Rep. Chris Anders

Maddy summaryHB 2431, the "Fourth Amendment Restoration Act," bans West Virginia law enforcement officers and local government officials from using specific surveillance and AI technologies without a warrant. It prohibits real-time security monitoring, facial recognition, license plate readers, surveillance drones, and other listed tools, calling their unregulated use "inherently unreasonable and unconstitutional." Violators face felony charges with penalties of at least one year in prison and $10,000 fines per violation. The bill also allows individuals harmed by unauthorized use to sue for damages and requires immediate discontinuation of any existing use of these technologies.

Maddy summaryHB 2517 would eliminate mandatory vaccination requirements for students entering West Virginia schools and state-regulated child care centers. Currently, children must provide proof of specific immunizations (including measles, polio, and whooping cough) to enroll; this bill removes that requirement, making immunizations voluntary. The key mechanism is amending state law to replace mandatory vaccination with a voluntary system, eliminating the need for vaccination certificates for school entry. This directly affects all students entering public, private, or parochial schools and child care centers in West Virginia. The bill does not change medical exemption processes or vaccine access for low-income families.

Maddy summaryHB 2461 prohibits the sale, use, or distribution of abortifacients - drugs primarily used to cause abortion, including those requiring a prescription under FDA guidelines or not FDA-approved for that purpose. It directly affects healthcare providers, pharmacies, and anyone supplying such drugs within West Virginia, including out-of-state entities mailing or shipping them into the state. Key provisions establish criminal penalties for violations and allow private lawsuits against those providing abortifacients. The bill defines "abortifacient" broadly while excluding terms like miscarriage or stillbirth from its scope, and specifies that medical emergencies requiring abortion must involve serious risk of death or life-threatening impairment.

Maddy summaryHB 2463 would establish gold, silver bullion, and physical coins (specie) as legal tender in West Virginia, alongside creating a state-run West Virginia Bullion Depository managed by the State Treasurer. The depository would allow residents and businesses to deposit precious metals, receive digital "transactional currency" (backed 1:1 by physical metals), and use these as payment for debts within the state. It prohibits interest on deposits, exempts depository assets from state taxes, and requires the Treasurer to maintain metals in trust for account holders. The bill directly affects West Virginia residents, businesses, and financial institutions engaging in transactions using precious metals or the new digital currency. (Note: The bill does not include cryptocurrency as legal tender, despite the title's phrasing.)

Maddy summaryHB 2464 would establish the State Bank of West Virginia within the State Treasurer’s Office to securely hold precious metals (like gold, silver, and bullion) owned by the state, its agencies, or political subdivisions. The bank would function as a custodian, tracking deposits, managing transactions, and requiring strict record-keeping, but would not pay interest or provide banking services to the public. Only state entities, authorized agents, or designated political subdivisions could open accounts, and the Treasurer would appoint an Administrator to oversee operations. This bill creates a new state-run custody system for precious metals, not a commercial bank.

Maddy summaryHB 2469 bans West Virginia municipalities and counties from charging property owners fees based on stormwater, rain, or similar runoff - commonly referred to as a "rain tax." It amends state code (§8-20-10, §16-13-16, and §16-13D-15) to prohibit such fees, directly affecting residential and commercial property owners who might have faced these charges. The bill stops local governments from using rainfall or stormwater management as a basis for fees, requiring alternative fee structures if permitted under existing law. This is a direct policy change prohibiting a specific fee type, not a new tax or service.

Maddy summaryHB 2467 would eliminate West Virginia's personal income tax for all taxpayers starting with the 2026 tax year. The bill amends state law to remove the requirement for individuals, estates, and trusts to pay this tax on their taxable income after December 31, 2025. This means residents and entities subject to the current tax would no longer owe state income tax on their earnings for tax years beginning in 2026 and later. The bill does not specify alternative revenue sources for the state.

Maddy summaryHB 2525 requires all West Virginia public elementary and secondary schools to display a durable poster or framed copy of the Ten Commandments in every classroom starting in the 2025-2026 school year. The display must be at least 16 inches wide by 20 inches tall, include the exact biblical text listed in the bill (including the full wording from "I AM the LORD thy God" to "nor anything that is thy neighbor's"), and be visible from anywhere in the classroom. Schools must accept private donations meeting these specifications if they lack compliant displays, and may replace non-compliant existing displays using public funds or donations. The bill directly affects all public K-12 schools in West Virginia, mandating a specific religious text in every classroom.

Maddy summaryHB 2425 would allow West Virginians aged 18 to 20 to carry concealed weapons without a permit, expanding current law that only permits this for those 21 and older. The bill amends sections of state code to remove the permit requirement for this age group while maintaining existing exceptions, such as carrying on one's own property, transporting unloaded weapons to/from purchase or hunting, or for specific officials like law enforcement. It does not change the penalties for violations, which remain misdemeanor or felony charges depending on prior offenses. The policy directly affects young adults aged 18-20 who currently must obtain a permit to carry concealed weapons.

Maddy summaryHCR 33 is a concurrent resolution proposing that Spruce Knob - the highest point in West Virginia (elevation 4,863 feet) - be renamed "Trump Mountain" as a tribute to President Donald J. Trump. The resolution asks the U.S. Board on Geographic Names to consider this name change five years after Trump’s death, citing his electoral support in the state and policy achievements like tax cuts and coal industry advocacy. It does not change the name immediately but formally requests federal consideration of the renaming. The resolution affects the symbolic recognition of a geographic feature and honors Trump’s legacy, as stated in the resolution’s preamble.