Del. John Paul Hott

Maddy summaryHCR 99 is a legislative resolution requesting the Joint Standing Committee on the Judiciary to study policies preventing financial fraud and scams in West Virginia. It directs the committee to examine current state laws, review national approaches, and focus on four key areas: reducing robocalls and spoofing, addressing cryptocurrency-related scams (noting $1.4 million in losses in 2023), improving victim restitution, and protecting against property title fraud. The resolution cites data showing 8,000 West Virginians lost $27 million to fraud in 2024, with national losses exceeding $12.5 billion. The committee must report findings and recommendations to the legislature, governor, and attorney general by December 31, 2025. This is a study resolution, not a law, and does not create immediate policy changes.

Maddy summaryHB 3505 requires health insurance policies covering cancer chemotherapy to include coverage for scalp cooling systems starting January 1, 2026. These systems are defined as devices used to cool the scalp and prevent hair loss during chemotherapy treatment. The mandate applies to all individual and group health insurance plans, though coverage may still involve standard deductibles, coinsurance, or copayments consistent with other covered benefits. The bill directly affects cancer patients seeking hair preservation during treatment and insurers offering chemotherapy coverage.

Maddy summaryHB 3090 requires health insurance policies in West Virginia to cover habilitative speech therapy for stuttering, starting July 1, 2025. It directly affects all health insurers offering coverage for speech therapy, mandating they cover both in-person and telehealth sessions without annual limits, prior authorization, or restrictions based on the cause of stuttering. The bill specifies that coverage must apply regardless of whether stuttering is developmental and prohibits limits on the number of therapy visits. This policy change ensures consistent access to speech therapy for individuals whose daily communication is impacted by stuttering.

Maddy summaryHB 3084, the Oral Health and Cancer Rights Act, requires all health benefit plans (including employer-sponsored insurance, public employee plans, and health care corporations) to cover oral health procedures necessary as side effects of cancer treatments. This includes exams, medications, dental devices, and rehabilitation for functions like eating, breathing, and speaking related to cancer care. The mandate applies to policies issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2026, and requires agencies to report implementation costs to the Joint Committee on Government and Finance one year after enactment. The bill directly affects insurance providers and cancer patients by expanding coverage for essential oral health services tied to cancer treatment.

Maddy summaryHCR 88 is a ceremonial resolution honoring two West Virginia first responders nominated for the Medal of Valor. It specifically recognizes Captain Donald Lawson (New Martinsville Police) for rescuing two people from carbon monoxide poisoning despite his own hospitalization, and Darrell Lambert (Lake Volunteer Firefighter) for entering a burning building without protective gear to save a trapped resident, sustaining burns in the process. The resolution formally confirms the Legislature's approval of their award and directs the House Clerk to send a copy to Governor Morrisey. This is a symbolic honor with no new policy or funding changes, directly affecting only these two nominees. It passed unanimously in both chambers on April 3, 2025.

Maddy summaryThis resolution requests that the West Virginia Division of Highways name a specific segment of Route 20 in Webster County (from the Upshur/Webster County line to Mount Zion Road) as the "U.S. Army Sergeant Major Charles Grant Hoke Memorial Road." It commemorates Sergeant Major Charles Grant Hoke, a WWII and Korean War veteran with multiple military awards, who was born in Upshur County and raised in Cleveland, Webster County. The resolution asks the Division of Highways to install signs identifying this road segment and directs the House Clerk to forward the resolution to the agency. This is a commemorative measure with no funding or policy changes, directly affecting the named road segment in Webster County.

Maddy summaryHB 2787 permits West Virginia county commissions to lease, rent, or allow the use of county-owned wireless towers (or portions) to private entities, subject to specific security and eligibility requirements. It prohibits leasing to entities associated with foreign adversaries, terrorist organizations, or those engaging in unconstitutional surveillance, and mandates non-compromised cybersecurity measures to protect critical infrastructure like voting systems. Public safety agencies (including 911, law enforcement, and emergency services), the West Virginia Department of Highways, and other state agencies may use tower space without charge, provided they meet the same security standards as other lessees. The bill also restricts the use of foreign-owned or foreign-produced technology that could threaten critical infrastructure, ensuring local control over tower usage while prioritizing security.

Maddy summaryThis House Concurrent Resolution (HCR 62) requests that West Virginia's Division of Highways rename Bridge Number 39-066/00-002.25 (locally known as YORK RUN BOX CULVERT) to the "U.S. Army PFC Henry James Miller Memorial Bridge." It honors PFC Henry James Miller, a West Virginia native who served in Iraq with the 1st Battalion, 38th Infantry Regiment, was honorably discharged, and later died in 2013 after struggling with PTSD. The resolution specifically asks the Division of Highways to install signage identifying the bridge with this new name.

Maddy summaryHB 3506 sets a new mandatory 7% employee contribution rate for judges of courts of record in West Virginia, effective July 1, 2025. This directly affects current and future judges who participate in the state's judges' retirement system, replacing previous rates that had fluctuated between 6% and 10.5% over time. The bill also establishes a key mechanism where employer contributions to the retirement fund may be suspended if the fund's funding level exceeds 125%, as determined by annual actuarial valuations. The changes aim to standardize contributions while providing a trigger for pausing employer payments during periods of strong fund solvency.

Maddy summaryHCR 78 is a non-binding resolution urging West Virginia's Division of Highways to prioritize completing I-73 (the "King Coal Highway") across Wayne, Mingo, McDowell, Mercer, and Wyoming counties. It requests the highway agency treat the project as a high priority to improve economic development and emergency access, especially after recent flooding exposed transportation challenges in the region. The resolution asks the state to provide necessary funding and executive support to expedite the highway's completion but does not allocate new funds or create new law. It directly affects the Division of Highways and residents of the five specified counties by formally advocating for this infrastructure project.