Rep. Bryan Ward

Maddy summaryThis concurrent resolution requests the West Virginia Division of Highways name Bridge Number 16-055/00-011.96 (locally known as the Moorefield Interchange) in Hardy County as the "Ray William Sherman Memorial Bridge." It directs the Division to install signage identifying the bridge with this name. The resolution commemorates Ray William Sherman, a veteran who served in the Korean and Vietnam wars and later worked as a carpenter and instructor. This is a ceremonial naming resolution with no substantive policy changes.

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 summaryHCR 44 is a commemorative resolution requesting the West Virginia Division of Highways rename Ashton Woods Bridge (located at CR 055/20 over US 48X in Hardy County) as the "U.S. Army SP4 Charles W. Wolfe Memorial Bridge." It honors Corporal Charles W. Wolfe, a WWII veteran who served from 1942-1946, lived in Hardy County his entire life, worked for the West Virginia Department of Agriculture, and died in 1981. The resolution also asks for signage identifying the bridge with this new name. As a ceremonial resolution, it involves no policy changes or funding, solely commemorating a local veteran’s service.

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 summaryThis bill amends West Virginia law to explicitly include federal correctional facilities within the definition of "correctional facilities" for existing laws against smuggling contraband. It makes it illegal to deliver weapons, drugs, alcohol, escape tools, dangerous materials, or telecommunications devices into federal prisons in West Virginia without authorization, with penalties ranging from misdemeanors (up to $500 fines and 1 year in jail) to felonies (up to 10 years in prison). The law directly affects individuals who attempt to smuggle such items into federal correctional institutions within the state, including visitors, staff, or outsiders. It expands existing state penalties - previously limited to state facilities - to cover federal prisons, without creating new exemptions or altering inmate rights.

Maddy summaryHB 2410 (Safeguard the Right-To-Try Cutting-Edge Medicine Act) allows terminally ill or severely debilitated patients in West Virginia to access investigational drugs, biological products, or devices not yet approved by the FDA. It defines eligibility for patients who have exhausted all FDA-approved treatments, cannot participate in nearby clinical trials, and receive physician recommendations. The bill requires detailed written informed consent explaining treatment risks, costs, insurance limitations, and potential liability for expenses. It directly affects patients with qualifying illnesses and their physicians, establishing a legal framework for accessing unapproved treatments while clarifying that insurers and hospice care may not cover such treatments.

Maddy summaryHB 2409, titled the "Hospital Price Transparency Act," requires hospitals in West Virginia to publicly disclose pricing for medical services. It directly affects licensed hospitals by mandating they provide two types of price information: (1) a digital file of all standard charges in machine-readable format (like CSV or XML), and (2) a simplified list of prices for "shoppable services" (like scheduled procedures) in consumer-friendly format. The bill defines key terms like "standard charge" (including gross charges, negotiated rates, and cash prices) and requires hospitals to update these disclosures online for public access. Non-compliance may trigger administrative penalties. This bill does not address cooperative agreements, as described in the query.

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.

Maddy summaryHB 2894 amends West Virginia's human trafficking laws by adding a definition for "illegal alien" (an individual without legal U.S. immigration status) and specifying that such individuals are not eligible for restitution in trafficking cases. The bill updates definitions in sections covering coercion, forced labor, and trafficking to explicitly include "illegal alien" as a term. It does not create new trafficking prohibitions but clarifies that victims without legal status cannot receive restitution payments under the law. This affects individuals without legal immigration status who may be victims of trafficking in West Virginia. The bill focuses solely on definitional changes and restitution eligibility, not on enforcement or new criminal penalties.

Maddy summaryHB 2922, the Safer Communities Act, allows West Virginia counties to impose a public safety sales or amusement tax of up to 1% on qualifying purchases, subject to voter approval via referendum. It directly affects counties that meet specific requirements (e.g., current on state fees, utilizing maximum millage rates, and having fire/EMS levies). The tax funds public safety services, emergency response, and school resource officers in unincorporated areas, while excluding municipalities already in the Municipal Home Rule Program or with existing amusement taxes. Counties must notify state tax officials 180 days before implementing the tax.