Del. Wayne Clark

Maddy summaryHB 3002 amends West Virginia law to require the Commissioner of Agriculture to safeguard all sensitive information shared with the department, including locations and addresses. The bill directly affects farmers, agribusinesses, and landowners who provide such information to the Agriculture Department. Its key provision (section (o)) grants the Commissioner authority to determine which information qualifies as "privileged" and exempts it from state public records disclosure laws (§29B-1-1 et seq.), making it non-disclosable for any reason. This is a procedural change codifying the Commissioner’s existing practice of protecting certain agricultural data.

Maddy summaryHB 2981 establishes the Constitutional Office Fleet Management Act, exempting five constitutional offices (Attorney General, Secretary of State, Treasurer, Auditor, and Commissioner of Agriculture) from existing fleet management rules and requiring them to follow new, specific guidelines. The bill mandates these offices to maintain vehicle logs, provide driver training, and submit annual reports detailing fleet usage (including miles driven, fuel costs, maintenance expenses, and personal vehicle reimbursements). Each office must submit a written intent to comply by July 1st and may develop its own department-specific vehicle operation rules. The law also permits constitutional offices to arrange for disposal of non-state-funded vehicles while adhering to federal and GSA standards.

Maddy summaryHB 2782 requires West Virginia public elementary, secondary schools, and state institutions of higher education to display the national motto "In God We Trust" in a conspicuous location if the display is either donated or purchased using private donations. The bill mandates that any poster or framed copy must include centered representations of both the U.S. flag and the West Virginia state flag, with no additional text or images allowed. Schools may accept private donations specifically for this purpose but cannot use public funds to purchase the displays. The bill focuses solely on the physical display requirements and does not alter school curricula or religious practices.

Maddy summaryHB 2957 changes where fees from certain agricultural-themed license plates are deposited. Specifically, it directs all fees collected for "pollinator" special license plates to be deposited into the Agriculture Fees Fund, rather than the State Road Fund. Fees for existing FFA and 4-H themed plates will continue to go to their respective funds as currently required. This bill affects organizations that apply for these special license plates, such as agricultural groups or youth organizations, by altering the destination of the fees they collect. The change is a straightforward policy adjustment to fund allocation, with no new requirements for plate applications or fees.

Maddy summaryHB 2478 clarifies eligibility rules for West Virginia's HOPE Scholarship Program, directly affecting students seeking to use the scholarship. It updates the definition of an "eligible recipient" to specify that students must be enrolled full-time in a West Virginia public school for at least 45 days during an instructional term (or meet specific kindergarten enrollment criteria), with an exception for kindergarten students if the program's participation rate remains below 5% of public school enrollment. The change would take effect July 1, 2026, allowing kindergarten-eligible students to qualify without full-term enrollment if participation is low. The bill does not alter scholarship amounts or funding but streamlines eligibility criteria. This is a substantive policy clarification, not a procedural change.

Maddy summaryHCR 64 is a symbolic concurrent resolution introduced in the West Virginia House of Delegates on February 24, 2025. It declares that state-owned properties - including parks, forests, waterways, and wildlife areas - must not be renamed in honor of politicians, preserving their natural and historical integrity. The resolution directs the House Clerk to forward this declaration to the U.S. Board on Geographic Names for consideration. As a procedural resolution, it does not create new laws but expresses legislative intent regarding the naming of public lands. The bill is currently pending referral to the Rules committee.

Maddy summaryHB 2725 defines "urban agriculture" in West Virginia law as any agricultural operation within urban or suburban areas on public or private property inside municipal boundaries. The bill aims to clarify this term to support economic development, better conservation practices, and improved access to fresh local food. It directly affects urban farmers, community gardens, and small-scale food producers operating in city or suburban settings. The bill does not create new programs or funding but establishes a legal definition to guide future regulations and policies related to urban farming.

Maddy summaryHB 2388 would amend West Virginia's wage and hour law to exempt seasonal ski area workers from standard maximum hour requirements. Specifically, it adds a new exemption for employees working less than seven months per year at ski areas, excluding them from overtime and hour limits under §21-5C-3. This directly affects seasonal workers at ski resorts during their limited operational seasons. The bill does not change minimum wage rules but modifies hour restrictions for this specific group of workers. The exemption applies only to those employed seasonally, as defined in the new provision.

Maddy summaryHB 2869 clarifies that West Virginia judicial officers must explicitly consider a person's residency status when setting bail or release conditions for misdemeanor offenses. The bill specifically requires judges to evaluate whether the person is a West Virginia or U.S. resident, has community ties, and poses a flight risk. It applies to all misdemeanor cases except those listed in subsection (a)(1) (e.g., violent offenses, crimes against minors, or offenses involving stolen property over $250). The law adds residency status as a mandatory factor in the existing list of considerations under §62-1C-1a, alongside factors like criminal history and community safety. This change directly affects individuals charged with qualifying misdemeanors who seek release before trial.

Maddy summaryHCR 65 is a West Virginia legislative resolution urging the U.S. Congress and Department of Energy to fulfill federal obligations under the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982 regarding spent nuclear fuel. It highlights that over 90,000 metric tons of spent fuel are stored at 76 sites nationwide, with taxpayers bearing $9 billion in costs and nuclear customers having prepaid $46 billion for disposal, yet no permanent repository exists. The resolution specifically requests Congress and the DOE to implement recommendations from the Blue-Ribbon Commission, streamline regulations, and establish a deep geologic repository. It directly affects nuclear utilities, taxpayers, and communities hosting nuclear sites that face long-term storage challenges. The resolution is procedural and non-binding, aiming to prompt federal action on a decades-old policy gap.