Maddy summaryHB 3341 expands workers' compensation coverage for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among first responders in West Virginia. It allows specific licensed mental health professionals - such as psychologists, licensed counselors, and psychiatric nurse practitioners - to diagnose PTSD as a compensable injury, rather than restricting it to psychiatrists alone. Employers must elect to cover PTSD under their workers' compensation policies, and claims must be filed within three years of diagnosis. The law applies only to diagnoses made on or after July 1, 2021, and expires on July 1, 2026, unless extended by the legislature. This directly affects law enforcement officers, firefighters, EMTs, and emergency dispatchers who develop PTSD from work-related traumatic events.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summaryHB 3077 creates a tax credit for West Virginia employers who hire interns or apprentices in high-demand fields like manufacturing, healthcare, IT, and skilled trades (e.g., electricians, welders). Employers receive a 50% credit on wages paid (up to $10,000 per trainee annually), with a maximum $150,000 total credit per business yearly. The credit excludes retail, food service, administrative roles, and non-technical positions. Employers must apply for certification through the West Virginia Department of Economic Development to claim the credit and report trainee details annually.
Maddy summaryThis bill (HB 3323) requires healthcare providers, law enforcement, and emergency responders to report overdose data within 24 hours to the Office of Drug Control Policy. The collected data will populate a public dashboard tracking non-fatal and fatal overdoses, opioid antagonist use, drug types, and treatment outcomes - including location, demographics, and trends - to inform resource allocation and program effectiveness. It does not expand diversion programs to include felonies, as mistakenly implied in the title; the actual provisions focus solely on overdose reporting and data transparency. The bill mandates a daily-updated public dashboard with visualizations, including overdose hotspots and medication-assisted treatment coordination. This policy change directly affects hospitals, first responders, and law enforcement agencies by requiring standardized data reporting.
Maddy summaryHB 3214, the Mountain Homes Act, creates a state-funded program to support housing construction for workers in West Virginia. It establishes the Mountain Homes Fund, which provides loan guarantees to eligible business entities (like developers or private partners) to finance housing projects. To access funds, applicants must submit detailed applications meeting specific criteria, and projects must align with the fund's purpose of addressing housing needs for the workforce as the state's economy diversifies. The Department of Economic Development administers the program, requires annual reporting to the Governor and legislature, and prohibits use of funds for certain purposes like luxury housing.
Maddy summaryHB 2369 amends West Virginia law to limit parents to one improvement period per child in abuse or neglect cases where a child is in foster care. It requires the state to seek termination of parental rights if a parent fails to complete this single improvement period, which is the final opportunity to address issues before rights can be terminated. The bill clarifies that courts may not grant additional improvement periods after the first one, directly affecting parents whose children have been removed due to abuse, neglect, or other specified circumstances. This change streamlines proceedings by removing repeated extensions, ensuring cases move toward resolution more promptly.
Maddy summaryThis House Resolution (HR 8) is a symbolic request from the West Virginia House of Delegates asking Congress to pass the federal National Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act (HR 38). It states that West Virginia residents with valid concealed carry permits should be able to carry concealed weapons in any state that allows concealed carry, without needing to verify if that state recognizes their West Virginia permit. The resolution does not change any laws itself but urges Congress to enact HR 38, which would require all states to honor out-of-state concealed carry permits, similar to how driver's licenses are recognized across state lines. It directly affects West Virginia permit holders traveling to other states.
Maddy summaryHB 3138 would create a 25-foot buffer zone around first responders (including police, firefighters, and emergency medical personnel) while they are lawfully performing their duties. It makes it unlawful to approach within 25 feet after receiving a verbal warning, specifically to impede their work, threaten them with harm, or harass them. Violators would face misdemeanor charges with fines of $50-$500 or up to one year in jail. The bill directly affects anyone near first responders during emergency operations and aims to protect them from interference. (Note: The bill is in early stages, having been introduced on March 4, 2025.)
Maddy summaryHB 3143, the Workforce-Education Partnership Act, allows West Virginia business owners to contract employees to participate in vocational programs or high school classes while keeping them on payroll. Business owners receive a tax credit equal to 100% of the employee’s wages during participation, capped at $50,000 per business annually and $5 million statewide. The program requires written agreements between businesses and schools, ensures employees retain all benefits (including workers’ compensation), and prohibits replacing certified teachers in core subjects. It limits tax credits to one academic year per employee per tax year and mandates state approval for claims.
Maddy summaryHCR 49 is a West Virginia legislative resolution (not a bill) requesting the Maryland General Assembly reject proposed changes to the North Branch Potomac River's water classification. It argues that designating the river as "Cold Water Aquatic Life" (instead of "Warm Water") would require West Virginia industrial facilities to install costly thermal controls like cooling towers to meet stricter discharge standards, imposing unnecessary costs. The resolution claims this would violate the U.S. Constitution's dormant commerce clause by unduly burdening interstate commerce, citing Supreme Court precedents like *Sporhase v. Nebraska*. It asks Maryland to withdraw the proposal and directs West Virginia's Attorney General to investigate the constitutional issues. (Note: This is a procedural resolution, not a law affecting policy changes.)
Maddy summaryHB 3140 requires West Virginia government agencies to create and maintain a public online database tracking all Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests and outcomes. It directly affects public bodies (like state agencies) that handle FOIA requests, mandating they redact requesters' names and contact information from the database - except in specific cases like government officials' requests, public interest overrides, or explicit consent. The bill requires the Secretary of State to update all public FOIA databases within 90 days of enactment to comply with these redaction rules, and failure to redact personal details would trigger penalties under existing law. This changes how agencies currently manage FOIA request records by standardizing public access while protecting requester privacy.