Del. Clay Riley

Maddy summaryHB 4505 requires every West Virginia county school board to employ at least one full-time school nurse at each public school serving kindergarten through seventh grade. The requirement applies for every 1,500 students enrolled (or major fraction thereof), with counties able to contract with public health departments for equivalent services if approved. County boards may apply for state funds to cover costs exceeding the basic nurse requirement, particularly for students with specialized health needs. The bill also mandates that nurses be licensed registered professionals and outlines training standards for school employees who may assist with certain health procedures under supervision.

Maddy summaryHB 4401 would lower the taxable wage base for unemployment insurance from $9,500 to $8,500 per employee per year. This means employers in West Virginia would pay unemployment taxes only on the first $8,500 of wages paid to each employee annually, rather than the current $9,500 threshold. The bill directly affects all West Virginia employers contributing to the state's unemployment insurance fund. It modifies the calculation method under West Virginia law for determining taxable wages, without changing unemployment benefit amounts or eligibility.

Maddy summaryHB 4400 updates procurement rules for technology and technical infrastructure purchases by West Virginia state agencies and local governments. It raises the threshold requiring competitive bidding for technology services from $25,000 to $250,000, allowing agencies to handle smaller tech purchases internally. The bill also permits local governments to enter multi-year technology service agreements with proper justification and requires reporting if multiple contracts with the same vendor exceed limits within 12 months. These changes aim to streamline tech procurement while maintaining oversight for larger purchases.

Maddy summaryHB 4482 would update West Virginia’s tax rates for e-cigarettes, e-cigarette liquids, vaping systems, and related accessories, while increasing penalties for tax violations. The bill specifically targets sellers and manufacturers of these products by raising excise tax rates and imposing stricter financial penalties for non-compliance. It amends the state’s tobacco tax code (§11-17-4b) to explicitly cover vaping devices and components, replacing outdated language. This directly affects businesses selling e-cigarettes and vaping products within West Virginia. The bill is currently in the House Finance Committee for review.

Maddy summaryHB 4379 allows West Virginia's Public Service Commission (PSC) to approve faster cost recovery for electric utilities building or upgrading specific advanced transmission technologies. It directly affects utilities investing in projects that improve grid capacity, efficiency, reliability, or safety - such as advanced conductors, dynamic line rating, or power flow controls - by enabling them to recover costs through customer rates more quickly than usual. The bill requires the PSC to approve such projects only if they are technically feasible, economically reasonable, and prudent, while also considering impacts on existing investment agreements. This change aims to incentivize grid modernization without altering the PSC's oversight role.

Maddy summaryHB 4389 requires West Virginia's Public Service Commission to prepare and submit a report by December 31, 2026, to the Governor and the Joint Committee on Government and Finance. The report must compare the current cost-of-service rate system with a performance-based rate system, estimating how the latter would affect regulated utilities and customer rates. It does not change existing rate structures but mandates an analysis of potential impacts if a performance-based system were adopted. This bill directly affects utility ratepayers and the state's regulatory process by providing data for future legislative decisions. The bill is procedural, focusing on information gathering rather than implementing new policies.

Maddy summaryHB 4372 allows K-12 teachers, administrators, and support staff in West Virginia to carry concealed firearms if certified as School Protection Officers (SPOs). To qualify, applicants must complete state-developed training (including firearms instruction) through the Department of Homeland Security, meet specific qualifications, and receive county superintendent approval. The bill creates a new SPO designation with mandatory certification requirements, replacing the general prohibition on weapons in schools for these designated staff. This policy change directly affects school employees who pursue SPO certification, altering existing restrictions under §61-7-11a of the West Virginia Code.

Maddy summaryHB 4362 updates governance rules for West Virginia's Municipal Bond Commission. It designates the State Treasurer as commission chairman, requires the Treasurer to provide office space and staff, and increases member per diem rates. The bill mandates quarterly financial statements and annual audits, allows video conferencing for meetings, and permits the commission to enter contracts with financial institutions. It also removes outdated language and makes technical corrections to the commission's operational framework. This procedural bill affects the commission's internal operations but does not change how municipalities access bond financing.

Maddy summaryHB 4361 increases the maximum county solid waste assessment fee from 50 cents to $1.00 per ton for waste disposal. This bill directly affects counties and regional solid waste authorities, which would collect the higher fee from entities disposing of solid waste within their jurisdiction. The fee increase is intended to cover administrative costs, refuse cleanup, litter control programs, and other solid waste management expenses. The bill amends West Virginia Code §7-5-22 to authorize this specific rate adjustment.

Maddy summaryHJR 13 proposes a constitutional amendment to impose a 12-year consecutive term limit for West Virginia state legislators serving in either the House of Delegates or Senate. It would prevent a member from seeking re-election to the same chamber after 12 consecutive years in office (counting six two-year House terms or three four-year Senate terms), resetting the clock if they leave office before reaching the limit. The limit begins counting January 1, 2030, and does not apply to service before that date. Legislators who reach the limit could run for the other chamber or other elected offices. This resolution, if approved by voters, would be designated as "Amendment No. 1" to the state constitution.