Del. Elías Coop-González

Maddy summaryHB 2445 removes qualified immunity for West Virginia law enforcement officers who use excessive force or act negligently during no-knock warrant executions. The bill requires courts to review officer actions if they cause injury, death, or psychological harm through reckless, negligent, or knowingly illegal conduct - such as using excessive force or failing to follow proper procedures. Courts must also examine whether the officer's agency provided adequate training for such situations, potentially making the agency liable for the officer's actions. This change means officers and their departments could face personal financial or legal consequences in lawsuits when misconduct occurs during no-knock warrants.

Maddy summaryHB 2517 would eliminate mandatory vaccination requirements for students entering West Virginia schools and state-regulated child care centers. Currently, children must provide proof of specific immunizations (including measles, polio, and whooping cough) to enroll; this bill removes that requirement, making immunizations voluntary. The key mechanism is amending state law to replace mandatory vaccination with a voluntary system, eliminating the need for vaccination certificates for school entry. This directly affects all students entering public, private, or parochial schools and child care centers in West Virginia. The bill does not change medical exemption processes or vaccine access for low-income families.

Maddy summaryHB 2461 prohibits the sale, use, or distribution of abortifacients - drugs primarily used to cause abortion, including those requiring a prescription under FDA guidelines or not FDA-approved for that purpose. It directly affects healthcare providers, pharmacies, and anyone supplying such drugs within West Virginia, including out-of-state entities mailing or shipping them into the state. Key provisions establish criminal penalties for violations and allow private lawsuits against those providing abortifacients. The bill defines "abortifacient" broadly while excluding terms like miscarriage or stillbirth from its scope, and specifies that medical emergencies requiring abortion must involve serious risk of death or life-threatening impairment.

Maddy summaryHB 2525 requires all West Virginia public elementary and secondary schools to display a durable poster or framed copy of the Ten Commandments in every classroom starting in the 2025-2026 school year. The display must be at least 16 inches wide by 20 inches tall, include the exact biblical text listed in the bill (including the full wording from "I AM the LORD thy God" to "nor anything that is thy neighbor's"), and be visible from anywhere in the classroom. Schools must accept private donations meeting these specifications if they lack compliant displays, and may replace non-compliant existing displays using public funds or donations. The bill directly affects all public K-12 schools in West Virginia, mandating a specific religious text in every classroom.

Maddy summaryHCR 33 is a concurrent resolution proposing that Spruce Knob - the highest point in West Virginia (elevation 4,863 feet) - be renamed "Trump Mountain" as a tribute to President Donald J. Trump. The resolution asks the U.S. Board on Geographic Names to consider this name change five years after Trump’s death, citing his electoral support in the state and policy achievements like tax cuts and coal industry advocacy. It does not change the name immediately but formally requests federal consideration of the renaming. The resolution affects the symbolic recognition of a geographic feature and honors Trump’s legacy, as stated in the resolution’s preamble.

Maddy summaryThis bill removes schools, public libraries, and museums from legal exemptions that currently protect them from criminal prosecution when distributing or displaying legally obscene material to minors. Under current law, these institutions could avoid charges if they followed specific conditions (like having a parent present for minors at libraries), but the bill eliminates these protections entirely. The change means these organizations could now face criminal liability for such actions without the previous safeguards. This policy shift directly affects how these public institutions handle materials legally defined as obscene when minors are involved.

Maddy summaryHB 2150 requires all West Virginia public and private schools to add a new "Baby Olivia Act" human growth and development curriculum focused on pregnancy and fetal development ("human development inside the womb") to health education courses for grades 6-12. The bill mandates specific teaching methods for this content and authorizes the Attorney General to sue schools that violate the new curriculum requirements. It directly affects all West Virginia schools offering health education, requiring them to adopt this specific curriculum by amending existing health education standards. The bill does not change other health education topics like STD prevention or substance abuse, which remain part of the curriculum.

Maddy summaryHB 2151 requires all publicly-funded medical schools in West Virginia to teach specific life-saving medical procedures, including abortion pill reversal (a method to potentially counteract abortion medication within 72 hours), ectopic pregnancy treatment, miscarriage management, and perinatal hospice care. The bill defines these terms and mandates that schools incorporate them into standard curricula. Publicly-funded medical schools that fail to comply may lose state funding after review by the Legislative Oversight Commission on Education Accountability. The legislation claims these teachings are necessary for public health and safety, focusing on evidence-based practices for high-risk pregnancies and prenatal care.