Sen. Vince Deeds

Maddy summarySCR 21 is a Senate resolution requesting the Joint Committee on Government and Finance to study sexual assault crime trends in West Virginia over the past decade. It directs the committee to analyze data on report rates, arrest rates, conviction rates, and case dispositions (like dismissals or pleas), including reasons for observed trends. The study will specifically examine ratios such as reports-to-arrests and convictions-to-charges, using data from the Uniform Crime Reporting system. The committee must report its findings, conclusions, and potential legislative recommendations to the 2026 Legislature. This is a procedural resolution focused on data collection, not policy changes.

Maddy summarySB 737 creates a pilot program to train students at West Virginia career/technical schools, high schools, or community colleges to repair farm equipment locally. It allows schools to partner with farm equipment businesses (like manufacturers or dealers) to develop training programs, with the Agriculture Commissioner authorizing up to five statewide pilot programs. The bill prohibits requiring businesses to share proprietary tools or software to participate and mandates collaboration between schools, businesses, and the Agriculture Commissioner to create implementation plans. The goal is to provide farmers with more accessible, local repair options while building a trained workforce, without affecting warranty agreements or dealership operations.

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 summaryThis bill increases retirement benefits for West Virginia Natural Resources Police Officers who retire on or after January 1, 2028. It changes the calculation for "accrued benefit" from 2.5% to 2.75% of an officer's final average salary multiplied by years of service. This adjustment directly affects officers retiring after 2027, providing a slightly higher monthly pension amount compared to previous retirement dates. The change applies to the Natural Resources Police Officer Retirement System under existing code sections.

Maddy summarySB 601 requires county commissions to approve fire service fees imposed by municipalities on individuals or businesses located outside the municipality. It directly affects non-resident property owners and businesses that receive fire services from a neighboring municipality. The bill establishes two key mechanisms: (1) county commission approval before such fees can be imposed, and (2) a process where affected non-residents can challenge fees through a petition and countywide vote. If 30% of qualified voters petition against a fee, the county commission must hold a referendum for residents to approve or reject the fee. This changes the current system by adding county oversight and voter input for fees impacting non-residents.

Maddy summarySB 589 increases annual salaries for West Virginia judges effective July 1, 2025. Magistrates will earn $75,840, Supreme Court justices $157,600, circuit court judges $146,600, and family court judges $111,950. The bill also suspends court contributions to the judicial retirement system until specific conditions are met and adjusts survivor benefit calculations for judges' families. These changes directly affect current judges across all state court levels.

Maddy summarySB 755 establishes a five-year program requiring every West Virginia public secondary school to have a licensed athletic trainer on staff or contracted through the county board by July 1, 2031. It expands career technical education (CTE) sports medicine programs to all high schools through cost-efficient methods like shared resources or mobile instructors, aligning curricula with higher education standards. The bill mandates annual state funding for trainer recruitment and retention, including using the Underwood-Smith Loan Repayment Program to incentivize dual-role teacher-athletic trainers. This directly affects student-athletes (through improved safety access), schools (requiring new staffing), and CTE programs (expanding course offerings statewide).

Maddy summaryThis bill allows classroom teachers who joined West Virginia's Teachers Retirement System on or after July 1, 2015, to sell up to 10 unused personal leave days to their county school board for cash. Teachers receive 80% of the county's rate for a substitute teacher with a bachelor's degree and 10 years' experience per day, paid by June 30. Once sold, those leave days are permanently forfeited and cannot be used for any future purpose. The policy directly affects eligible teachers by providing a one-time cash option for unused leave instead of carrying it forward.

Maddy summarySenate Bill 598 allows judges in West Virginia to refer parents who knowingly make false accusations of child abuse, neglect, or domestic violence during child custody proceedings to prosecutors. If a court finds an accusation was knowingly false, the judge may order the accuser to reimburse the accused parent for reasonable legal costs and refer the case to prosecutors to determine if criminal charges apply. The bill specifically targets deliberate falsehoods - not withdrawn or unproven reports - and applies to parents or household members making such false claims in custody cases. This policy change directly affects parents involved in custody disputes who make verified false allegations, aiming to address misuse of child protection systems.

Maddy summaryThis West Virginia Senate Concurrent Resolution (SCR 15) is a formal statement opposing China's misuse of UN Resolution 2758 to exclude Taiwan from international organizations. It clarifies that the resolution's purpose was solely to determine China's UN representation, not Taiwan's political status, and rejects China's "One China Principle" as conflated with the UN resolution. The resolution calls on the UN to stop using Resolution 2758 to deny Taiwan participation in UN bodies and reaffirms that the U.S. "one China policy" does not recognize China's claim over Taiwan. It directly affects Taiwan's ability to engage with international institutions, where it has been excluded since 1971 despite its population of 23.5 million.