Del. Walter Hall

Maddy summaryHCR 78 is a non-binding resolution urging West Virginia's Division of Highways to prioritize completing I-73 (the "King Coal Highway") across Wayne, Mingo, McDowell, Mercer, and Wyoming counties. It requests the highway agency treat the project as a high priority to improve economic development and emergency access, especially after recent flooding exposed transportation challenges in the region. The resolution asks the state to provide necessary funding and executive support to expedite the highway's completion but does not allocate new funds or create new law. It directly affects the Division of Highways and residents of the five specified counties by formally advocating for this infrastructure project.

Maddy summaryHB 3142 allows health benefit plan sponsors (like employers or insurers) to send electronic communications (such as plan updates or notices) to covered persons (employees or plan members) instead of paper, provided they follow specific rules. Before using electronic communication, sponsors must confirm the covered person routinely uses electronic methods, and must give them a clear opportunity to opt out of electronic delivery. The bill requires sponsors to document that all conditions are met before switching to electronic communications. This directly affects employees and plan members covered under health benefit plans in West Virginia, ensuring they retain the choice to receive paper communications. The policy change standardizes electronic communication procedures while preserving consumer choice.

Maddy summaryHCR 67 is a procedural resolution requesting that West Virginia's Division of Highways name a new bridge in Kanawha County the "U.S. Army 2LT Darwin Keith 'Gus' Kyle Memorial Bridge - a Medal of Honor Recipient." The bridge, located over Kanawha Boulevard and Davis Creek on Jefferson Road (County Route 601), will be marked with this commemorative title. The resolution honors Kyle's Medal of Honor service during the Korean War, including his heroic actions at the Hungnam evacuation and his death leading troops in 1951. As a naming resolution, it has no budgetary or regulatory impact - it solely requests a permanent memorial designation.

Maddy summaryHB 2111, the Uniform Mortgage Modification Act, establishes clear rules for modifying existing mortgages in West Virginia. It ensures that when a mortgage is changed (e.g., interest rate or payment terms), the mortgage's priority over the property remains unchanged, and the modification does not create a new contract ("novation"). The law applies to modifications of the mortgage agreement itself, promissory notes, or related security agreements, but excludes changes to property coverage, obligors, or mortgage assignments. It defines key terms like "mortgage" and "modification" to create consistent legal standards across the state. This bill directly affects lenders, borrowers, and courts handling mortgage modifications in West Virginia.

Maddy summaryHCR 72 designates March 20, 2025 as "Black Lung Awareness Day" in West Virginia. It honors coal miners affected by black lung disease (coal worker's pneumoconiosis), a preventable occupational lung condition caused by coal dust exposure. The resolution does not create new laws, funding, or policy changes - it serves as a ceremonial observance recognizing the disease's impact and existing protections like the Black Lung Benefits Act. It follows the Federal Coal Mine Health and Safety Act's emphasis on miner safety without altering current regulations.

Maddy summaryHB 2502 requires West Virginia internet and telecom providers to automatically credit customers for service interruptions lasting five or more days (120 hours) when the outage isn't caused by the customer. Credits must be calculated proportionally to the days without service and applied in the next billing cycle. The Attorney General can enforce this by suing providers for excessive charges and imposing civil penalties up to $5,000 per violation. Providers must also report monthly outage data (including credit amounts and geographic scope) to the Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division, excluding mobile service disruptions.

Maddy summaryHB 3169 prevents unlicensed individuals from referring customers to insurance sellers unless they charge only a small, flat fee ($100 or less) not tied to sales. It requires insurance companies and their vendors to establish safeguards against unethical telemarketing, including banning automated calls without written consent, prohibiting calls to numbers on the federal Do Not Call Registry, blocking false caller ID, and preventing misleading identification as licensed agents. The bill directly affects unlicensed referral services and insurance companies that use third parties for customer outreach. Key provisions mandate specific procedural changes to protect consumers from deceptive telemarketing practices under West Virginia's Insurance Sales Consumer Protection Act.

Maddy summaryHB 2659 creates a new "Class S4N" permit allowing qualified non-profit organizations (under WV Code §31E-1-1) to sell liquor, wine, nonintoxicating beer, and nonintoxicating craft beer at events held exclusively in municipal-approved private outdoor areas. To qualify, non-profits must secure municipal approval for their outdoor space, pay a $1,500 annual fee (prorated in the first year), and submit event dates 60 days in advance. The permit requires operations to stay within municipal-designated outdoor areas and comply with all state alcohol laws. This bill directly affects non-profits seeking to serve alcohol at outdoor events without needing a standard liquor license.

Maddy summaryHB 3496 requires property and casualty insurers in West Virginia to provide written explanations for declining coverage, canceling policies, or refusing renewal. It specifically prohibits denying renewal for policies in force four years or longer solely due to: (1) a single weather-related claim within 36 months, or (2) two such claims within 12 months related to declared emergencies, unless the insured failed to maintain the property. The bill also allows insurers to use Intelligent Mail barcodes for mailings and permits electronic posting of policy notices on insurer websites for policyholder access. These changes directly affect insurers and policyholders by standardizing communication and limiting certain non-renewal practices.

Maddy summaryHB 3381 requires insurance companies operating within holding company systems in West Virginia to annually submit group capital calculations and liquidity stress test results to the lead state insurance commissioner. It mandates that these stress tests follow National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) standards and requires confidential handling of all submitted financial data. The bill also clarifies that affiliates of domestic insurers remain subject to the commissioner's oversight during financial distress and prohibits sharing certain system information with the NAIC. Introduced on March 14, 2025, and referred to the House Finance Committee, this bill aims to strengthen oversight of insurance holding company financial health.