Maddy summaryHB 3495 prohibits violence or intimidation based on disability, gender identity, or sexual orientation, making such acts felony crimes punishable by up to $5,000 fines or 10 years in prison. It specifically protects constitutionally protected speech and labor union activities from being used as evidence in prosecutions, while requiring judges to consider alternative sentencing like community corrections for convicted individuals. The law applies to anyone intentionally targeting others due to these characteristics when interfering with their civil rights. Key exceptions include teaching self-defense techniques and lawful labor organizing activities. This bill expands existing protections under West Virginia law to explicitly cover disability, gender identity, and sexual orientation as protected classes.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summaryHB 3396 establishes a three-year pilot program in West Virginia schools to provide mental and behavioral health services as an alternative to disciplinary action for students with disruptive behavior. Schools participating must already operate a school-based health center or use the state’s "expanded school mental health framework," then provide assessments, ongoing treatment, and family involvement for students referred by schools or courts. The program requires schools to bill insurance, school funds (for behavioral referrals), or the Department of Health (for court-ordered cases) for services. This directly affects students facing discipline, their families, and participating schools, shifting focus from punishment to mental health support.
Maddy summaryHB 3426 provides annual cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) to retirees from West Virginia's Public Employees Retirement System and Teachers Retirement System. It affects retirees who are at least 60 years old and have received retirement payments for five or more years. Beginning July 1, 2025, their monthly annuity payments will increase each year by the same percentage as the annual rise in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. This adjustment aims to help these retirees keep pace with inflation. The bill directly changes how retirement payments are calculated for eligible retirees under both systems.
Maddy summaryHB 3427 updates West Virginia's animal cruelty law by setting specific, measurable standards for animal care. It requires owners to provide food meeting national nutritional standards (fed at set intervals based on age), clean water every four hours, and shelter built to detailed specifications (e.g., four-sided structure with proper ventilation and bedding). The bill also regulates tethering, mandating non-choke harnesses, specific tether lengths, and attachment methods to prevent injury. For repeat offenders, it creates a public registry that prohibits them from adopting or purchasing animals.
Maddy summaryHB 3478 creates a legal process allowing siblings aged 18 or older to request court-ordered visitation with minor siblings (under 18) in West Virginia. It permits siblings - defined as blood, half, step, or adoptive brothers or sisters - to petition family or circuit courts in the minor child’s county, either during ongoing custody cases or when no such case is pending. The bill requires courts to prioritize the minor child’s best interests when considering these requests, with siblings not gaining formal party status but potentially being called as witnesses. This bill directly affects minors who may have existing sibling relationships and the courts handling family matters in West Virginia.
Maddy summaryHB 3395 requires all health insurance plans in West Virginia (both public and private) to cover screening for adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) during routine child wellness visits. It also mandates the State Department of Education to create a school-based screening program for children without health insurance. The bill defines ACEs as traumatic childhood experiences linked to long-term health risks like obesity and heart disease. This policy directly affects insurers, schools, and children under 18 by making ACE screenings a standard part of preventive care. The bill does not require treatment, only screening as part of existing wellness visits.
Maddy summaryThis bill would allow certain zero-emission vehicle manufacturers to operate as new car dealers in West Virginia, directly affecting companies that exclusively produce electric or hydrogen-powered vehicles. To qualify, manufacturers must have made zero-emission vehicles since 2008, never sold through franchised dealers in the state, and have no ownership ties to franchising entities. The key provision removes barriers preventing these manufacturers from selling directly to consumers, bypassing traditional dealership models. It applies only to zero-emission vehicle producers meeting all three criteria, not to conventional automakers.
Maddy summaryHB 3406 imposes a new excise tax on opioid drugs sold to West Virginia pharmacies, calculated as one cent per 100 pills multiplied by the state's most recent annual overdose death count. The tax applies to all manufacturers and distributors of Schedule II opioid drugs (including derivatives and related substances) sold to licensed pharmacies. Pharmacies must collect and remit the tax directly to the state without passing costs to patients, with funds deposited into the Ryan Brown Addiction Prevention and Recovery Fund. This tax adjusts annually based on the Department of Health's published overdose data, specifically targeting revenue generation for opioid addiction prevention and treatment programs.
Maddy summaryHB 3407 would require West Virginia's minimum wage to automatically increase each September based on the previous year's consumer price index (CPI) data from the U.S. Department of Labor. This amendment changes existing law (§21-5C-2) by replacing fixed annual increases with a formula tied to inflation, ensuring the wage keeps pace with rising costs. The adjustment applies to all employers subject to the state's minimum wage, including state agencies, and must never fall below the federal minimum wage rate. The bill does not set new current wage rates but establishes a mechanism for future annual increases based on CPI.
Maddy summaryHB 3405 allows the West Virginia Commissioner of Highways to provide up to $10,000 annually in locality pay to employees working in specific jurisdictions where such pay is needed to recruit and retain staff for highway projects. This applies to Division of Highways employees in areas designated by the Commissioner as requiring competitive compensation. The pay differential can exceed standard salary ranges for their position, and the Commissioner must create implementation rules. The bill directly affects highway workers in designated locations, aiming to support workforce stability for road maintenance and construction.