Del. Kayla Young

Maddy summaryHB 5148, the Student Bill of Rights, creates a formal framework of rights for all public school students in West Virginia. It directly affects every student by guaranteeing access to meaningful education, safe facilities, free expression (including speech and assembly), and the right to participate in curriculum development. Key mechanisms include requiring schools to provide written copies of the Student Bill of Rights at registration, maintain accessible written policies, and establish clear grievance procedures for complaints. The bill also ensures students can express views without discrimination, receive timely notice of school rules, and access their educational records. These provisions aim to standardize student protections across all public schools in the state.

Maddy summaryHB 5062 creates the Healthy Moms, Healthy Babies Act to expand Medicaid coverage for pregnant women and infants in West Virginia. It extends postpartum coverage to one year (up from the previous standard), increases reimbursement rates for prenatal/delivery care to at least $600, and adds coverage for depression screening, self-measured blood pressure monitoring, remote ultrasounds, and doula services. The bill directly affects low-income pregnant women and newborns whose family incomes are at or below 185% of the federal poverty level. Key provisions include requiring Medicaid to cover specific services like fetal monitoring and gestational diabetes management without bundled payments, and ensuring continuous eligibility for one year after pregnancy regardless of income changes.

Maddy summaryHB 5132 replaces West Virginia's 180-day school year requirement with a new system based on minimum daily instructional hours. It sets specific daily hour requirements: 315 minutes for K-5, 330 minutes for 6-8, and 345 minutes for 9-12, counting instructional time and related school activities. The bill allows counties to use "equivalent time" gained by extending school days to cover weather closures or schedule teacher planning days, while still meeting the total hour requirement. This change directly affects all public K-12 schools and students across West Virginia by shifting focus from calendar days to measured instructional time.

Maddy summaryHB 5114 would remove the state sales tax on gun safes and specific firearm safety devices. This change applies directly to consumers purchasing these items, making them tax-exempt under West Virginia's sales tax code. The bill amends Section 11-15-9 of the tax code to explicitly add these products to the list of exempt items. It creates a concrete policy change by eliminating a tax burden on these safety products.

Maddy summaryHB 5076 prohibits tax preparation software companies from charging fees to West Virginia taxpayers for electronically filing state tax returns. The bill directly affects software developers and vendors (including online platforms) that provide tax preparation tools, banning them from adding fees for e-filing services. Key provisions define "electronic filing" as internet-based submission and require all authorized tax returns to be filed without added costs. This policy change ensures taxpayers pay no extra fee specifically for using software to submit their state tax returns electronically. The bill applies to all taxpayers liable for West Virginia personal income tax.

Maddy summaryHB 5078 creates a refundable state child tax credit for West Virginia residents who claim the federal child tax credit for eligible children. The credit equals 50% of the federal child and dependent care tax credit amount claimed on the federal return, directly supporting working families with children. For tax years starting January 1, 2025, any credit amount exceeding the resident's state income tax liability is refunded to the individual. This policy change expands state support for families already qualifying for the federal credit, aiming to reduce child poverty and bolster local economies.

Maddy summaryHB 5145 establishes a state-sponsored portable insurance benefit plan in West Virginia for independent contractors. Hiring parties (businesses engaging contractors) may voluntarily contribute to the plan, but these contributions cannot be used to determine employment classification or establish workers' compensation liability. Benefits remain tied to the individual contractor, not a specific hiring party, ensuring coverage continuity when switching between employers. The plan aims to provide consistent health insurance access for gig economy workers while legally protecting businesses from misclassification claims.

Maddy summaryHB 5137 would exempt county school buses from paying toll fees when used for regular school activities. Specifically, it covers buses transporting students to and from school, school-related events (like field trips and sports), and maintenance driving. The bill applies only to buses operated by county school systems within their regular school operations. This change would directly affect school districts and bus drivers by eliminating toll costs for these essential transportation services.

Maddy summaryHouse Bill 5147 would require the full text of proposed constitutional amendments to be printed on official ballots in West Virginia elections, replacing the current requirement that only includes a title and summary. This change would add the complete wording of each amendment - such as any struck-through or underlined language - to the ballot, allowing voters to review the exact text they are voting on. The bill applies to all constitutional amendment proposals submitted to voters during state elections. Currently, ballots list only a title and summary, so this would provide greater transparency about the specific changes being considered.

Maddy summaryHB 5082 requires West Virginia correctional facilities, regional jails, and juvenile detention centers to provide free feminine hygiene products (tampons and sanitary napkins) to female inmates and female juveniles upon request, with delivery within eight hours. The bill amends existing laws to explicitly mandate this provision, ensuring no cost to individuals who menstruate while incarcerated. This policy change applies directly to all female individuals in state custody who require these products, addressing a basic health need without financial burden.