Del. Lori Dittman

Maddy summaryHB 4729 requires West Virginia's Secretary of State to issue state tax identification numbers to businesses during registration, replacing the current process handled by the State Tax Department. This affects all new and existing businesses registering in West Virginia, as they would receive their tax ID number directly from the Secretary of State's office after July 1, 2026. The bill creates a "one-stop" online portal for businesses to handle permits, fees, and tax-related filings (though not tax payments or returns), with the Secretary of State coordinating with the Tax Department to obtain and issue the tax IDs. The change streamlines business registration by centralizing this step under the Secretary of State’s office.

Maddy summaryHB 4727 would increase all state teacher salaries in West Virginia by 25% across every salary scale and experience level, effective for the 2024-2025 school year. It directly affects all public school teachers paid under the state minimum salary schedule, including those with varying certifications (like A.B., M.A., or special education) and years of experience. The bill amends the existing salary schedule by adding 25% to every base salary figure shown in the table, such as raising a 0-year experience 4th Class teacher's salary from $39,057 to approximately $48,821. This is a direct pay increase applied uniformly to all teacher classifications without changing certification requirements or adding new benefit categories.

Maddy summaryHB 4655 expands West Virginia's Laken's Law to require annual substance abuse education about fentanyl, heroin, and opioids for students in grades 3-12, instead of the current 6-12 range. The bill mandates that all public schools teach five specific topics annually, including awareness of opioids, use of opioid reversal agents, prevention of addiction, community resources, and health education on youth substance use. This expansion would take effect for grades 3-5 starting in the 2026-2027 school year, while the existing grades 6-12 requirement continues. The law directly affects all public school students in these grade levels through mandated classroom instruction.

Maddy summaryHB 4654 would require West Virginia school districts to pay teachers in grades 7-12 an additional $25 per day for each student in their class beyond 30 students, directly affecting teachers with larger class sizes. This supplemental payment applies to core academic classes (excluding physical education, band, chorus, strings, theater, dance, and other artistic performance classes). The bill amends the state's teacher salary schedule to add this per-student payment on top of existing base pay. Exceptions ensure arts and physical education teachers are not subject to this class-size-based increase.

Maddy summaryHB 4657 would allow West Virginia public employees to count unused sick leave toward their retirement benefits. Currently, members who joined the West Virginia Public Employees Retirement System after July 1, 2015, cannot use sick leave for retirement credit; this bill would remove that restriction for all members. The bill specifies that each unused sick leave day would count as two workdays toward retirement credit, with credit calculated in monthly increments (20 workdays per month, and 10 or more additional workdays counting as a full month). It directly affects public employees with unused sick leave who are members of the retirement system.

Maddy summaryHB 4658 would add a new pay increment for teachers with a Master's degree plus 60 credits (or equivalent) to West Virginia's teacher salary schedule, which currently only includes increments up to Master's plus 15. The bill establishes a base salary amount for this category and an additional $69 per year of experience (up to 35 years), matching the structure of existing increments like "A.B. + 30" and "M.A. + 15." This change would directly increase pay for teachers meeting this specific qualification, including those with a Master's degree and 60 additional credits beyond the degree. The bill does not affect the existing "Bachelor’s Plus 30" increment, which is already listed in the current salary schedule.

Maddy summaryHB 4646, the Remote Schools Support Act, provides targeted financial support to "extremely remote schools" in West Virginia to help maintain operations. It requires state funding for building operations, extreme weather preparedness, and professional development for staff at these schools, while prohibiting county boards from closing them. The bill defines "extremely remote schools" and mandates reporting to the Local Office of County Education Accountability (LOCEA). It also establishes a waiver process for schools meeting specific criteria, ensuring these isolated schools receive additional state aid to address unique challenges.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires West Virginia's wildlife director to propose new rules for hunting antlered deer. The proposed rules would limit licensed hunters to harvesting two antlered deer per season, with the second deer needing at least three points on one antler. These rules would directly affect all hunters with valid deer hunting licenses in West Virginia.

Maddy summaryHB 4567 requires retailers to verify the age of customers purchasing vape products by checking government-issued photo ID (like a driver's license or passport) for in-person sales to anyone appearing under 30, and using independent third-party verification services for online orders. The law directly affects all vape retailers (both physical stores and online sellers) and prohibits sales to anyone under 21. Key mechanisms include mandatory ID checks for in-person transactions and electronic age verification for remote purchases, modeled after requirements for prescription drugs. Violations may result in criminal or non-monetary penalties as specified in the bill.

Maddy summaryHJR 19 proposes a constitutional amendment to allow local governments (counties, municipalities) to approve additional tax increases specifically for fire protection and emergency medical services (EMS) with a simple majority vote (50% plus one vote) instead of the current 60% requirement for all other tax increases. This change would apply only to levies limited exclusively to fire/EMS funding, with a three-year maximum duration and a cap preventing increases from exceeding 50% above existing tax rates. The amendment requires voter approval in the 2026 general election and leaves the 60% threshold unchanged for all other tax increases. It does not alter existing tax exemptions or revenue distribution rules.