives, and teachers in oversized classrooms face additional pay based on the excess student count. The bill directly affects K-6 public schools, teachers, and aides across West Virginia, with compliance deadlines phased through 2026.

Maddy summaryHB 3417 would require the West Virginia State Police to cover the cost of incarcerating individuals they arrest until those individuals are convicted of a crime or released. Currently, counties pay for the incarceration of people arrested by local law enforcement, but this bill shifts that financial responsibility to the state police for arrests they make. The bill amends state law to specify that when an inmate is arrested by the state police, the state police must pay the per diem cost for housing in a jail facility. This change would directly affect the state police budget and reduce counties' financial obligations for cases initiated by the state police.

Maddy summaryHB 3409 changes West Virginia's hunting and fishing license validity period from expiring at the end of the calendar year to lasting exactly one year from the date of purchase. This directly affects all individuals who buy hunting or fishing licenses in the state. The bill amends §20-2-35 of the West Virginia Code to replace the current "last day of the calendar year" expiration with a fixed one-year term starting on the purchase date. This policy change simplifies license validity without altering fees or requirements.

Maddy summaryHB 3170 requires all rental properties in West Virginia to have approved sewage systems instead of straight piping sewage. It directly affects landlords of rental properties and property owners converting previously owner-occupied homes into rentals, mandating updated plumbing to meet current standards. The bill’s key provision prohibits straight piping sewage and requires all rental properties to install certified sewage systems. This policy change applies statewide to all residential rental units, focusing on infrastructure upgrades for public health and safety.