Sen. Robbie Morris

Maddy summarySB 833 requires the West Virginia Secretary of State to notify individuals when they are the subject of an election law complaint. It mandates that these individuals submit a written response within 10 business days of receiving the notice. The bill directly affects people or entities named in election law complaints filed with the Secretary of State's office. The key mechanism establishes automatic notification and a strict 10-day response deadline for the complaint process.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires write-in candidates for most West Virginia elections to pay a filing fee when submitting their candidacy paperwork. It sets a 49-day deadline before elections for submitting the required certificate of announcement and exempts low-income individuals who qualify for fee waivers. The law affects anyone seeking office through write-in votes instead of appearing on the official ballot, with fees applying to all candidates except those meeting poverty-based waiver criteria.

Maddy summarySB 839 would create a nonrefundable personal income tax credit for West Virginia election officials who serve at least half a day during an election. The credit would provide $100 per election, capped at $200 per tax year, and must be certified by the county commission to verify eligibility. Officials must submit this certification to the Tax Commission to claim the credit, which cannot be carried forward to future years. The bill also requires the Secretary of State to submit a biennial report on the credit’s cost-effectiveness.

Maddy summarySB 861 transfers responsibility for certifying DUI testing equipment and standards from the Bureau of Public Health to the West Virginia State Police Forensic Laboratory. The bill eliminates the Bureau's rule-making authority over DUI testing procedures and grants this authority to the State Police instead. It also updates technical requirements, including removing outdated references to urine testing, adding provisions for trained phlebotomists to draw blood, and correcting juvenile blood alcohol level standards. This change directly affects law enforcement officers administering DUI tests and the forensic process for blood/breath analysis in DUI cases.

Maddy summarySB 857 amends West Virginia law to limit a county's payment obligation for jail costs when an inmate is sentenced to time served (meaning the inmate has already completed their sentence). Currently, counties pay a daily fee for inmates held in state jails, but this bill would exclude the time already served from the county's payment responsibility. The bill directly affects counties that pay per diem costs for inmates, reducing their financial burden for inmates who have completed their sentence. This change ensures county payments align with the actual time an inmate was incarcerated.

Maddy summarySB 881 clarifies how child care subsidy payments are calculated for licensed providers in West Virginia. It requires the Department of Human Services to base payments on monthly enrollment instead of daily attendance, provided children attend at least 2.5 hours at the provider’s site on one day each month. The bill also mandates that providers submit attendance records electronically by July 1, 2026, to receive reimbursement. This directly affects child care and afterschool providers receiving state subsidies who currently track daily attendance.

Maddy summarySenate Bill 855 (SB 855) expands eligibility for mail-in absentee voting in West Virginia by clarifying specific circumstances under which qualified voters may request an absentee ballot by mail. It directly affects voters who are medically unable to vote in person (due to disability, advanced age, or illness), temporarily absent due to work, education, or travel, incarcerated under certain conditions, military/overseas voters, or those with inaccessible polling places due to disability. The bill also adds electronic absentee ballot options for voters with disabilities, military/overseas voters, and qualified first responders on emergency duty. Additionally, it establishes procedures for emergency absentee ballots in cases like hospitalization, nursing home residence, or last-minute medical confinement requiring physician verification. The bill aims to increase voting access while maintaining specific eligibility criteria.

Maddy summarySB 835 requires candidates for municipal office (e.g., city council, mayor) to file their campaign financial statements with the county clerk instead of the municipal officer. It mandates that all campaign finance reports for these offices be published online by the filing officer within 48 hours of the filing deadline. This change aims to increase transparency by centralizing access to campaign finance data for local elections through county clerks' offices. The bill does not alter filing requirements for state-level offices, which continue to report to the Secretary of State.

Maddy summarySB 865 clarifies what constitutes "electioneering" in West Virginia, specifically defining prohibited activities near polling places. It bans displaying campaign signs, distributing literature, or verbally advocating for/against candidates or ballot questions within 100 feet of a polling place entrance during voting hours. The bill exempts news media conducting exit polls, vehicle bumper stickers while voting, and educational materials about ballot questions that don’t explicitly advocate. It also authorizes election officials and law enforcement to enforce these rules and maintain order in the 100-foot zone, with violations punishable by fines up to $1,000 or jail time.

Maddy summarySB 864 sets the annual report fee for businesses at $25, requiring corporations, limited partnerships, domestic limited liability companies, and foreign limited liability companies to pay this fee annually to the West Virginia Secretary of State. The bill also allows the Secretary of State to waive late fees and adds a provision for a veteran-owned business logo. This directly affects businesses that must file annual reports in West Virginia, changing the fee structure and introducing new administrative flexibility. The legislation focuses on standardizing business reporting costs and supporting veteran-owned enterprises through a new logo feature.