Del. Ian Masters

Maddy summaryHB 2482 allows youth hunters (under 16) and hunters with a Class Q special hunting permit (for handicapped individuals) to take one antlered deer during the state's Special Youth Deer Season. This change applies the deer taken during this special season toward the hunter's regular firearms deer season bag limit. The bill specifically excludes holders of Class XS licenses from this privilege during the special season. It modifies existing hunting regulations to expand harvest opportunities for these specific groups during designated seasons.

Maddy summaryHB 2778, titled "To remove the taxation on burials, funerals and cremation," creates a tax exemption for funeral, cremation, and burial services in West Virginia. The bill directly affects funeral homes, cremation providers, and burial services by removing existing sales and service taxes on these specific services. Key provisions exempt these services from taxes under West Virginia's consumer sales and service tax code, as defined in §30-6-1 et seq. This policy change eliminates a tax obligation for providers of these end-of-life services.

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 2533 requires the West Virginia Department of Human Services to conduct drug screening for all adults applying to become foster parents, kinship parents, or caregivers for children in the department's legal custody. The bill mandates testing for substances like cocaine, marijuana, and opiates, with applicants needing to complete approved substance abuse treatment if testing positive. A second positive test results in a 12-month suspension from placement, while a third positive test leads to permanent ineligibility. The department covers initial testing costs, but applicants must pay for any requested second test, and all test results remain confidential except as specified. The law also requires annual reporting on program costs, ineligibility rates, and successful treatment completions.

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 2728 requires all health insurers in West Virginia to cover biodentical hormone treatments when determined medically necessary by a licensed physician after proper evaluation of symptoms or test results. The bill applies to all group and individual health insurance policies, including nonprofit health plans and health maintenance organizations, effective January 1, 2025. Insurers must provide coverage on an expense-incurred basis, treating biodentical hormones similarly to pharmaceutical alternatives. This policy change directly affects patients seeking hormone therapy and insurers offering health coverage in the state.

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 2652, the "Protection of Shared Physical and Digital Property from Warrantless Searches Act," requires government agents to obtain a person’s consent or a judicial warrant based on probable cause before searching or seizing digital or physical information shared with third parties (like banks, cloud services, or service providers) for goods or services. It directly affects all West Virginia residents who share personal information with third parties to access everyday services, such as financial or digital accounts. The bill defines "shared property" to include digital records and physical documents held by third parties for service provision, and explicitly rejects the current "Third Party Doctrine" that allows warrantless access to such information. It establishes that individuals retain constitutional privacy protections for shared information, requiring government action to follow standard warrant procedures. The bill is currently in the House Judiciary committee after being introduced on February 20, 2025.