Sen. Laura Chapman

Maddy summaryThis Senate resolution designates April 3, 2025, as "Women and Girls’ Day" at the West Virginia Legislature. It symbolically recognizes the contributions of women and girls across West Virginia through the West Virginia Women’s Commission’s annual events and policy focus. The resolution expresses the Senate’s appreciation for women’s roles in the state’s economy, families, communities, and society. As a ceremonial measure, it does not create new laws, funding, or obligations.

Maddy summarySB 865 requires that the "best interests of the child" be the paramount consideration in all decisions made by West Virginia’s Department of Human Services, courts, appointed guardians ad litem, and state-contracted vendors serving children. It mandates a comprehensive assessment using 13 specific factors, including the child’s safety, health, relationships, cultural background, educational needs, and potential for family reunification. The bill also requires all state policies and vendor practices to align with this standard and allows review or appeal for decisions that fail to prioritize the child’s best interests. Guardian ad litem appointments must advocate solely for the child’s welfare, overriding other considerations like agency or parental interests.

Maddy summarySB 822 requires West Virginia's Department of Human Services (DHS) to provide child protective services workers with mobile technology to conduct child abuse and neglect investigations. The bill mandates that this technology must create automatic, digital records of all investigation steps - uploaded daily - and be compatible with DHS's existing systems to extract quality data monthly for analysis. This replaces manual data entry, giving managers real-time access to case information to improve service delivery. The bill directly affects DHS workers and quality review teams, focusing on streamlining documentation and enabling data-driven system improvements.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the Public Employees Insurance Agency and other health insurance providers to ensure equal payment rates for behavioral health and mental health services compared to medical and surgical services. It mandates that insurance plans cannot discriminate between these types of care when determining coverage or reimbursement, aiming to eliminate financial barriers to mental health treatment. The legislation includes specific definitions for serious mental illness and establishes mandatory reporting requirements to track compliance. Additionally, the bill authorizes rulemaking to implement these parity standards and sets an effective date for the new requirements.

Maddy summarySB 913 requires West Virginia's Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation to train staff to screen all incoming and currently incarcerated individuals for brain injuries by July 1, 2027. The bill mandates that screening processes be developed with input from a designated study group (referenced in §27-6A-12 of the code). It also requires the Division of Corrections, Division of Rehabilitation Services, and Department of Veterans Assistance to create memorandums of understanding with the study group to share confidential health records for research purposes. This policy directly affects incarcerated individuals in state facilities and correctional personnel who will implement the screening protocols.

Maddy summarySB 887 creates a new temporary legal oversight process for individuals in voluntary mental health treatment who wish to leave a facility but are assessed as gravely disabled (unable to meet basic needs due to mental illness or addiction) and pose imminent risk to themselves or others. If a facility determines this, it can file a court petition within 24 hours, triggering a 72-hour court review to authorize a temporary conservatorship or guardianship (max 14 days) without counting as involuntary commitment. During this period, the facility may detain the individual and provide treatment per a proposed plan, with a full hearing required within 10 days to determine extended care. The bill ensures coordination with existing involuntary commitment procedures and allows facilities to use less restrictive alternatives before seeking this temporary measure. It directly affects voluntary mental health patients, facilities, and courts in West Virginia.

Maddy summarySB 821 requires West Virginia child protective services (CPS) workers to wear visible body-worn cameras during all investigations of child abuse or neglect reports. The bill directly affects CPS workers who conduct these investigations, mandating camera use to document interactions in real time. It also requires the state department to develop specific implementation rules, which must be approved by the legislature. This policy change establishes a new standard for recording CPS fieldwork, focusing on transparency during sensitive cases.

Maddy summarySB 450 allows West Virginia county school boards to hire retired law enforcement officers - such as former state troopers, deputies, or federal officers - as "West Virginia guardians" to provide security on public school grounds. These guardians must meet specific requirements, including U.S. citizenship, a high school diploma, concealed carry certification, and training in law enforcement standards, and must apply for a sheriff-issued permit with a $50 fee. Guardians wear identifiable uniforms but are not law enforcement officers and cannot make arrests; their role focuses on protecting students and staff from threats on school property. Participation by county boards is voluntary and depends on available funding, with the program exempt from standard purchasing rules.

Maddy summarySB 932 combines the offices of the Legislative Auditor and State Auditor into a single position, effective July 1, 2025. It transfers all powers, duties, and responsibilities of the Legislative Auditor (as defined in West Virginia Code §4-2-13) to the State Auditor's office. This bill directly affects the state government structure by eliminating the separate Legislative Auditor role. It is a procedural change with no new policy or funding provisions.

Maddy summarySenate Resolution 39 designates March as Kidney Disease Awareness Month in West Virginia. This symbolic resolution raises public awareness about kidney disease, highlighting its prevalence and risk factors like diabetes and hypertension. It directs the state to encourage healthy habits (such as proper diet and hydration) and communication with healthcare providers regarding kidney health. The resolution was adopted by the Senate on March 21, 2025, and a copy was sent to the National Kidney Foundation.