Sen. Vince Deeds

Maddy summarySB 429 creates the Child Care Workforce Scholarship Act, providing full child care subsidies for the children of West Virginia child care workers regardless of household income. Eligible workers (those employed 20+ hours weekly at licensed child care centers or homes) automatically qualify for subsidies covering 100% of costs ($0 co-pay) through the existing subsidy program, with benefits renewable annually. The bill appropriates $5.2 million from the General Revenue Fund for Fiscal Year 2026 to cover these subsidies and supplement federal funds, directly aiming to stabilize the child care workforce and increase available child care capacity statewide.

Maddy summarySB 136 requires healthcare providers (including doctors, nurses, and clinic staff) to report to West Virginia's DMV within 10 days when they diagnose a person over 15 with a mental or physical condition affecting driving safety. The law mandates that these reports include the individual's full name, date of birth, and address, and are kept confidential for the sole purpose of assessing driver medical competency. The DMV must use these reports to determine whether a license holder meets safety standards, but the information cannot be used in court trials except for incompetence proceedings. This bill, named "McKayla, Miranda, and Philip's Law," becomes effective July 1, 2026.

Maddy summarySenate Bill 140 would increase penalties for voluntary manslaughter in West Virginia by raising the minimum prison sentence from 3 years to 5 years and the maximum from 15 years to 25 years. It also changes parole eligibility requirements, requiring convicted individuals to serve at least 5 years before becoming eligible for parole (previously 3 years). This bill directly affects people convicted of voluntary manslaughter under West Virginia law, altering their sentencing range and parole timelines. The change applies to all future convictions under this statute.

Maddy summarySB 81 allows West Virginia State Tax Division investigators to carry concealed firearms while performing official duties, solely for self-defense or protecting others. To qualify, investigators must obtain Tax Commissioner approval, hold a valid concealed handgun license, complete firearms training equivalent to law enforcement standards, and pass annual requalification. The bill also shields the state and its employees from personal liability when investigators act in good faith during official duties. This policy change directly affects tax investigators conducting field work, not the general public. The measure focuses on safety protocols for a specific state workforce, not broader gun policy.

Maddy summarySB 138 amends West Virginia law to align retirement benefits for dependents of State Police officers who take disability retirement with those for officers who retire after 20 years without disability. Currently, disability retirees' dependents receive a flat $6,000 annual benefit, while regular retirees' dependents get either 5.5% of 25 years' average salary or 75% of the retiree's benefit (minimum $5,000). The bill changes this by requiring disability retirees' dependents to receive the same 75% benefit calculation as regular retirees, ensuring comparable support. This directly affects surviving spouses and children of State Police officers who retire due to disability.

Maddy summaryThis bill clarifies pretrial release rules for misdemeanor defendants in West Virginia. It requires release on personal recognizance (without bail) for most misdemeanors unless charges involve violence, harm to minors, deadly weapons, specific drug offenses, sexual abuse, serious traffic violations, or property crimes exceeding $250 in value. The bill prohibits cash-only or property-only bail, mandates that personal recognizance bonds include an unsecured monetary amount, and bars releasing felony defendants on their own recognizance at initial appearance. Judicial officers must set the least restrictive conditions necessary to ensure court appearance while protecting public safety.

Maddy summarySB 160 restructures West Virginia's mental health evaluation and commitment system by creating mental hygiene regions overseen by the Supreme Court of Appeals. It requires video technology for evaluations and hearings (with facilities providing compliant tech), removes licensed counselors/social workers as approved examiners, and establishes time limits: no civil commitment longer than 120 days without a hearing, and mandatory hearings for commitments exceeding 90 days. The bill also creates temporary observation releases and mandates certified mental health centers to provide 24/7 examiner coverage in each region. This directly affects individuals in mental health proceedings, mental health facilities, and the Supreme Court's administrative role in overseeing regional commissioners.

Maddy summaryThis bill increases the retirement benefit multiplier for West Virginia deputy sheriffs from 2.5% to 3% of their final average salary multiplied by years of credited service. It directly affects deputy sheriffs who retire on or after July 1, 2018, by raising their monthly pension amount under the Deputy Sheriff Retirement System. The change modifies the calculation method in the existing retirement law without altering contribution rates or eligibility rules. This adjustment results in higher retirement benefits for qualifying members based on their salary and service history. The policy change applies specifically to the state's deputy sheriff retirement system, not other public retirement plans.

Maddy summarySB 179 amends West Virginia law to explicitly include federal correctional facilities in the list of places where delivering prohibited items to inmates is illegal. It creates new criminal penalties for attempting to smuggle contraband like weapons, drugs, alcohol, escape tools, or telecommunications devices into these facilities without authorization. The bill directly affects individuals who attempt to deliver such items to inmates in federal prisons located within West Virginia, with penalties ranging from fines ($100-$5,000) to up to 10 years in prison depending on the item and intent. Key provisions specify that unauthorized deliveries of contraband, transport of prohibited items onto facility grounds, or supplying unauthorized items to inmates all constitute offenses under this law.

Maddy summarySB 139 (West Virginia Senate Bill 139) amends state law to allow one spouse to testify against the other in criminal cases involving offenses committed against a child, grandchild, or vulnerable family member (such as a minor, parent, or person with a disability). The bill specifically removes the requirement for mutual consent when a spouse seeks to testify about crimes against these protected individuals. It directly affects spouses in criminal trials where one partner is accused of harming a child or vulnerable relative. The change clarifies that such testimony can be compelled without the accused spouse's consent, while maintaining that a spouse's refusal to testify cannot be used as evidence against the accused.