Del. Eric Brooks

Maddy summaryHB 2683 prohibits the use of ranked choice voting for all local, state, and federal elections in West Virginia. The bill defines ranked choice voting as a system where voters rank candidates by preference, with votes redistributed in rounds if no candidate wins a majority. It declares any election using this method invalid and prevents officials from being sworn into office based on such results. The prohibition does not apply to internal political party processes like conventions or party officer elections.

Maddy summaryHB 2681 requires all West Virginia high school students to learn proper American flag etiquette - including handling, folding, displaying, honoring, and retiring the flag - as part of their graduation requirements. This bill amends existing curriculum standards to add flag etiquette instruction to civics and history courses, mandating that students pass an exam on this topic before graduating. The requirement applies specifically to public high schools and builds upon current mandates for U.S. history, civics, and government education. The bill does not alter existing health or other curriculum standards but adds a new, specific knowledge requirement for graduation.

Maddy summaryHB 3124 would increase West Virginia's homestead property tax exemption from $20,000 to $40,000 of a home's assessed value for qualifying homeowners. It directly affects residents aged 65 or older, or those certified as permanently and totally disabled, who own and occupy their homes as primary residences. The bill changes the exemption amount in Section 11-6B-3 of the state code, applying to the first $40,000 of assessed value (instead of $20,000) for eligible homeowners meeting residency requirements. The change would reduce property tax bills for qualifying homeowners but does not alter the existing eligibility criteria or residency rules. The bill was introduced on March 4, 2025, and referred to the House Finance Committee.

Maddy summaryHB 3136 lowers the required service years from 25 to 20 for West Virginia public employees and teachers to qualify for a minimum $1,000 monthly retirement benefit. It applies to retirees aged 70+ with at least 20 years of service (excluding time as elected officials or temporary legislative staff), increasing their monthly benefit to $1,000 if it falls below that amount. Beneficiaries of joint survivor annuities receive a $500 minimum monthly benefit under similar conditions. The change only affects current retirees who retired before the bill's effective date and is not retroactive.

Maddy summaryHB 3151, the Closed Captioning Act, requires public venues like restaurants, bars, hospitals, colleges, and government buildings to have at least half of their public-facing televisions display closed captions continuously during regular hours. It mandates that these venues prevent patrons from disabling captions and distribute captioned TVs so they are visible to all guests. Exceptions apply if no TVs are present or if available TVs cannot display captions. The bill defines "closed captioning" as on-screen text of audio content and takes effect upon passage. This law aims to improve accessibility for deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals in public spaces.

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 3048 limits new permits for wind power facilities in West Virginia and requires that for each new wind project approved, the tax burden on existing and new coal-fired power plants must decrease proportionally. The bill directly affects wind energy developers (by restricting new projects) and coal power plant operators (by mandating tax offsets). Key provisions include capping wind power permits, defining wind turbines as pollution control facilities for tax purposes, and requiring that tax reductions for coal plants match the scale of new wind development. The bill cites coal as the only reliable power source during emergencies like storms, though this rationale does not create new emergency rules.

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 2885 would allow West Virginia public employees who joined the retirement system on or after July 1, 2015, to use their unused sick leave toward retirement credit. Currently, these employees cannot apply unused sick leave to increase their retirement service time, unlike those who joined before that date. The bill removes this exclusion, permitting them to convert unused sick leave into retirement credit at the existing 2:1 ratio (two workdays for each sick day), without changing the current calculation method. This change directly affects newer state employees seeking to boost their retirement benefits through accrued sick time.

Maddy summaryHB 3074 requires West Virginia's Secretary of State to include "change audit data" in the existing $1,000 annual subscription service for voter registration data. This data shows monthly changes to voter records (like additions, deletions, or address updates) as a "delta" from the previous month. The bill directly affects organizations and individuals who purchase this subscription for noncommercial purposes, such as election monitoring or research. The Secretary must provide this data within 30 days via a secure digital platform, making it part of the standard subscription package. The change does not alter subscription fees or eligibility but adds transparency about voter record modifications.