Del. Kayla Young

Maddy summaryHB 4890 would provide a 10% annual pay increase for non-uniformed administrative staff and personnel at West Virginia's Division of Corrections, Division of Juvenile Services, and the West Virginia Regional Jail and Correctional Facility Authority, effective July 1, 2026. This adjustment aims to address staffing challenges by helping retain current workers and attract new employees to these correctional facilities. Funding would come from general revenue for the Division of Corrections and Juvenile Services, and from a special revenue fund for the Regional Jail Authority, avoiding additional general fund appropriations. The bill also requires that the pay increase be applied even if it exceeds the current maximum pay grade for an employee's position.

Maddy summaryHB 4900 requires all West Virginia county boards of education to provide free feminine hygiene products (such as pads and tampons) to female students in public elementary, middle, and high schools. The bill mandates this access using existing school appropriations for hygiene products, without requiring new state funding. It directly affects female students in every public K-12 school across the state. The key provision is a mandatory requirement for schools to ensure these products are available, funded through current budget allocations for school hygiene supplies.

Maddy summaryHB 4832 creates a program to support data center development in West Virginia by requiring "high impact" data centers (those meeting specific water and energy use thresholds) to report their water needs and obtain environmental certification that their operations won't harm state water resources. The environmental agency can limit or stop water withdrawals if adverse impacts are likely, and must hold public hearings for these facilities. The bill mandates transparency through standardized reporting while exempting certain business information from public disclosure requests. This aims to balance economic growth from data centers with protection of local water resources.

Maddy summaryHB 4821 creates a new state-run health insurance program in West Virginia that allows eligible residents to "buy in" to a Medicaid-like plan. It directly affects adults who are ineligible for Medicaid or Medicare but remain enrolled in employer-sponsored coverage (and whose employers haven’t denied them coverage due to this program). The plan uses a sliding-scale premium based on income, covers essential services like hospital care, mental health, prescriptions, and preventive care, and must coordinate with existing Medicaid to avoid coverage gaps. The West Virginia Department of Human Services will administer the program, prioritizing those transitioning from Medicaid, and must apply for federal funding to maximize cost efficiency.

Maddy summaryHB 4822 redirects tax revenue from "High Impact Data Centers" (as defined under West Virginia law) to three specific recipients: the Public Employees Insurance Association (PEIA) fund, local counties, and public school boards. The bill amends tax distribution rules to require that incremental property tax revenue from these data centers - calculated using a new formula based on assessed value and levy rates - be reallocated instead of following previous distribution methods. This change directly affects data centers certified as "High Impact" under §11-6N-2, ensuring their tax contributions support state health insurance programs, county services, and school funding. The policy shift replaces prior tax allocation rules with a fixed distribution structure for these facilities.

Maddy summaryHB 4738 would allow West Virginia counties to impose an annual tax on vacant or mostly vacant commercial, industrial, or institutional buildings (defined as unoccupied for 6+ months or over 50% floor area unused). Counties could set the tax as a percentage of property value or a flat fee, with owners receiving 30 days' notice and appeal rights to court. Exemptions cover properties under renovation, actively listed for sale/lease, or affected by disasters or hardship. The tax would be collected like regular property taxes, creating a lien if unpaid, to encourage property use and reduce blight.

Maddy summaryHB 4734 exempts specific infant and hygiene products from West Virginia's sales tax. It directly affects consumers who purchase these items, including parents buying diapers, baby bottles, and formula, as well as individuals needing feminine hygiene products. The bill defines "diapers" as disposable absorbent products for infants or incontinent individuals, "feminine hygiene products" as tampons, pads, and menstrual cups for biological women, and "infant products" as bottles, nipples, formula, and car seats. These items will no longer be subject to the state's sales tax when purchased. The policy change removes an existing tax burden on these essential daily-use products.

Maddy summaryHB 4731 establishes West Virginia's By-Right Housing Development Act, which automatically approves housing projects (including single-family homes, multifamily units, and accessory dwelling units) that comply with existing zoning rules, eliminating discretionary review by local planning or zoning boards. It directly affects developers and property owners seeking to build housing in communities where projects meet current land use regulations. The bill requires regulatory authorities to monitor compliance, with enforcement actions like fines for violations, but does not override restrictive covenants or HOA rules. Projects must still adhere to all applicable zoning standards, and denials can be appealed in court with potential cost awards for successful applicants.

Maddy summaryHB 4748 creates a digital wallet within West Virginia's Secretary of State business portal, allowing residents to store and organize their learning records (like degrees), employment history, certifications, and professional licenses. Individuals must upload and verify their own records; the Secretary of State will provide the secure platform by January 1, 2027, and contractors handling the system must safeguard data and cannot sell or share it. The digital wallet’s contents are exempt from public records requests under West Virginia law, and users can request secure deletion of their information.

Maddy summaryHB 4732 requires West Virginia municipalities to allow accessory dwelling units (ADUs) - such as guest houses or in-law suites - on single-family properties without special permits (e.g., public hearings or variances). It sets size limits (max 75% of the main house or 1,000 sq ft), prohibits municipalities from requiring extra parking, design matching, occupancy rules, or impact fees, and mandates that at least 35% of residential lots permit ADUs. Municipalities must adopt compliant zoning by January 1, 2027, or follow these rules until they do, with existing non-compliant rules becoming void. This directly affects homeowners seeking to add ADUs and municipalities managing local zoning regulations.