Del. Eric Brooks

Maddy summaryHB 2654, the Food Safety Act of 2025, prohibits food manufacturers, sellers, and distributors in West Virginia from offering for human consumption any food product containing potassium bromate or propylparaben, effective January 1, 2027. It directly affects food businesses that produce or sell products with these specific substances. Violators face civil penalties of up to $5,000 for a first offense and $10,000 for each subsequent violation, enforceable by the Attorney General or local prosecutors. The law establishes these penalties as additional to any other legal remedies available under existing laws.

Maddy summaryHB 2675 ends the West Virginia Parkways Authority's power to issue new parkway revenue bonds, parkway revenue refunding bonds, or special obligation bonds after July 1, 2025. This bill directly affects the Parkways Authority by terminating its future bond-issuance authority under West Virginia Code §17-16A-10(n). The key provision sets a specific deadline (July 1, 2025) for this termination, with no new bonds permitted after that date. Existing bonds and current projects remain unaffected by this change.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires West Virginia's Legislature and Governor to approve any new bonds issued by the Parkways Authority. It applies to all additional bond issuances beyond current authorizations, adding legislative and executive oversight. The bill also mandates that tolls on parkways must be removed six months after bond debt (encumbrances) is fully paid. It does not change the permitted uses of bond funds, which remain limited to parkway projects and highway maintenance.

Maddy summaryHB 2648 establishes minimum occupancy periods for tenants in mobile home parks and similar factory-built home communities in West Virginia. It requires landlords to provide "good cause" (such as unpaid rent or property damage) to terminate a tenancy, with a 12-month minimum for single-section homes and a 5-year minimum for multi-section homes. This directly affects tenants living in mobile homes, manufactured homes, or modular homes within rental communities, preventing sudden evictions without valid reasons. The bill also defines key terms like "good cause" and "factory-built home" to clarify tenant protections.

Maddy summaryHB 2644 creates a separate "State Road Construction Account" within West Virginia's highway budget to fund road projects in 10 specific counties: Raleigh, Fayette, Wyoming, Mercer, Kanawha, Greenbrier, Monroe, Summers, McDowell, and Nicholas. It ensures that funding from this new account does not reduce the counties' existing allocations from the general State Road Fund. The bill explicitly prohibits any modification of a county's regular highway funding due to receiving money from this dedicated account.

Maddy summaryHB 2613 reclassifies possession of Schedule I and II narcotics and methamphetamine as felonies in West Virginia, increasing penalties from previous misdemeanor or lesser felony classifications. It establishes minimum prison sentences of one to three years for these offenses (up to 15 years for fentanyl), prohibits probation for certain drug convictions, and requires inert substances mixed with drugs to count toward weight measurements for sentencing. The bill also mandates a minimum 10-year prison term for "drug delivery death" cases and creates a process to reduce some felony convictions to misdemeanors under specific conditions. This bill directly affects individuals convicted of drug possession in West Virginia, particularly for higher-schedule substances.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires independent candidates for West Virginia state offices to file their candidacy documents between the second Monday and last Saturday in January of the election year. It applies to all independent candidates running for positions like state legislature, judicial offices, or county-level seats. The filing must be submitted to the Secretary of State (for multi-county offices) or county clerk (for local offices) by the deadline, aligning with existing timelines for partisan candidates. This clarifies that independents must follow the same January filing window as other candidates, rather than later deadlines.

Maddy summaryHB 2632 increases retirement benefits for eligible West Virginia state employees and teachers. It provides a phased 5% raise over three years (2.5% in 2025, 1.5% in 2026, 1% in 2027) to retirees aged 70+ with at least 25 years of service who currently receive less than $1,000 monthly. The increase applies only to those retired before the bill's effective date and does not affect current employees. This change modifies existing retirement system rules under Sections 5-10-22n (public employees) and 18-7A-26y (teachers).

Maddy summaryHB 2537 would amend West Virginia law to allow landlords to serve eviction notices by posting them conspicuously on the rental property (e.g., on the front door) with photographic evidence, instead of requiring personal delivery, if a tenant refuses to accept service. This change directly affects landlords seeking evictions and tenants who avoid being served personally. The bill specifies that landlords must attach photos of the posted notice to court filings as proof. It does not alter eviction standards but streamlines the service process for landlords when tenants evade contact. The bill is currently pending in the House Judiciary Committee.

Maddy summaryHB 2539 would provide a 25% discount on lodging and services at West Virginia State Parks for residents who present a valid West Virginia driver's license or state ID card. The bill directly affects West Virginia residents seeking to use state park facilities, requiring documented residency to qualify for the reduced fees. It amends state code to mandate this discount through the director of state parks, applying only to fees for lodging and services exclusively used by residents. The bill was introduced on February 18, 2025, and referred to the House Finance Committee, but has not yet been enacted into law.