Sen. Darren Thorne

Maddy summarySenate Resolution 20 (SR 20) is a symbolic resolution recognizing and honoring Vietnam War veterans exposed to Agent Orange. It directly affects living veterans and their families who suffered health consequences from the chemical herbicide, including cancers, birth defects, and other serious illnesses. The resolution formally acknowledges these veterans' sacrifices through Senate recognition, emphasizing their service and health struggles without creating new benefits or policy changes. It does not alter existing VA programs or provide financial compensation, as it is purely a commemorative measure.

Maddy summarySB 388 requires all public elementary and secondary schools in West Virginia to make the Aitken Bible available in fourth, eighth, and 10th grade social studies classrooms. Schools may only use private donations to obtain the Bible - public funds cannot be used for this purpose. The bill explicitly applies to public charter schools authorized under West Virginia law. This legislation mandates the availability of the Aitken Bible in specified grades while restricting funding sources for its distribution.

Maddy summaryThis Senate Resolution (SR 23) designates February 2, 2026, as "Future Farmers of America Day" at the West Virginia Legislature. It recognizes the history and impact of the National FFA Organization, including its founding in 1928 and its current role serving over 7,489 students across 91 agricultural education programs in West Virginia. The resolution has been adopted by the Senate and directs the Clerk to send a copy to the West Virginia Farm Bureau. It is a ceremonial resolution with no new policy or funding provisions.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends West Virginia's dog racing licensing rules. It removes requirements that racetrack applicants must host a minimum number of live racing dates to obtain or maintain a license or to secure telecast wagering contracts. The bill also allows racetracks to operate simulcast racing (live races shown via video) without conducting any live dog racing, and simplifies licensing for video lottery operations at these venues. These changes directly affect dog racetracks seeking licenses or renewing operations, particularly those transitioning away from live racing.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows physician assistants (PAs) in West Virginia to own medical practices and have ownership stakes in healthcare businesses, which was previously prohibited. It removes restrictions preventing PAs from having a "proprietary interest" in practices they refer patients to and permits medical corporations to have PA shareholders. The bill also updates the state’s legal definition of "physician assistant" to align with the American Academy of Physician Associates and classifies PA services as a "professional service" under limited liability company laws. These changes directly affect PAs seeking practice ownership and impact how medical corporations structure ownership.

Maddy summaryWest Virginia's SB 612 designates November 7 as "Victims of Communism Day" for public schools, requiring high school students in the mandated U.S. Government class to receive at least 45 minutes of annual instruction on this topic. The bill specifies instruction must cover historical communist regimes (including Mao Zedong's Cultural Revolution, Stalin's Soviet system, and others) and how victims suffered through poverty, violence, and suppression. It directs the State Board of Education to revise social studies standards by April 2026 to include these requirements. The observance applies to all public schools, with make-up days if November 7 falls on a non-school day. This bill directly affects West Virginia public school students and educators in required U.S. Government courses.

Maddy summarySB 572 (West Virginia Senate Bill 572) allows high school students to serve as election officials under specific conditions. The bill creates a program where juniors or seniors (with a 3.0+ GPA) who complete election training and get parental approval can be appointed as election officials in their precincts, with one student per political party per precinct. Students serving in this role would receive an excused absence from school. This directly affects eligible high school students in West Virginia counties that adopt the program, while maintaining existing voter eligibility requirements for election officials.

Maddy summarySB 564 modifies West Virginia's volunteer firefighter tax credit requirements to make qualification easier for eligible volunteers. It changes the participation requirement from a fixed 30 hours per year to "at least 10 percent of department activities," directly affecting volunteer firefighters seeking this credit. The bill also specifies that fire department chiefs must certify each volunteer's rank, years of service, emergency responses, and training attendance. These changes aim to increase the number of volunteers who qualify for the tax credit, as noted in the bill's purpose statement. The policy change simplifies documentation while maintaining the credit's eligibility criteria.

Maddy summarySB 568, the Oral Health and Cancer Rights Act, requires health insurers in West Virginia to cover medically necessary dental procedures directly related to cancer treatment (such as surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation). This affects cancer patients needing dental care to eat, breathe, speak, or swallow after treatment, and all health benefit plans offered by insurers in the state. The bill mandates that covered services must be billed using the specific modifier "West Virginia Code §33-64-1" (or a unique prescription identifier for medications), ensuring insurers recognize these procedures as covered. The law takes effect July 1, 2027, applying to all nonexempt health insurance contracts.

Maddy summarySB 522, the West Virginia Jobs Protection Act, requires all employers in West Virginia - including businesses, government agencies, and contractors - to use the federal E-Verify system to confirm the work authorization of every new hire within three business days of their start date. This applies to all employers regardless of size, with violations subject to fines of $5,000-$15,000 per unauthorized worker, license suspension, or loss of state contracts. Employers must enroll in E-Verify and begin compliance by July 1, 2026, and retain verification records for at least three years. The law aims to ensure all employees have legal work authorization under federal law, with the West Virginia Division of Labor overseeing enforcement and reporting compliance data annually.