Del. Lori Dittman

Maddy summaryHB 2488 directs West Virginia's Department of Transportation (WV DOT) to study the feasibility, costs, and effectiveness of installing suicide safety measures on the New River Gorge Bridge. The study must consult the Bridge Day Commission to ensure safety measures won't disrupt annual Bridge Day events and assess federal funding opportunities. WV DOT must submit a report to the Joint Committee on Government and Finance by December 31, 2025, using state road funds, grants, or partnerships. This bill mandates a study only - it does not require installing safety systems or allocate permanent funding.

Maddy summaryHB 2507 would change West Virginia law to allow Tier 2 teachers (those who joined the retirement system after June 1988) to use their full accrued annual and sick leave to extend health insurance coverage after retirement, rather than the current half-credit system. Currently, Tier 1 teachers (who joined before July 1988) receive full credit for their leave, while Tier 2 teachers only get half. The bill would align treatment for both groups by eliminating the reduced credit for Tier 2 teachers. This directly affects current and future Tier 2 teachers by improving their post-retirement health insurance benefits.

Maddy summaryHB 2122 would exempt specific infant and hygiene products from West Virginia's sales tax. It defines "diapers" as disposable absorbent products for infants/toddlers or people with incontinence, "feminine hygiene products" as items like tampons and menstrual cups for biological women, and "infant products" as baby bottles, formula, and car seats. The bill removes sales tax liability for these items at the point of purchase. This directly affects consumers who buy these products, reducing their out-of-pocket costs. The policy change is limited to the defined products and does not alter other tax obligations.

Maddy summaryHB 2438 amends West Virginia law to remove the gender restriction in the state convict road force program, making all state inmates - regardless of sex - eligible to work on state road construction and maintenance projects. The bill changes existing law (§17-5-1) that previously limited eligibility to "all male persons convicted of a felony" by removing that language. This directly affects all incarcerated individuals serving felony sentences who may be assigned to road work under the supervision of the state Highway Commissioner. The key provision updates the statutory language to ensure gender-neutral eligibility for this labor program.

Maddy summaryHB 2519 raises minimum monthly salaries for West Virginia school service personnel by $900 effective July 1, 2023-2026. The bill updates the State Minimum Pay Scale Pay Grade Schedule, setting new minimum pay levels for all service employees working over 3.5 hours daily (with part-time staff receiving half the rate). It directly affects school support staff like custodians, cafeteria workers, and maintenance personnel across the state. The policy creates a concrete, uniform salary increase tied to years of experience, with specific pay amounts detailed in the updated schedule.

Maddy summaryHB 2512 creates three distinct job classifications for school bus operators in West Virginia public schools: Bus Operator I, Bus Operator II, and Bus Operator III. The bill establishes separate pay scales for each title based on years of employment, replacing the current single classification for all bus operators. This directly affects school bus drivers statewide by changing their job titles and salary structures under state law. The policy change modifies existing sections of the West Virginia Code to define these new classifications and their corresponding compensation levels.