Del. Larry Kump

Maddy summaryHB 4157 repeals a requirement that write-in candidates register with West Virginia's Secretary of State before their votes can be counted in elections. This change means write-in votes will automatically be included in election results without candidates needing to submit paperwork to the Secretary of State. The bill directly affects write-in candidates in West Virginia elections by removing an administrative step for their votes to be counted. It is a procedural change with no new voting rules or policy impacts.

Maddy summaryHB 4174 creates a standing legislative oversight committee to review and approve all financial contracts entered into by the West Virginia Economic Development Authority (WVEDA) before they are finalized. This requirement applies to every contract involving financial assistance, loans, or agreements between WVEDA and any business, organization, or entity seeking economic development support. The bill does not alter WVEDA's existing powers but adds a mandatory legislative approval step for all financial contracts, directly affecting WVEDA's contracting process and entities receiving state economic development funds. This change aims to introduce greater legislative oversight of state economic development spending.

Maddy summaryHB 4172 removes the elected office of County Surveyor from West Virginia election ballots following the 2026 elections. The bill repeals the statute requiring this position to appear on ballots and amends election code sections to eliminate the office entirely, noting counties no longer use elected surveyors' services. This change affects only the County Surveyor position, which has become obsolete, and will end the practice of voting for this role in future elections. The bill does not create new services or alter county surveying responsibilities, as the office is being eliminated from the electoral process.

Maddy summaryHJR 6 proposes amending the West Virginia Constitution to require the state Superintendent of Free Schools to be elected directly by voters in general elections every four years, rather than being appointed by the State Board of Education. This change would affect the superintendent position and voters, shifting selection from a board appointment to a statewide election. The bill specifies that the superintendent would serve as the chief school officer with powers defined by law, while maintaining the current structure of the State Board of Education.

Maddy summaryHB 4167 establishes an independent 13-member citizen redistricting commission in West Virginia to draw new legislative district maps after each federal census. The bill requires commissioners to be registered voters with no current partisan office or party leadership roles, and creates a selection process where the Secretary of State randomly chooses applicants from party-affiliated and non-affiliated pools, with legislative leaders allowed limited strikes. The commission will create binding district maps for state Senate and House districts, operate with nonpartisan staff and funding, and have original jurisdiction over its work in the Supreme Court of Appeals. This directly affects all West Virginia voters by determining how legislative districts are drawn, aiming to reduce partisan influence in redistricting.

Maddy summaryHJR 9 proposes a constitutional amendment to restructure the West Virginia Board of Education by dividing the state into nine geographic districts. Each district would consist of county boards of education, with one representative elected from each district to serve on the nine-member Board. The amendment requires voters to approve this change in the 2026 general election, specifying that board members must be county board members from their district and limiting any single political party to no more than five members. This would replace the current appointment system with a district-based election process for Board members.

Maddy summaryHB 4165 directs Berkeley County Commission to hold a referendum at the next general election to ask voters whether county commissioners' terms should change from six years to four years. The bill itself does not change the term length but requires a vote to determine if the change should occur. Berkeley County voters will decide this issue in the upcoming general election. The referendum is the key mechanism, with no immediate policy change enacted by the bill.

Maddy summaryHJR 4 proposes a constitutional amendment to change the term length for members of the West Virginia Board of Education from nine years to five years. This would affect the nine appointed board members, altering the current system of staggered nine-year terms (with original appointments spread across one to nine years) to five-year terms. The amendment requires voter approval at the 2026 general election to take effect. It does not change the appointment process, removal rules, or other board responsibilities outlined in the existing constitution.

Maddy summaryHB 4159 modifies West Virginia's process for filling law enforcement vacancies after competitive exams. It directly affects police departments and the Civil Service Commission by changing how hiring officers select candidates from certified lists. The bill allows hiring agencies to appoint from fewer than three candidates (as few as one) if needed, and clarifies that rejected candidates can be removed from the list after three rejections for the same position, with a formal hearing process for objections. This streamlines the appointment process while maintaining the requirement to base hiring on exam merit and fitness.

Maddy summaryHB 4155 expands West Virginia's Natural Resources Police Officer Retirement System to include all correctional classifications within the state's correctional system. This change directly affects correctional officers who were previously excluded from this specific pension system and were instead covered under the Public Employees Retirement System. The bill establishes procedures for these officers to transfer their service credit into the Natural Resources Police retirement system upon hire or rehire, ensuring continuity of benefits. It modifies existing pension rules to allow correctional officers to participate in this system rather than the broader public employee plan, without creating new benefits.