Sen. Bill Hamilton

Maddy summarySB 724 removes the requirement that home confinement officers must be certified as law-enforcement officers to join West Virginia's Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Retirement System. The bill also extends the deadline for eligible home confinement officers to elect participation in the retirement system. This change directly affects home confinement officers working in the state's justice system, allowing them to access retirement benefits without prior law-enforcement certification. The bill amends specific sections of the West Virginia Code (§16-5V-2 and §16-5V-6f) to update eligibility rules and election procedures.

Maddy summarySB 717 modifies retirement benefits for municipal police and firefighters in West Virginia. It allows those disabled "in the line of duty" to recalculate their retirement benefits as if they had reached retirement age (50) earlier. It also removes the requirement for those disabled "not in the line of duty" to submit annual tax returns to the pension fund after reaching Social Security's normal retirement age. These changes apply to municipal pension plans overseen by the Municipal Pensions Oversight Board.

Maddy summarySB 719 clarifies how campus police officers employed by West Virginia state institutions (like universities) can use accrued vacation or sick days to earn retirement credit under the Municipal Police Officers and Firefighters Retirement System. It specifies that these officers may only count unused leave days earned *after* they began participating in the retirement plan, not days accrued before joining. The bill establishes a 1:1 conversion of unused leave days to retirement credit (with specific rules for partial months), while ensuring lump-sum payments for unused leave don't count toward final salary calculations. This directly affects campus police officers who are current members of the retirement system and impacts how their service time is calculated for benefits. The bill corrects prior ambiguities in the law regarding their eligibility for this credit.

Maddy summarySB 886 removes the requirement for a burning permit when private landowners conduct prescribed fires on their property, provided they follow procedures set by the Division of Forestry. This change directly affects landowners managing vegetation for wildfire prevention or land health on private property. The bill amends existing law to exempt these controlled burns from the standard permit process during designated fire seasons (March 1-May 31 and October 1-December 31), while maintaining rules about burning times (5 p.m. to 7 a.m.), safety zones (10-foot clearance), and fire bans. It does not alter fire season dates, permit fees for other activities, or penalties for violations.

Maddy summarySB 950 repeals West Virginia Code §6-7-5, which previously governed mileage and expense reimbursements for judges. This bill directly affects judges by eliminating the existing rule for calculating travel costs related to their official duties. The key provision is the complete removal of the former statute, with no new mechanisms or allowances being introduced. The change is purely procedural, streamlining the legal framework without altering how judges are compensated for travel.

Maddy summarySB 970 exempts volunteer fire departments and part-time volunteer fire departments from state regulations governing vehicle raffles, both in-person and online. The bill amends West Virginia Code sections related to motor vehicle licensing (§17A-6-1, §17A-6-1a) and fire department operations (§47-21A-2, §47-21A-8) to remove these departments from licensing and reporting requirements. This change allows volunteer fire departments to conduct vehicle raffles for fundraising without needing to comply with standard raffle regulations. The bill directly affects volunteer fire departments by reducing administrative barriers to fundraising activities.

Maddy summaryThis bill increases salaries for West Virginia judges and certain judicial staff starting July 1, 2026. It raises the annual salary for Supreme Court justices to $154,600 (from $149,600), circuit court judges to $143,600 (from $138,600), and family court judges to $113,950 (from $103,950). It also adjusts pay for family court secretary-clerks and case coordinators, with secretary-clerks receiving $44,876 annually and case coordinators capped at $56,876. The bill suspends employer contributions to the judicial retirement system until specific conditions are met.

Maddy summaryThis bill provides a $5,000 salary increase to state mine inspectors, including electrical, underground, and surface mine inspectors, effective upon enactment. It directly affects these specific inspectors by adding a fixed monetary amount to their base salaries without altering their duties or qualifications. The provision applies uniformly to all inspectors covered under the relevant chapter of the state code.

Maddy summarySenate Bill 587 sets new salary amounts for West Virginia county commissioners and other elected county officials, effective July 1, 2026, based on their county's population class (e.g., Class I commissioners will earn $53,731 annually, up from $45,535). To receive the increase, county officials must submit a written request to their county clerk, and the county auditor must certify sufficient fiscal health to cover the raise and related taxes. The bill applies directly to all elected county officials (including sheriffs, clerks, and assessors) across West Virginia's 55 counties, with salary tiers determined by county classification. It does not automatically increase pay; officials must actively request the raise, and counties must meet fiscal certification requirements before implementation.

Maddy summarySB 481 changes the term "precinct" to "polling location" in West Virginia election law and requires each polling location to be reported independently. This means county election offices must track and report each voting site as a separate unit, including separate voting booths, ballot boxes, and election staff, even if multiple locations share the same building. The bill directly affects county election administrators and voters by clarifying how polling places are managed and documented. It updates outdated terminology while ensuring each voting site operates as a distinct entity during elections.