Del. Phil Mallow

Maddy summaryHB 3097 prohibits credit services organizations from selling consumer information to third-party financing entities. The bill specifically bans these organizations from furnishing consumer reports for credit transactions not initiated by the consumer. It directly affects credit services organizations and consumers whose data they handle, preventing the sale of personal financial information for external financing purposes. The key provision (section 7 of §46A-6C-3) creates a clear legal barrier against this data-sharing practice.

Maddy summaryHJR 40 proposes a constitutional amendment to change how members of the West Virginia State Board of Education are selected. It would replace the current system of nine appointed members with a hybrid model: five members elected on a partisan basis from five geographic regions (serving staggered four-year terms), and four members appointed by the Governor with Senate consent. The amendment would require the Board to submit any rules or policies they create to the Legislature for review, approval, amendment, or rejection. If approved by voters in the 2026 general election, these changes would take effect with the 2028 general election, modifying the current appointment system for the Board.

Maddy summaryHB 3414 automatically establishes a $100 Smart 529 savings account for every newborn in West Virginia who resides in the state at birth or is adopted by West Virginia residents. The bill requires the Department of Human Services to share birth data with the State Treasurer within 90 days of birth, triggering the grant to cover college costs at eligible institutions. It creates the "Mountaineer Scholars Grant Program," with funds drawn from the Savings Plan Trust Fund to provide one-time grants plus investment earnings for qualified higher education expenses. The program applies to children born after December 31, 2024, and excludes parents who opt out.

Maddy summaryHCR 92 is a non-binding legislative resolution prohibiting compensation for assisting veterans with benefits applications, except as permitted under federal law. It bans charging fees for preparing, presenting, or advising on veterans' benefits claims, guaranteeing specific benefit amounts, or charging excessive fees. The resolution requires written agreements meeting federal fee standards (38 CFR §14.636) before any assistance is provided. It aims to protect veterans from exploitative fees when seeking benefits support.

Maddy summaryHB 3378 establishes a legal expectation of privacy in West Virginia legislators' private offices within the State Capitol or official legislative spaces. It makes it illegal for anyone - including staff, visitors, or journalists - to record audio, video, or electronic communications without the legislator’s prior consent, or to install surveillance devices without written permission. Exceptions include security measures by Capitol personnel, recordings with explicit consent, and court-authorized surveillance. Violating this law would be a felony punishable by up to five years in prison or a $10,000 fine. The bill directly affects legislators, their staff, and anyone entering legislative offices.

Maddy summaryHB 2781 requires West Virginia judicial officers to consider a person's residency status when determining bail for specific misdemeanor offenses. It applies to cases involving violent misdemeanors, offenses against minors, weapons use, drug violations, sexual abuse, serious traffic offenses, or property crimes exceeding $250 in value. The bill mandates judges to evaluate whether the person is a resident of West Virginia or the U.S. as part of "good cause" for release, alongside other factors like community ties and flight risk. This change modifies existing bail procedures by explicitly adding residency as a consideration for these misdemeanor cases. The bill does not alter penalties but affects how bail conditions are set for eligible defendants.

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.

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 2689 requires websites that primarily offer pornography to verify the age of users before allowing access, aiming to prevent minors from viewing such content. It targets commercial entities where pornography constitutes a "substantial portion" of their content, mandating "reasonable" age verification methods. The bill creates civil liability for non-compliance, allowing lawsuits against violators, while exempting internet service providers from liability for hosting content they didn’t create. It defines "minor" as under 18 and "sexual material harmful to minors" using community standards and explicit content criteria. The law provides a five-year statute of limitations for civil actions and excludes certain news organizations from coverage.

Maddy summaryHB 3268 modifies rules governing student transfers for athletic and academic eligibility in West Virginia secondary schools. It requires the West Virginia Secondary School Activities Commission to update its rules regarding athletic eligibility for students transferring between schools and for incoming ninth-grade students' academic eligibility. The bill amends existing statutes to clarify the commission's authority to adjust these rules, directly affecting student-athletes and their eligibility to participate in school sports programs. This is a procedural change to commission rulemaking authority, not a new law affecting student rights or school funding.