Maddy summarySB 144 amends West Virginia's Military Incentive Program to extend eligibility to all veterans, removing previous restrictions that limited coverage to Vietnam era and Korean conflict veterans. The bill updates definitions (such as "economically disadvantaged" and "eligible veteran") to clarify eligibility criteria and designates WorkForce West Virginia as the sole agency administering the program. Employers who hire eligible veterans - now including all veterans meeting economic, disability, or unemployment criteria - can claim a tax credit equal to 30% of the first $5,000 in wages paid to each veteran, applied against personal or corporate income tax. This change broadens the program's reach while maintaining the existing tax credit structure.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summaryWest Virginia Senate Bill 551 amends the state's second-degree murder penalty by increasing the minimum prison sentence from 10 to 15 years and changing the maximum to "life imprisonment" instead of 40 years. It also requires individuals convicted under this law to serve at least 15 years before becoming eligible for parole, raising the prior minimum from 10 years. The bill directly affects people convicted of second-degree murder in West Virginia, altering both their potential sentence length and parole eligibility. This change applies to all current and future second-degree murder convictions under the state's criminal code.
Maddy summaryThis bill increases penalties for assaulting specific public safety workers in West Virginia. It makes intentionally harming law enforcement officers, correctional employees, or emergency medical personnel (like EMTs and firefighters) a felony with prison terms of 2-15 years, depending on the severity and intent. For lesser offenses like unwanted physical contact, it establishes misdemeanor penalties (up to 6 months jail or $200 fines) that escalate to felony charges for repeat offenses. The law applies when the attacker knows the victim is acting in their official role, covering both intentional harm and threats causing reasonable fear of violence. It directly affects these workers by strengthening legal protections against violence during their duties.
Maddy summaryThis bill (SB 528) amends West Virginia law to make it a felony to *attempt* sexual abuse by a parent, guardian, custodian, or person in a position of trust toward a child. It directly affects caregivers (like parents, teachers, or coaches) who try to commit sexual exploitation, intercourse, intrusion, or contact with a child under their care. The key change adds "attempt" as a separate criminal offense, meaning trying to commit such abuse - regardless of whether the child consented, participated, or suffered injury - will now be punishable by prison time (10-20 years for under-16s). This focuses on holding trusted adults accountable for *attempts* of abuse, not just completed acts.
Maddy summaryWest Virginia Senate Bill 518 exempts certain trusts from the state's personal income tax. Specifically, it removes income tax liability for "non-grantor trusts" (trusts where the grantor doesn't control assets) that are administered within West Virginia by licensed private trust companies or resident trustees with a physical presence in the state. This change applies to tax years beginning January 1, 2026, and directly affects these trusts and their beneficiaries by eliminating state income tax on trust earnings. The bill amends West Virginia Code §11-21-3(e) to clarify this exemption for qualifying trusts.
Maddy summarySB 473 limits compensation for future medical monitoring by stating that an increased risk of disease alone - without a diagnosable condition - is not grounds for damages in West Virginia civil lawsuits. To recover costs for future check-ups or tests, a plaintiff must prove they already have a diagnosed disease caused by the defendant’s actions. The bill requires defendants to pay for monitoring through a court-administered fund with periodic payments, not lump sums, and mandates repayment of unused funds to defendants once monitoring ends. This directly affects plaintiffs in personal injury cases seeking coverage for future health monitoring and defendants facing potential ongoing liability. The law clarifies that future medical surveillance cannot be awarded solely based on potential health risks.
Maddy summarySB 481 amends West Virginia law to explicitly permit off-duty law enforcement officers to carry concealed weapons in public schools and school events. This change directly affects off-duty officers (including those with active law enforcement credentials) and public schools, clarifying that they are exempt from existing restrictions that prohibit weapons on school grounds. The bill modifies the exemption language in §61-7-11a(b)(2)(A) to specifically include "off duty" officers, removing ambiguity about whether current exemptions cover them. It does not change restrictions for civilians or other personnel, maintaining the existing prohibition for non-exempt individuals.
Maddy summarySB 435 updates West Virginia's legal framework for the West Virginia Law Institute, a state agency located at the West Virginia University College of Law. The bill formalizes the institute's role as an advisory body tasked with simplifying state laws, recommending legal reforms, studying defects in current laws, and organizing annual meetings with judges, lawyers, and legislators. It specifies the institute's governing council composition, including members from the Supreme Court, circuit courts, the Attorney General's office, both legislative chambers, the West Virginia State Bar, and WVU College of Law faculty. The institute must submit annual reports to the Legislature and may propose specific bills to implement its recommendations. This bill affects state legal professionals, judges, legislators, and the public by creating a structured process for ongoing law reform.
Maddy summarySB 145 establishes new requirements for land installment contracts in West Virginia, which are agreements where a buyer (vendee) purchases a home in installments while the seller (vendor) retains title until full payment. The bill mandates that contracts include specific details like property description, payment terms, interest rates, and vendor responsibilities for property taxes, insurance, and maintenance during the contract period. It requires vendors to provide evidence of title, record the contract, and deliver a deed at the end, while giving vendees legal recourse if vendors fail to meet these obligations. The law directly affects buyers and sellers of single-family homes used as the buyer's principal residence under such contracts.
Maddy summarySB 101 requires autopsies requested by prosecutors or judges in criminal cases to be completed within 72 hours and mandates that autopsy reports be provided to prosecutors within 24 hours of completion. This bill directly affects medical examiners' offices, prosecutors, and law enforcement agencies handling death investigations. Key provisions establish strict timeframes for conducting autopsies and sharing reports, while also specifying who can perform autopsies (chief medical examiners or designated pathologists) and under what circumstances reports may be shared with hospitals or physicians for quality review. The bill aims to expedite criminal investigations by ensuring timely access to autopsy findings.