Del. Elliott Pritt

Maddy summaryHB 5526 clarifies rules for purchasing tax-abandoned land at public auctions held by West Virginia's State Auditor. It requires all bidders - individuals and businesses - to register in advance or submit a notarized affidavit confirming eligibility, with disqualifications for those with unpaid taxes, code violations, or prior auction defaults. The bill specifically allows 501(c)(3) nonprofit housing organizations to win auctions if their bid is no more than 5% below the highest non-profit bid, excluding for-profit entities or religious groups. It also mandates that businesses (foreign or domestic) must provide proof of valid registration to participate in these land sales.

Maddy summaryHB 5499 creates a system to monitor and address financial and governance issues in West Virginia school districts before they escalate. It requires the state to track specific indicators like over-reliance on temporary funding, declining savings, or repeated audit findings, and place districts meeting thresholds on a public "Watch List" with a requirement to submit a corrective action plan. The bill establishes a new independent Office of School System Performance and Accountability (OSPA) to oversee early intervention, stabilization, and transparency, while mandating detailed documentation before state takeover. This system aims to prevent crises through early transparency, local accountability, and structured support for school districts.

Maddy summaryHB 4003 creates the WV First Small Business Growth Act, offering tax credits to investors who fund certified "growth funds" that invest in eligible West Virginia small businesses. The program, administered by the West Virginia Department of Commerce, provides a 15% annual tax credit (after the first two years) against insurance premium taxes for qualified investments. To qualify, growth funds must use 100% of investment proceeds within three years to make "qualified investments" in businesses with fewer than 250 employees operating primarily in West Virginia. This directly affects growth investors (who receive tax credits), growth funds (which must be certified), and eligible small businesses receiving capital.

Maddy summaryHB 5234 requires voters returning absentee ballots by mail in West Virginia to include specific identifying information (like full name and address) on a form placed inside their ballot envelope. This information allows election officials to securely verify a voter's identity without needing to publish personal details or signatures. The bill directly affects all voters who submit absentee ballots via mail, amending existing absentee voting procedures under West Virginia Code §3-3-5. The key provision streamlines identity confirmation while maintaining voter privacy, replacing previous methods that required additional documentation.

Maddy summaryHB 4466 expands West Virginia's public intoxication law to include impairment from narcotics. It amends §60-6-9 to define "intoxicated" as covering impairment from controlled substances (narcotics), not just alcohol, when appearing in public. This makes it a misdemeanor for individuals to be publicly impaired by narcotics, punishable by fines ($5-$100) or mandatory education programs for first offenses. The law directly affects people appearing in public while impaired by narcotics, with penalties increasing for repeat violations. The change clarifies enforcement standards for law enforcement and judicial officers.

Maddy summaryHB 4695 doubles criminal penalties for specific offenses against minors in West Virginia. It increases maximum prison terms and fines for sexual assault in the third degree (from 5 to 10 years/ $10,000 to $20,000), sexual abuse in the third degree (from 3 to 5 years/ $500 to $1,000), child neglect resulting in death (from 15 to 40 years/ $5,000 to $10,000), and sexual abuse by parents/guardians (from 20 to 40 years/ $5,000 to $10,000). The bill directly affects individuals convicted of these crimes against minors under 16 years old or in positions of trust over children. These changes amend sections §61-8B-5, §61-8B-9, §61-8D-4a, and §61-8D-5 of West Virginia law.

Maddy summaryHB 4426 creates a special State Road Construction Account within the State Road Fund to provide dedicated highway construction and maintenance funding for 10 specific West Virginia counties: Raleigh, Fayette, Wyoming, Mercer, Kanawha, Greenbrier, Monroe, Summers, McDowell, and Nicholas. The bill explicitly requires that funds from this new account must be in addition to, not reduce, existing highway funding those counties receive from the general State Road Fund. It ensures counties listed in the bill will not lose their regular highway funding simply because they receive money from this new account. The account will be used for highway projects in these counties as defined in specific transportation plans from 2017.

Maddy summaryHB 5447 clarifies and expands do-not-resuscitate (DNR) orders in West Virginia by establishing two distinct categories: DNR-CCA (comfort care arrest) and DNR-CC (comfort care). DNR-CCA allows patients to receive all medical treatments - including diagnostics and life-sustaining therapies - until cardiac arrest, after which CPR is not performed. DNR-CC focuses solely on comfort care, with all life-prolonging treatments (like CPR, mechanical ventilation, and antibiotics) withheld while ensuring pain management and palliative support. The bill requires hospitals and healthcare facilities to update their internal policies to reflect these two categories, directly affecting patients, physicians, and healthcare providers involved in end-of-life care decisions.

Maddy summaryHB 4518 (2026) requires the West Virginia Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to automatically update the Parkways Authority whenever a driver using the single fee discount plan (EZ-Pass) changes their vehicle information during a plate transfer. This bill amends existing code sections to mandate this coordination between the DMV and Parkways Authority, directly affecting EZ-Pass users who transfer plates between vehicles. The key provision eliminates the need for manual updates by requiring the DMV to provide real-time vehicle information changes to the Parkways Authority. This streamlines the process for drivers, ensuring their EZ-Pass account remains accurate without additional steps when updating vehicle details. The bill focuses on improving administrative efficiency between two state agencies.

Maddy summaryHB 4558 requires West Virginia's Division of Motor Vehicles to create a system allowing towing companies (regulated by the Public Service Commission) to instantly access vehicle owner information when a vehicle is towed or impounded. This directly affects towing companies, who can now quickly verify ownership to prevent accumulating fees, and vehicle owners, who avoid unnecessary charges. The bill mandates the state motor vehicle agency implement this system by July 1, 2026, ensuring towing companies can access owner details "at all times" without delay. It amends existing law to explicitly permit this access under the "Permitted disclosures" section for towing-related purposes.