Del. Jeff Stephens

Maddy summaryHB 2474 would increase the minimum monthly pay for all West Virginia state school service personnel by 25% across every salary grade. This affects non-teaching school support staff, including aides, custodians, cafeteria workers, and other classified roles listed in the bill's pay scale schedule. The bill amends existing law to set new minimum pay rates effective July 1, 2024, applying the 25% increase uniformly to all existing pay grades (A-H) and experience levels. The change directly affects thousands of state school support workers by raising their baseline compensation.

Maddy summaryHB 2483 allows West Virginia county school boards to remove students deemed "chronically disruptive" from public schools for one year and provide their parents or guardians with a proportional share of the student's education funding. A student is defined as chronically disruptive if they commit physical abuse plus four or more verbal abuse incidents (as verified by educators), with different requirements for elementary vs. secondary grades. Parents must use the funds solely for the student's homeschooling or approved alternative education, and misuse incurs a 15% penalty. The student must be reevaluated after one year for potential return to public school, and the policy excludes foster care or state wards.

Maddy summaryHB 2149 requires tow operators, repair facilities, and salvage yards to implement specific safety protocols for damaged electric vehicles (EVs) to prevent fire hazards. The bill mandates that damaged EVs be towed to offsite locations for inspection (checking for battery leaks or structural damage), transported on flatbeds (or at under 5 mph if wheels turn), and stored with a 50-foot separation from combustibles or physical barriers like earth/concrete. These rules, to be enforced by the Division of Motor Vehicles and State Fire Marshal, directly affect businesses handling damaged EVs by standardizing safety procedures for transportation, storage, and repair. The law responds to fire risks linked to damaged EV batteries, particularly in states with higher EV adoption.

Maddy summaryThis bill proposes a constitutional amendment to lock the assessed value of a primary residence for West Virginia homeowners aged 65 or older. It would prevent future property tax increases based on rising market values by fixing the taxable value at either the age the owner turned 65 or the date they purchased the home - whichever occurred later. The amendment, if approved by voters in 2026, would replace current rules requiring periodic statewide reappraisals for these properties. It directly affects senior homeowners who occupy their property as a primary residence and are subject to ad valorem property taxes.

Maddy summaryHB 2183 creates a state loan program for local airports to fund hangar construction. It authorizes the West Virginia Division of Multimodal Transportation to provide loans (not grants) to counties, municipalities, and regional airport authorities for hangar facilities. The bill establishes a pilot program with eligibility criteria including site readiness, economic impact, and market demand, and requires annual reports to the Joint Committee on Government and Finance. This policy directly affects local airports seeking capital for hangar infrastructure, aiming to support aviation-related economic development in the state.