Del. David Cannon

Maddy summaryHB 2818 requires all members of West Virginia county and municipal economic development committees to be West Virginia residents with at least five years of continuous state residency immediately before their appointment, and also residents of the specific county or municipality they represent. The bill amends existing law (§7-12-3, §7-12-3a, and §7-12-4) to establish these dual residency requirements for committee members. It directly affects individuals appointed to county and municipal development authorities across the state. The law applies to all members, including those appointed to represent governing bodies or business interests, and updates current qualifications for these roles.

Maddy summaryHB 2734 requires all West Virginia public K-12 schools to display their annual school report cards on their official websites. It also mandates that county boards of education use the state's existing electronic system for collecting and reporting school data to the state education department. This ensures parents and community members can easily access school performance information online without needing to request it. The bill applies directly to every public school and county school board in the state, standardizing how school accountability data is shared publicly.

Maddy summaryHB 2738 requires that when a public defender corporation in West Virginia employs six or more assistant public defenders (including the chief public defender), it must be split into two separate, independent public defender corporations. Both new corporations will operate under the same board of directors as the original. The bill also expands the circumstances under which the executive director, with approval from the Indigent Defense Commission, may create, merge, or dissolve public defender corporations - such as to improve legal representation quality, address conflicts of interest, or ensure efficient use of state funds. This directly affects public defender offices meeting the staffing threshold, altering their operational structure without changing funding mechanisms.

Maddy summaryHB 2779 would require all West Virginia public schools to install cameras in hallways, stairwells, classrooms, and any other rooms where students are present. The bill excludes bathroom stalls, showers, and locker rooms to protect student privacy during undressing. Schools would need to maintain all recorded footage for a full year. This bill directly affects all K-12 public schools in West Virginia and is currently pending in the House Education Committee.

Maddy summaryHB 2733, the Women’s Right to Know Act, requires healthcare providers to give patients specific information about abortion procedures - including printed materials and access to a state-run website - before performing an abortion in West Virginia. The bill defines "medical emergency" narrowly (excluding psychological conditions) and mandates that providers follow informed consent procedures even in emergencies when medically feasible. It also requires licensed medical professionals to report abortion procedures to the state. This bill directly affects patients seeking abortions and the healthcare providers who perform them in West Virginia.

Maddy summaryHB 2732 would amend West Virginia law to allow parents to exempt their children from school-required vaccines (chickenpox, measles, polio, and others) based on religious beliefs. Specifically, it adds a provision permitting parents to submit a notarized "Certificate of Religious Exemption" to schools instead of vaccination records. This change directly affects school-aged children and their families who object to vaccines on religious grounds. The bill maintains existing medical exemption requirements but creates a new pathway for religious objections, without altering the list of required vaccines or the school enrollment process for vaccinated students.

Maddy summaryHB 2735 classifies individuals who have naturally developed immunity or antibodies from contracting a communicable disease (e.g., through prior illness) as "fully vaccinated" for all purposes. It requires that these individuals receive equal or preferred treatment compared to those with vaccine-induced immunity in settings like schools, workplaces, or healthcare access. The bill directly affects people who recovered from infectious diseases without vaccination, redefining their immunity status without changing vaccination requirements. Key provisions mandate that natural immunity be treated as equivalent to vaccination in policy implementation, though the bill does not specify enforcement mechanisms or covered diseases. This policy change aims to align recognition of immunity sources without advocating for either method.

Maddy summaryHB 2739 would remove the mandatory helmet requirement for motorcycle operators and passengers in West Virginia. It specifically amends §17C-15-44 of the state code, which currently requires helmets meeting ANSI Z90.1, DOT FMVSS 218, or Snell safety standards. This change would directly affect all motorcycle riders and passengers who previously had to wear helmets meeting those specifications. The bill does not alter other safety provisions in the same section, such as requirements for eye protection or vehicle equipment.

Maddy summaryHB 2729 prohibits mandatory vaccine requirements for students in private, parochial, charter, virtual charter, and remote public schools in West Virginia. It removes applicability of existing vaccine mandates (§16-3-4) for these schools while requiring student athletes to still follow athletic commission rules on physicals and vaccinations. The bill directly affects students attending these specific school types by exempting them from state vaccine mandates. It does not change athletic program requirements, as student athletes must continue adhering to existing guidelines for participation.

Maddy summaryHB 2660 requires buyers of properties sold at tax auctions (by the West Virginia Auditor for unpaid taxes) to pay off any city or town tax liens before receiving a deed. Purchasers must provide the Auditor with certified proof that the lien has been satisfied by the local government. This ensures local government claims are resolved before property ownership transfers. The bill directly affects tax sale buyers and municipalities that issue lien satisfaction records.