Sen. Vince Deeds

Maddy summaryWest Virginia's SB 558 requires public high school students to earn at least one-half credit in a computer science course to graduate, starting with the 2027-2028 school year for ninth graders. The bill defines "computer science" as studying programming, algorithms, and computer principles - not basic computer skills like word processing - and mandates courses meet state standards, offered in person unless not feasible (then allowing blended or online options). Schools must list approved courses by 2026, and if a computer science course fulfills a math or science requirement, transcripts must note it as equivalent for college admissions. The law also requires the State Board of Education to create rules supporting teacher capacity and course flexibility.

Maddy summarySB 630 requires West Virginia county commissions to provide emergency ambulance service to all residents within their counties, but only if they have budgeted funds for it in their annual levy. It also mandates that county commissions submit an annual report by September 1st to the Office of Emergency Medical Services, detailing how ambulance services are provided and the exact amount of county funds spent on them the previous year. This bill directly affects county commissions (as the entities responsible for funding and service delivery), residents (who receive the service if funds are allocated), and the Office of Emergency Medical Services (which receives the reports for oversight). The changes amend Section 7-15-4 of West Virginia’s Code, making the reporting requirement explicit and annual.

Maddy summaryWest Virginia's SB 633, the "Protecting Kids from Porn Act," requires commercial adult websites (those offering over 25% explicit content) to implement strict age verification before allowing access to minors. This includes mandatory biometric facial recognition, government ID, and credit card authentication for users, with re-verification every 24 hours. Websites failing to comply face $1 million per violation, permanent state blocking, and civil liability up to $10,000 per minor exposed. The law prohibits circumvention via VPNs or proxies and establishes an Attorney General enforcement unit to audit compliance. It directly affects adult content platforms operating in West Virginia, not general internet users.

Maddy summaryWest Virginia's SB 602, the Closed Captioning Act, requires public places like restaurants, bars, hospitals, colleges, and government buildings to have at least half of their public-facing televisions with closed captioning activated during operating hours. It mandates that venues distribute captioned TVs so patrons can reasonably see them and prevent patrons from turning captions off. Exceptions apply only if no televisions are present or all TVs lack captioning capability. The law takes effect upon passage and defines key terms like "closed captioning" and "public area."

Maddy summarySB 31 updates West Virginia's DNA collection policies for law enforcement. It requires DNA samples from all individuals convicted of felonies or certain misdemeanors (including domestic battery), as well as those formally charged with felonies via indictment or waiver. The bill specifies DNA testing methods, mandates expungement of records in certain cases (like dismissed charges), and clarifies that delays in expungement won't invalidate prior arrests or warrants based on DNA matches. These changes directly affect people convicted of qualifying offenses and law enforcement agencies managing the state DNA database.

Maddy summaryThis Senate Resolution (SR 13) memorializes Wanda Porterfield Casto, a 34-year part-time Senate Secretary/Administrative Assistant who served the West Virginia Senate and dedicated her life to public service. The resolution formally honors her legacy as a wife, mother, grandmother, and public servant, extending the Senate's deepest sympathies to her family following her passing on May 20, 2024. It directs the Senate Clerk to send a copy of the resolution to her family. As a commemorative resolution, it has no policy impact and serves solely to recognize her contributions.

Maddy summarySB 136 increases penalties for second-degree murder and voluntary manslaughter in West Virginia. It raises the minimum prison term for second-degree murder from 10 to 15 years (maximum from 40 to 60 years) and for voluntary manslaughter from 3 to 5 years (maximum from 15 to 25 years). The bill also requires inmates convicted of these crimes to serve at least 15 years before becoming eligible for parole (previously 10 years), and increases parole eligibility requirements for life sentences. These changes directly affect individuals convicted of second-degree murder or voluntary manslaughter under West Virginia law.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires West Virginia public schools to implement wearable panic alert systems for all school employees by December 2025. It mandates that each employee receives a device enabling immediate emergency contact and campus-wide lockdown notifications, with annual training required before each school year. The law also requires county school boards to share security data (like camera feeds and facility maps) with local law enforcement and establish access protocols. The system must integrate with 9-1-1 services, directly affecting school staff, administrators, and local emergency responders.

Maddy summarySB 603 exempts retirement benefits received by retired West Virginia campus police officers from the state's personal income tax, effective July 1, 2025. This applies specifically to retirement income from any retirement system or qualified plan (including those sponsored by colleges/universities) that is taxable under federal law. The bill directly affects retired campus police officers employed at West Virginia institutions of higher education. The exemption is a standalone change to the state tax code, removing these retirement benefits from taxable income for qualifying individuals.

Maddy summarySB 151 creates new criminal offenses for intentionally harming police dogs and other public safety animals used by law enforcement, fire, or emergency personnel in West Virginia. It establishes three penalty levels: a misdemeanor for physical injury (fines of $200-$1,000 or up to 1 year in jail), a felony for serious injury (fines of $1,000-$3,000 or 1-5 years in prison), and a felony for causing death (fines of $2,000-$5,000 or 2-10 years in prison). The law exempts self-defense actions and official euthanasia of injured animals by personnel. It directly affects individuals who intentionally harm these animals, while defining "public safety animals" as those specifically trained to assist officers during official duties.