Rep. Jeff Stephens

Maddy summaryHCR 45 is a concurrent resolution requesting the West Virginia Division of Highways name bridge number 16-013/00-000.60(16A081) - located at 39.05032, -78.99304 (New Buzzard Ford Bridge over the South Branch Potomac River in Hardy County) - the "Charlotte Denise Seymour Hill Memorial Bridge." The bill directs the Division of Highways to install signs identifying the bridge with this name, commemorating Charlotte Denise Seymour Hill, a Moorefield High School teacher and community member who died in 2024. This is a procedural naming resolution with no direct policy impact beyond the bridge designation.

Maddy summaryHCR 100 is a non-binding request to the Joint Committee on Government and Finance to study hospital pricing transparency and cooperative agreements in West Virginia. The resolution asks the committee to examine current hospital price disclosure requirements, compliance with transparency laws, hospital mergers' impact on pricing, and the role of federal oversight agencies. This study will assess whether current policies foster competition, reduce healthcare costs, and improve patient outcomes. The committee is required to report findings and potential legislative recommendations to the Legislature by 2026.

Maddy summaryThis symbolic resolution designates November 7th annually as "Pastor Appreciation Day" in West Virginia. It honors clergy members for their community service, spiritual leadership, and roles in life events like weddings, funerals, and disaster response. The resolution does not create new laws, funding, or obligations - it serves solely as ceremonial recognition. It affects no specific individuals or policies, as it is a non-binding declaration of appreciation.

Maddy summaryThis concurrent resolution requests the West Virginia Division of Highways name Bridge Number 16-055/00-011.96 (locally known as the Moorefield Interchange) in Hardy County as the "Ray William Sherman Memorial Bridge." It directs the Division to install signage identifying the bridge with this name. The resolution commemorates Ray William Sherman, a veteran who served in the Korean and Vietnam wars and later worked as a carpenter and instructor. This is a ceremonial naming resolution with no substantive policy changes.

Maddy summaryHCR 88 is a ceremonial resolution honoring two West Virginia first responders nominated for the Medal of Valor. It specifically recognizes Captain Donald Lawson (New Martinsville Police) for rescuing two people from carbon monoxide poisoning despite his own hospitalization, and Darrell Lambert (Lake Volunteer Firefighter) for entering a burning building without protective gear to save a trapped resident, sustaining burns in the process. The resolution formally confirms the Legislature's approval of their award and directs the House Clerk to send a copy to Governor Morrisey. This is a symbolic honor with no new policy or funding changes, directly affecting only these two nominees. It passed unanimously in both chambers on April 3, 2025.

Maddy summaryHCR 44 is a commemorative resolution requesting the West Virginia Division of Highways rename Ashton Woods Bridge (located at CR 055/20 over US 48X in Hardy County) as the "U.S. Army SP4 Charles W. Wolfe Memorial Bridge." It honors Corporal Charles W. Wolfe, a WWII veteran who served from 1942-1946, lived in Hardy County his entire life, worked for the West Virginia Department of Agriculture, and died in 1981. The resolution also asks for signage identifying the bridge with this new name. As a ceremonial resolution, it involves no policy changes or funding, solely commemorating a local veteran’s service.

Maddy summaryThis resolution requests that the West Virginia Division of Highways name a specific segment of Route 20 in Webster County (from the Upshur/Webster County line to Mount Zion Road) as the "U.S. Army Sergeant Major Charles Grant Hoke Memorial Road." It commemorates Sergeant Major Charles Grant Hoke, a WWII and Korean War veteran with multiple military awards, who was born in Upshur County and raised in Cleveland, Webster County. The resolution asks the Division of Highways to install signs identifying this road segment and directs the House Clerk to forward the resolution to the agency. This is a commemorative measure with no funding or policy changes, directly affecting the named road segment in Webster County.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires all legal actions against the West Virginia Secondary School Activities Commission (WVSSAC) to be filed exclusively in Kanawha County, West Virginia. It mandates 30 days’ written notice before filing such lawsuits and establishes procedures for delivering this notice. The bill does not alter WVSSAC’s operational rules but changes the venue and notice requirements for lawsuits brought against the commission. This procedural change directly affects anyone seeking to file a lawsuit against WVSSAC.

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 3304 (West Virginia House Bill 3304) directs the state to create four patriotic statues commemorating the 250th anniversary of the U.S. founding. The bill establishes a state commission (chaired by the Tourism Secretary) to oversee construction of these statues in each of West Virginia's four geographic regions, requiring completion by the 2026 anniversary date. The statues must honor both U.S. history and West Virginia's heritage, with construction to follow state purchasing laws. This is a procedural bill focused on commemorative monuments, not policy changes.