Maddy summaryHB 3150 amends West Virginia's medical student loan program to replace scholarship language with loan repayment terms for health science and mental health providers. It clarifies that medical student loans - maxing at $10,000-$20,000 annually for up to four years - will prioritize West Virginia residents, require service in designated shortage areas, and mandate direct payments from the state commission to federal loan servicers. The bill removes licensure requirements for repayment eligibility and updates definitions to align with current health workforce needs, such as specifying "approved service commitment areas" as locations meeting both geographic and specialty shortages. These changes aim to streamline loan administration and better target support for health professionals in underserved communities.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summaryHB 2688 would exempt overtime pay from West Virginia's personal income tax. The bill directly affects workers who earn overtime wages by removing the tax on that specific income. It adds a new provision (§11-21-12o) to the tax code stating "Overtime pay shall be exempt from the tax imposed by this article." This changes the tax treatment of overtime earnings without altering other tax rules or affecting non-overtime income.
Maddy summaryHCR 40 is a resolution directing West Virginia's Economic Development Authority to identify land near Flatwoods for a tourism and entertainment complex modeled after attractions like Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. It requires the Authority to locate suitable sites, secure funding, and recruit private and public developers to build facilities for tourism, entertainment, and amusement. The bill specifically targets the Flatwoods area near Interstate 79 exit 67, citing its central location and access to major regional cities. This resolution aims to replicate economic benefits seen in neighboring states through new tourism infrastructure, directly affecting Flatwoods and surrounding communities.
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 2737 establishes the Higher Education Health and Aid Grant program, providing funding to West Virginia's public colleges and universities to address student food insecurity and health/hygiene needs. The grant can be used for campus food and health aid pantries, shelf-stable food, and specific health supplies like toiletries, medical items, and hygiene products. Institutions must track inventory and submit detailed spending reports to the Higher Education Policy Commission, with annual impact reports required for the legislature by July 1, 2026. The program becomes effective July 1, 2025, targeting all state institutions with campuses.
Maddy summaryHB 2637 raises the competitive bidding threshold for construction contracts from $25,000 to $50,000 for West Virginia county governments and other local subdivisions (including municipalities and school boards). This means counties no longer need to solicit competitive bids for projects under $50,000, reducing administrative burdens for smaller contracts. The bill amends existing law to update the threshold while maintaining requirements for larger projects (over $50,000) and other provisions like bid bonds and subcontractor disclosure for contracts over $250,000. It directly affects county governments by changing their procurement process for routine construction work.
Maddy summaryHB 2475 raises pay for special education staff in West Virginia. It matches the salary of Special Education Aides (Aide V) to Early Childhood Classroom Assistant Teachers' pay scale and adds a 5% increase for those aides. It also provides a 10% pay increase for self-contained special education teachers. The bill defines a "critical vacancy" as a position needed for student safety or compliance, requiring certified staff to fill such roles immediately until a new hire is secured. This directly affects special education aides and teachers in self-contained classrooms across West Virginia school districts.
Maddy summaryThis bill (HCR 20) is a legislative request to name a specific bridge in Wetzel County, West Virginia, the "U.S. Tustin Brothers Memorial Bridge." It directly affects the Division of Highways, which would be asked to rename bridge number 52-250/00-003.88 (currently known as Stewart Street Bridge) and install identifying signs. The resolution commemorates Vernon and Vincent Tustin, along with five of their brothers, who all served in the U.S. military, including during the Korean Conflict. The request is purely ceremonial, with no new policy or funding changes, and seeks to honor their military service and local legacy.
Maddy summaryHCR 21 is a commemorative resolution requesting the West Virginia Division of Highways rename a specific bridge in Wetzel County. It asks to name bridge number 52-250/12-000.02 (at coordinates 39.68344, -80.45906), currently known as Church Fork Bridge, as the "U.S. Army Private Terry F. Tustin Memorial Bridge." The resolution cites Private Tustin's military service in Vietnam, his long residence in Hundred, West Virginia, and his family ties as reasons for the memorial. The bill directs the Division of Highways to install signs identifying the bridge by its new name. This is a symbolic naming request with no policy changes or funding impact.
Maddy summaryHCR 39 is a concurrent resolution requesting the West Virginia Division of Highways name a specific 0.5-mile stretch of Route 2 in Benwood (Marshall County) as the "Gold Star Mother Catherine Blake Highway." It directs the Division to install signs identifying the roadway with the name and two gold stars, honoring Catherine Blake who lost two sons in World War I - Edward Leo Blake (U.S.S. Cyclops, 1918) and William Thomas Blake (killed in action, 1918). The resolution commemorates Blake as Marshall County's only known "Double Gold Star Mother" and references the local American Legion post named in her sons' honor. This is a commemorative measure with no policy changes, solely focused on naming a highway segment.