Del. Kayla Young

Maddy summaryHB 5140 amends West Virginia's anti-discrimination law to expand protections for workers. It lowers the minimum employee threshold for employer coverage from 12 to 2 workers, meaning smaller businesses now fall under the law, and explicitly includes independent contractors as "employees" for discrimination claims. The bill also extends the deadline to file a discrimination complaint with the Human Rights Commission from one year to three years. These changes directly affect more small businesses and independent contractors by broadening legal protections against workplace discrimination based on protected characteristics like race, gender, or disability.

Maddy summaryHB 5159 requires companies (lessees) that pay royalties for West Virginia natural resources (like coal, oil, or natural gas) to out-of-state owners to withhold West Virginia personal income tax from those payments. Lessees must withhold tax on payments exceeding $1,000 annually, calculating the amount to match the estimated tax owed by the nonresident owner. Withheld funds are paid to the state tax office and credited toward the owner’s tax liability, with refunds available for overpayment. The bill directly affects lessees in the energy sector and nonresident owners of mineral rights in West Virginia.

Maddy summaryHB 5155 would prohibit landlords in West Virginia from charging tenants convenience fees for rent payments, such as fees for using credit cards or online payment systems. Landlords would no longer be allowed to add these fees to the rent amount, requiring them to absorb payment processing costs themselves. The rule does not apply to landlords who accept payment methods without convenience fees, like cash or checks. This bill directly affects all residential landlords and tenants in West Virginia's rental housing market.

Maddy summaryHB 5158, the Men’s Equality Act, requires West Virginia’s public employees insurance plan to provide 100% coverage for voluntary male sterilization with no out-of-pocket costs for enrolled public employees. It specifically applies to the state’s public employees insurance plan, affecting public employees seeking this procedure. The bill prohibits denying coverage or penalizing healthcare providers for performing voluntary male sterilizations in compliance with this requirement. This coverage mandate takes effect July 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates the Small Business Investment Grant Fund to provide financial support to eligible investors who make qualifying investments in West Virginia small businesses. The fund, administered by the West Virginia Small Business Financing Authority, will offer grants up to $25,000 per investment (with a maximum of $100,000 per investor) for investments made between July 2027 and January 2029. To qualify, businesses must meet specific criteria including annual gross revenues under $1 million, operation primarily within West Virginia, and no more than 50 in-state employees. Investors must hold the investment for at least two years to maintain the grant, and businesses that relocate or close within two years must repay the grant amount to the fund.

Maddy summaryHB 5123, the Consumer Data Protection Act, gives West Virginia consumers new rights over their personal data held by businesses. It requires businesses meeting size thresholds (like $25 million in annual revenue or handling data from 50,000+ consumers) to let consumers access, delete, correct, or opt out of selling their information. The law prohibits businesses from discriminating against consumers who exercise these rights and allows individuals to sue for violations. The West Virginia Division of Consumer Protection will enforce the law and create rules for implementation.

Maddy summaryHB 5122 creates a new West Virginia Medicaid Buy-In Program to provide affordable health coverage to residents who earn too much for Medicaid but too little for private insurance, specifically those ineligible for both Medicaid and Medicare whose employers haven’t denied their group coverage. The program, administered by the Department of Human Services starting January 2027, offers income-based premiums (with priority for those transitioning from Medicaid) and covers essential services like emergency care, prescriptions, mental health treatment, and pediatric services. It requires reimbursement rates to align with Medicaid standards and mandates efforts to maximize federal funding through existing Medicaid options and waivers. The bill ensures non-discrimination in access and aims to maintain coverage continuity between the new program, Medicaid, and private plans.

Maddy summaryHB 5124 amends West Virginia law to establish requirements for nonpublic schools and education service providers (like tutoring centers) seeking to accept funds from the Hope Scholarship Program. It requires these providers to submit participation notices, provide expense receipts to parents, avoid refunding scholarship funds improperly, pass background checks for staff, and for schools, submit annual accreditation proof and enrollment data. The bill explicitly states providers cannot be forced to change their admission policies, curriculum, or hiring practices to accept scholarship students. This directly affects nonpublic schools and educational service organizations that wish to participate in the program by receiving scholarship funds for eligible students.

Maddy summaryHB 5083 creates a paid parental leave pilot program for West Virginia state employees. It provides up to 12 weeks of paid leave (at 90% of average weekly wage, capped at $1,000 weekly) for birth or adoption of a child under age 12, during the period July 2026-July 2028. Employees must have worked 12 consecutive weeks for state government and submit documentation (birth/adoption records). The program expires December 31, 2029, and requires employers to maintain health coverage and benefits during leave. It does not cover part-time, elected, or certain vocational rehabilitation employees.

Maddy summaryHB 5141 requires all health insurance providers in West Virginia to cover infertility services, directly affecting residents diagnosed with infertility or facing fertility risks from medical treatments like chemotherapy. The bill mandates coverage for diagnosis, medically necessary fertility treatments (including IVF for cases requiring it), and fertility preservation services (like egg/sperm freezing) before procedures known to impair fertility. Insurers must provide these services without prohibited limitations, covering evaluations, medications, donor materials, and storage of preserved reproductive material. This applies to all group health insurance policies and aligns with medical standards for "medically necessary" care, as defined in the bill.