Del. Adam Burkhammer

Maddy summaryHB 4377 requires medical providers treating workers for workplace injuries to administer a blood test within 12 hours to check if the worker was drunk or high at the time of the injury. This applies to workers claiming benefits for traumatic injuries occurring during employment. If a worker refuses the test (after being given 15 minutes to reconsider), they lose all workers' compensation benefits for that injury. The law takes effect July 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryHB 4378 expands when West Virginia's Department of Human Services (DHS) must seek termination of parental rights. It requires DHS to pursue termination if a child has been in foster, kinship, or residential care for 15 of the last 22 months; if a court finds severe abuse (abandonment, torture, sexual abuse, chronic abuse); if a parent committed murder/manslaughter against children or serious crimes (e.g., sexual assault, malicious wounding); or if a parent voluntarily stopped contact for 18 months (excluding incarceration, treatment, or military duty). Exceptions allow DHS to delay termination if a child is placed with relatives, if case plans show termination isn't in the child's best interest, or if DHS failed to provide necessary services for family reunification. The bill directly affects parents in child welfare cases and DHS's legal obligations to pursue parental rights termination.

Maddy summaryHB 4351 requires West Virginia's Department of Public Health to create a public awareness campaign about mold risks in indoor spaces. The campaign will provide safety information via the department's website, list resources for health effects and testing, and mandate a five-year review of mold remediation technology. It also establishes rules for mold remediation companies, requiring them to register with the state, prove financial responsibility, and have at least one certified supervisor. All mold remediation in the state must follow the ANSI/IICRC S520 standard or an equivalent approved by the department. The bill directly affects residents exposed to indoor mold, property owners needing remediation, and mold remediation service providers.

Maddy summaryHB 4388 creates a special revenue account to expand in-state residential treatment services for children, aiming to reduce reliance on out-of-state placements. It establishes a commission within the Department of Human Services, including agency leaders from child welfare, behavioral health, education, and juvenile justice, to study current placement practices and develop strategies for improvement. The commission will focus on increasing in-state facility capacity, reducing out-of-state placements (starting with older youth in juvenile justice), and improving coordination among agencies, families, and service providers through collaborative approaches like shared resources and updated placement information systems.

Maddy summaryHB 4394 requires West Virginia's Department of Human Services to publicly release an annual schedule of all adoption subsidy payments planned for the upcoming year by January 1. This affects adoptive families receiving financial assistance for adoption costs, adoption agencies, and the general public seeking transparency about state-funded adoption support. The bill amends state law to mandate this annual public release, replacing the current system where such payment schedules are not routinely shared. The change aims to increase openness about how state funds are allocated for adoption support.

Maddy summaryHB 4356 (introduced January 15, 2026) prohibits requiring licensed physicians or others to perform or assist in irreversible gender reassignment surgery. The bill explicitly states that no medical professional may be compelled to participate in such procedures if they decline for any reason, including personal or medical beliefs. It directly affects healthcare providers in West Virginia who might otherwise face mandates to provide or aid in these surgeries. The law applies only to irreversible procedures defined under existing state code and does not restrict patient access to care.

Maddy summaryThis House Joint Resolution (HJR 17) proposes a constitutional amendment to permit West Virginia's legislature to create laws exempting owner-occupied residential real property from ad valorem taxation. It would allow the legislature to establish exemptions for the value of residential property (including mobile homes) used exclusively as a primary residence by the owner, who must be a state citizen. The amendment includes key limits: only one exemption per household (owner and spouse combined), and future exemption laws must follow specific requirements set by the legislature. This is a procedural constitutional change requiring voter approval in 2028, not an immediate tax removal.

Maddy summaryHB 4385 would cap annual rate increases by West Virginia utility companies (like electricity and gas providers) at a maximum of 5% per year. The bill requires all proposed rate hikes by public utilities to stay within this 5% limit, effective July 1, 2026. This directly affects utility companies and their customers by limiting how much rates can rise annually. The provision applies to all future rate increase requests, replacing any higher proposed increases with the 5% maximum.

Maddy summaryHB 4396 prevents credit card processing fees from being calculated on top of sales tax. It requires merchants to exclude state and local sales taxes, hotel occupancy taxes, alcohol taxes, and rental vehicle surcharges from the transaction amount used to calculate credit card interchange fees. Payment networks must either deduct the tax amount from processing fees at settlement or provide a proportional rebate to merchants. This directly affects merchants who accept credit cards and payment networks that handle transaction settlements.

Maddy summaryHB 2866 allows local governments to adjust fees for municipal fire services without needing new legislation. It directly affects residents who pay fire service fees and local governments that collect these charges. The bill establishes a process for municipalities to set or modify these fees based on operational costs, ensuring they align with service delivery needs. This change simplifies fee adjustments, making it easier for communities to fund fire protection services. The law took effect upon approval by the governor on April 28, 2025.