Del. Joe Statler

Maddy summaryHB 4450 requires West Virginia public schools to post adopted curriculum online (with login access for students and parents) by the start of each school year. It allows parents, custodians, or guardians of enrolled students to request inspections of classroom materials (including books and supplementary resources), with teachers required to schedule appointments within 10 business days and demonstrate how materials align with state standards. The bill also mandates that teachers list required books on class syllabi and makes them available to parents upon request. It establishes a formal complaint process for non-compliance, with county superintendents resolving issues within seven business days before escalating to the State Superintendent. This bill affects parents/custodians/guardians of students, not general taxpayers, as clarified by the bill's actual provisions.

Maddy summaryHB 4473 allows the West Virginia Supreme Court to create rules enabling nonlawyers to practice law under limited licenses in specific legal areas. It directly affects nonlawyers (such as paralegals or trained professionals) who could provide legal services in cases involving child abuse/neglect and mental health proceedings, starting with those areas. The bill establishes a task force to recommend certification requirements, exams, practice scope, and complaint processes for these limited license practitioners. The task force must include representatives from the State Bar, law schools, and courts, and will address details like educational pathways and costs before the Supreme Court can implement rules. This bill creates a framework for expanded legal access but does not yet establish any new rules or services.

Maddy summaryHB 4439 creates a $10 fee added to court costs for most criminal convictions (excluding municipal parking violations) in West Virginia. The collected fees will fund the Emergency Medical Services Equipment and Training Fund, which provides grants to local emergency medical services (EMS) providers. Grants require a 70% state contribution and a 30% matching contribution from the local EMS provider, with priority given to rural and volunteer EMS organizations. This bill directly affects criminal defendants (through the fee) and local EMS agencies (through grant eligibility).

Maddy summaryHB 4181 prohibits the West Virginia Secondary School Activities Commission from taking adverse actions against middle or high school students who participate in travel sports teams. The bill directly affects students enrolled in public schools who compete on travel sports teams outside their school's athletic program. It ensures these students cannot face disciplinary measures or bans from school sports for participating in travel teams, while existing eligibility rules (like academic requirements and age limits) still apply. The commission must treat these students equally and cannot discriminate against them based on travel sports participation.

Maddy summaryHB 4183 exempts nonprofit organizations from paying annual license fees for outdoor advertising signs, displays, or devices in West Virginia. This directly affects nonprofits that use outdoor advertising, removing the $125 fee (for up to 20 permits) or $1,000 fee (for 21+ permits) required under current law. Nonprofits must still submit applications and provide required information to the commissioner but are not charged any fee. The bill amends existing statutes to clarify this exemption while maintaining the application process for all outdoor advertising permits.

Maddy summaryHB 4182 amends West Virginia's Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Retirement System to increase the maximum retirement benefit from 67% to 90% of a member's final average salary. It adjusts annual benefit accrual rates to 2.75% for the first 20 years of service (up from 2.6%), 2% for years 21-25, and 1.5% for each year beyond 25. The bill also sets new employee contribution rates (10.5% when underfunded below 70% funding, 8.5% when reaching 70% funding) and applies these changes specifically to EMS members and 911 personnel/home confinement officers with transferred assets, differing based on whether past contributions were repaid. These provisions directly affect current and future retirees in the EMS retirement system.

Maddy summaryHB 3192 repeals numerous outdated, conflicting, or inoperative sections of West Virginia's education code that pertained to higher education institutions. The bill specifically removes provisions related to West Virginia University (Article 11), revenue bonds for university capital improvements (Article 11A), university facilities (Article 11B), and athletic facilities at West Virginia University (Article 11D) and Marshall University (Article 11E). It also repeals sections concerning state teachers' colleges (Article 12) and Marshall University capital improvements (Article 12A). This legislation streamlines the legal code by eliminating redundant or obsolete language, making the code more accessible for legal interpretation and application. The bill was approved by the Governor in April 2025 and became effective on July 31, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 2960 allows West Virginia's Division of Highways to hire private companies for snow removal on secondary roads in Monongalia and Preston counties, replacing the previous requirement to use state crews. This policy change directly affects residents and road users in those two counties by altering how local snow clearing is managed. The key provision removes the restriction preventing the Division from contracting with private firms for these specific roads. The bill became law on April 30, 2025, after approval by the governor.

Maddy summaryHB 2516 repealed outdated and unused sections of state code. It did not create new laws or impact residents, as it solely removed obsolete legal language from the statutes. The bill was signed into law by the governor on April 8, 2025, and became Chapter 59 of the 2025 regular session laws. This procedural action simplified the legal code without altering policy or affecting any individuals or entities.

Maddy summaryHB 2548 clarifies the specific responsibilities of the state superintendent when implementing state education rules. It directly affects the state superintendent's office and education agencies by defining exactly how they must handle rule adoption and enforcement. The bill specifies that the superintendent must provide written guidance to school districts on rule implementation timelines and procedures. This change removes ambiguity in current processes, ensuring consistent application of education regulations across the state.