Del. Elliott Pritt

Maddy summaryHB 3098 would amend West Virginia law to allow applicants without permanent addresses to obtain driver's licenses or identification cards. The bill creates a new process for these applicants, requires the Division of Motor Vehicles to audit permitted addresses, and establishes standards for license cancellation. It also provides a fee waiver for individuals without permanent addresses. This change directly affects people who lack a fixed residential address but need official identification for employment, services, or driving. The bill does not alter existing license classifications or driving requirements.

Maddy summaryHB 3110 allocates $5,000 per deputy sheriff position in each West Virginia county from the state general revenue fund, with funds required to be used **only** for deputy pay raises. This directly affects all counties with deputy sheriff positions by providing dedicated state funding specifically for increasing deputy salaries. The bill’s key provision mandates that counties cannot use these funds for any other purpose, ensuring the money is solely directed toward compensating deputies. It does not change existing pay structures but creates a new funding stream for raises. (This is a procedural funding bill, so the summary is concise as requested.)

Maddy summaryHB 3103 would exempt the first $2,000 of retirement benefits received from West Virginia public employee systems, state teachers' retirement systems, or qualifying federal retirement systems from West Virginia personal income tax. This tax modification applies to retirees moving to West Virginia or already residing there, directly affecting individuals receiving these retirement benefits. The bill amends Section 11-21-12 of West Virginia's tax code to exclude this portion of retirement income from taxable income. It aims to encourage retirees to relocate to or remain in West Virginia by reducing their state tax burden on retirement income. The bill is currently pending in the House Finance Committee after its March 4, 2025, introduction.

Maddy summaryHB 3134 (McKayla, Miranda, and Philip's Law) requires healthcare providers - including doctors, nurses, and treatment facilities - to report to West Virginia's DMV when a person over 15 is diagnosed with a mental or physical condition that could affect driving safety, such as lapses of consciousness. Providers must submit the individual's name, date of birth, and address within 10 days of diagnosis. The DMV will use these confidential reports solely to assess whether a driver meets medical requirements for license retention, with strict protections preventing their use in court except for competency hearings. This law applies directly to healthcare professionals who must report and to drivers with qualifying conditions. It takes effect July 1, 2025.

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 3108 would add a $15,000 annual commission to West Virginia sheriffs' pay after they collect 85% of all property taxes (real and personal) in their county. This commission, paid from tax funds, would become part of the sheriff's regular compensation alongside their existing salary. The bill directly affects county sheriffs, who serve as the chief tax collectors for their jurisdictions. It modifies current compensation by creating a fixed payment tied to a specific tax collection threshold.

Maddy summaryHB 3101 mandates that public schools in West Virginia must begin the instructional term no earlier than the Tuesday after Labor Day and end no later than the Friday before Memorial Day, starting with the 2025-2026 school year. This bill directly affects all public school districts and county boards of education across the state by setting fixed calendar boundaries for the school year. The legislation specifies that the instructional term must include at least 180 separate instructional days, with defined minimum daily instructional minutes per grade level (e.g., 345 minutes for high school). It also includes provisions for handling weather-related closures through alternative instruction methods and adjusts noninstructional day allocations, but does not alter the required instructional time per day.

Maddy summaryHB 3115 expands expungement eligibility in West Virginia to include individuals who plead guilty to certain misdemeanors after successfully completing pre-trial diversion or deferred adjudication programs. It allows these individuals to petition a circuit court for the removal of all related arrest, charge, and misdemeanor conviction records, treating the matter as if it never occurred. The process requires a 60-day waiting period after program completion, no filing fees, and mandates agencies to certify expungement within 60 days. This applies only to qualifying misdemeanors and excludes felony convictions, domestic violence cases involving family members, and records held by the Division of Motor Vehicles.

Maddy summaryHB 3109 clarifies that time limits for filing occupational pneumoconiosis claims (typically three years from exposure or diagnosis) do not restrict a claimant's ability to request an evaluation from the Occupational Pneumoconiosis Board. This bill directly affects workers or their families seeking medical evaluations for pneumoconiosis-related conditions. The change ensures claimants can access the Board's evaluation process without being barred by standard filing deadlines, while leaving the actual compensation filing deadlines unchanged. It is a procedural clarification, not a substantive policy change.

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.