Del. Dean Jeffries

Maddy summaryHR 9 is a ceremonial resolution honoring the late West Virginia House Delegate Douglas John Skaff Jr. It expresses the House of Delegates' condolences to his family and commemorates his service, including his roles as a delegate representing multiple districts and as Minority Leader. The resolution has no policy impact - it is purely symbolic, acknowledging his career in public service, business, and community leadership. It was unanimously adopted by the House on February 5, 2026, the same day it was introduced.

Maddy summaryHB 5215 limits landowner liability when all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) are operated for recreational purposes on their property. It specifically protects landowners from legal responsibility if the ATV use qualifies as "noncommercial recreational activity" under the bill - meaning no charge exceeding $50 per year per participant is collected. The law defines "recreational purposes" to explicitly include ATV riding, while excluding commercial operations or activities charging more than the $50 annual limit. This policy change modifies West Virginia's liability laws to shield landowners from lawsuits related to ATV accidents during permitted recreational use.

Maddy summaryHB 5113 requires healthcare providers in West Virginia to ask patients in advance if they consent to being treated by a medical resident (a doctor in training) or having a resident observe a procedure during routine appointments. If a patient declines, the appointment must be rescheduled with a licensed physician instead, applying only to non-emergency situations. This bill directly affects patients seeking routine care and healthcare facilities, ensuring they can choose their primary provider. Emergency or urgent care is exempt from this requirement, as stated in the bill's provisions.

Maddy summaryHB 5111 prohibits all public and private higher education institutions in West Virginia from requiring vaccines as a condition for student enrollment, faculty or staff employment, or participation in campus activities. The bill bans institutions from offering rewards for vaccinations and requires that any free vaccines provided on campus must include informed consent. It also ensures students, faculty, and staff cannot be denied access to educational programs or jobs solely due to declining vaccination. The law applies immediately upon passage and does not prevent institutions from offering free vaccines with consent.

Maddy summaryHB 5112 prohibits any West Virginia law from requiring residents to receive or use medical products, such as vaccines or treatments. It directly affects all West Virginia residents and ensures no penalties (like fines) or loss of benefits (such as services or programs) can be imposed for refusing a medical product or declining to disclose its use. The bill amends health code §16-3-1 to state that no law may coerce medical product use, penalize refusal, or deny benefits based on refusal or disclosure. This applies broadly to all medical products under state law, not limited to specific treatments. The law would override existing or future state mandates requiring medical products during public health emergencies.

Maddy summaryHB 5097 requires West Virginia hospitals to provide effective communication assistance for deaf and hard of hearing patients and their families. Specifically, hospitals without an on-staff American Sign Language (ASL) interpreter must offer technology solutions like hearing loops, captioning services, or video relay systems. The bill mandates that any ASL interpreters used must be approved by the West Virginia Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. Noncompliance can be reported to licensing authorities, and the law takes effect upon passage. This directly affects all hospitals operating under West Virginia's healthcare regulations serving patients with hearing or speech impairments.

Maddy summaryHB 5099 requires courts to order defendants convicted of DUI causing death to pay monthly child support for the victim's child until age 18 or high school graduation. This directly affects children who lost a parent or guardian to a DUI-related death and defendants sentenced for such offenses. The bill mandates courts to set reasonable payment amounts considering the child's needs, guardian's resources, and other factors, while offsetting payments by any existing civil judgment for the same accident. The law takes effect July 1, 2026, and applies only to offenses committed on or after that date.

Maddy summaryThis is a symbolic House Resolution (not a bill), introduced by multiple West Virginia delegates. It designates the month of June as "Fidelity Month" to promote the values of faith, family, and patriotism across the state. The resolution cites declining support for these values in polling and research, and calls for the state to "rededicate" itself to them during June. It has no binding policy requirements or direct impact on specific groups; it is purely a commemorative gesture.

Maddy summaryThis West Virginia House resolution states that the U.S. national debt (over $38 trillion in 2026) poses a national security threat, citing foreign debt ownership, projected Social Security/Medicare shortfalls, and warnings from military/intelligence leaders. It urges Congress to establish regular budgeting procedures but does not create new laws or alter federal spending. As a symbolic resolution, it has no direct legal effect on national debt policy or federal budgets. The resolution focuses on raising awareness rather than implementing concrete changes.

Maddy summaryHB 4489 allows West Virginia's Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to issue birth, death, marriage, and divorce records currently held by the State Registrar. The DMV must follow the State Registrar's rules when issuing these records and can collect fees for them, which must be sent monthly to the State Registrar. The bill requires the DMV and the Division of Health and Human Resources to create a Memorandum of Understanding to implement this service. This change directly affects residents needing vital records and state agencies managing vital statistics.