Del. Rick Hillenbrand

Maddy summaryHB 4649 requires purchasers of property sold at tax sales (by the West Virginia Auditor for unpaid taxes) to satisfy any outstanding municipal liens (such as unpaid water or sewer charges) recorded against the property before securing a deed. Specifically, buyers must pay off these local government claims and provide the Auditor with a certified record of satisfaction from the municipality, in addition to existing requirements like preparing redemption notices and paying associated costs. Failure to meet this new requirement within 120 days (with a possible 60-day extension for a $100 fee) results in losing the property purchase. This change ensures new owners receive clear title without hidden municipal claims.

Maddy summaryHCR 11 is a West Virginia state resolution urging Congress to call an Article V constitutional convention. It seeks to propose amendments requiring that U.S. Representatives, Senators, federal judges (Article III), and Cabinet Secretaries be natural-born U.S. citizens with sole U.S. citizenship. The resolution does not change existing law but applies to Congress under Article V of the Constitution to initiate a convention focused solely on this citizenship requirement for those federal positions. This is a procedural step by West Virginia to join other states in seeking a constitutional amendment, not a legislative bill with immediate effect.

Maddy summaryWest Virginia's HCR 9 is a resolution urging Congress to call a constitutional convention under Article V of the U.S. Constitution to propose repealing the 17th Amendment. This amendment, ratified in 1913, established the direct election of U.S. senators by voters instead of state legislatures. The resolution requests Congress convene a limited convention focused solely on this amendment, joining similar requests from other states to reach the required two-thirds state support. It does not change current law but seeks to initiate the process for a potential constitutional amendment, which would restore state legislatures' role in selecting senators.

Maddy summaryHJR 18 proposes amending West Virginia's Constitution to explicitly prohibit non-U.S. citizens from voting in any state election. It would add language to Article IV, Section 1 stating, "no person who is not a citizen of the United States be entitled to vote at any election held within this state." This change directly affects non-citizen residents currently eligible to vote in West Virginia elections. The amendment requires voter approval in the 2026 general election and would be designated as "Amendment 1" or the "Citizens Voting Amendment." The bill is currently referred to the House Judiciary Committee.

Maddy summaryHB 4598 requires the West Virginia Secretary of State to include "change audit data" in the existing $1,000 annual subscription service for voter registration data starting January 1, 2027. This data will show the reason for and date of each modification to voter records, such as address changes or registration status updates. The bill specifically amends existing law to mandate this addition to the subscription service, which currently provides basic voter list information. It directly affects subscribers who purchase the annual voter data subscription and the Secretary of State's office, which must implement the change.

Maddy summaryHB 4584 establishes a market-based pay enhancement for West Virginia teachers in counties where the regional median home price exceeds the state average. It calculates an annual lump-sum payment for teachers in those counties by comparing regional home prices (including contiguous border counties/states) to West Virginia's statewide median home price, then applying a multiplier to the county's average teacher salary. The State Board of Education determines this adjustment every five years starting in 2027, certifies the amount to the State Auditor, and payments are distributed annually as taxable income. This directly affects certified teachers in specific counties with higher regional cost-of-living compared to West Virginia's average, aiming to make salaries competitive with neighboring areas.

Maddy summaryHCR 12 is a West Virginia House Concurrent Resolution requesting Congress to call a constitutional convention to propose an amendment. It specifically seeks to amend the U.S. Constitution to establish a fixed number of nine justices on the Supreme Court, as Article III currently does not specify the number. The resolution cites Article V of the Constitution, which allows states to request such a convention, and urges Congress to fulfill this duty. This resolution does not change the Court's size itself but formally requests action from Congress and other states to pursue the proposed amendment.

Maddy summaryHJR 19 proposes a constitutional amendment to allow local governments (counties, municipalities) to approve additional tax increases specifically for fire protection and emergency medical services (EMS) with a simple majority vote (50% plus one vote) instead of the current 60% requirement for all other tax increases. This change would apply only to levies limited exclusively to fire/EMS funding, with a three-year maximum duration and a cap preventing increases from exceeding 50% above existing tax rates. The amendment requires voter approval in the 2026 general election and leaves the 60% threshold unchanged for all other tax increases. It does not alter existing tax exemptions or revenue distribution rules.

Maddy summaryHouse Concurrent Resolution 8 is a non-binding legislative statement by the West Virginia Legislature affirming that the state has standing in legal matters affecting its residents, based on the Tenth Amendment and the West Virginia Constitution. It declares that any judicial ruling denying this standing is invalid and a violation of state sovereignty. The resolution does not create new laws or policies but formally rejects federal or judicial actions that restrict West Virginia's authority to govern matters impacting its people. It is a procedural expression of legislative principle, not a policy change.

Maddy summaryWest Virginia House Bill 4583 establishes November 7 annually as "Victims of Communism Day" for public schools. It requires high school students in U.S. Government classes (mandated under §18-2-9(a)(1)) to receive at least 45 minutes of instruction about communist regimes' impacts, including specific examples like Mao Zedong's Cultural Revolution, Stalin's Soviet system, and Pol Pot's Khmer Rouge. The bill mandates that curriculum content cover how victims suffered through poverty, starvation, migration, violence, and speech suppression under these regimes. The State Board of Education must adopt revised social studies standards incorporating these requirements by April 1, 2026, with implementation beginning in the 2026-2027 school year.