Sen. Patricia Rucker

Maddy summarySB 957 reduces the minimum number of council members required for certain small West Virginia municipalities from five to three. It applies specifically to Class IV towns or villages with a population of 2,000 or fewer that are not divided into wards or election districts, and also affects "manager plan" and "manager-mayor plan" forms of government in these communities. The bill aims to provide local governments with more flexibility in structuring their councils based on population size. This change modifies existing provisions in the West Virginia Code regarding municipal charter requirements and council composition. The legislation is currently in the Senate Committee on Government Organization.

Maddy summaryThis Senate Resolution (SR 40) designates February 16, 2026, as "Child Advocacy Center Day" in West Virginia. It formally recognizes the work of the state's 21 Child Advocacy Centers, which support child abuse victims and families through coordinated services across 48 counties. The resolution has no policy impact - it is a symbolic observance inviting legislators and citizens to acknowledge these centers' role in child safety and healing.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits the distribution or prescription of "abortifacients" (drugs intended to cause abortion) within West Virginia. It directly affects licensed medical professionals (like doctors and pharmacists) and anyone distributing such drugs, with violations carrying felony penalties (3-10 years imprisonment) for non-professionals and potential license revocation for medical providers. Key provisions include banning the mailing, sale, or dissemination of abortifacients without a valid prescription, requiring medical professionals to attest to compliance, and creating a civil lawsuit option for affected parties. The law includes exceptions for medical emergencies - defined as situations where an abortion is necessary to prevent serious risk of death or life-threatening impairment to the patient.

Maddy summarySB 130 requires e-cigarette and e-cigarette liquid manufacturers to certify their products meet U.S. FDA marketing standards or meet specific pre-2020 application criteria, with a $100 annual fee per product. Manufacturers must submit this certification to state tax and alcohol regulators by July 1, 2026, and update it within 30 days of any FDA-related changes. The state will maintain a public directory of all certified products starting September 1, 2026, and retailers cannot sell unlisted items. Violations may trigger fines, and the law mandates unannounced compliance checks for retailers and wholesalers.

Maddy summaryWest Virginia's SB 478, the Second Amendment Reaffirmation and Protection Act, prevents state and local officials from enforcing firearm restrictions that rely solely on federal laws later repealed or declared unconstitutional. The bill automatically makes such state or local provisions unenforceable once the federal law is invalidated, unless the state passes new independent laws. It also allows individuals to sue officials who knowingly enforce these invalidated federal rules for damages. The law directly affects state/local law enforcement and residents who might face enforcement actions based on outdated federal regulations.

Maddy summarySB 926, introduced in the West Virginia Senate on February 12, 2026, proposes to eliminate state capital gains tax on the sale or exchange of certain precious metal bullion. The bill would amend West Virginia's tax code to exclude gains from selling gold, silver, platinum, or palladium bullion from taxable adjusted gross income. This change would directly affect West Virginia residents who sell qualifying precious metals, reducing their state tax liability on those transactions. The bill is currently pending in the Senate Finance Committee and has not yet been enacted into law.

Maddy summarySB 936 defines "West Virginia certified thoroughbred" horses and sets requirements for these horses to compete in restricted races, including specific purse calculations and eligibility rules. The bill increases the $1 million annual funding cap for restricted races at racetracks that previously didn't participate in the West Virginia Development Fund before 1992, and adds an inflation adjustment to revenue from betting pools deposited into the state Excess Lottery Revenue Fund. It directly affects West Virginia racetracks, thoroughbred horse owners, and the state's funding distribution for horse racing operations. The bill modifies existing code sections to implement these eligibility standards and financial adjustments for restricted thoroughbred racing events.

Maddy summarySB 923, the "GRANITE Act," creates a legal cause of action for West Virginia residents and businesses in digital communication, blockchain, and internet services to sue foreign governments or international organizations that enforce censorship laws conflicting with U.S. or West Virginia constitutional protections. It allows lawsuits against foreign entities for imposing penalties (like fines or platform shutdowns) for speech protected under the First Amendment and West Virginia’s Constitution, shifting the burden of proof to the foreign entity to justify such laws. The bill prohibits West Virginia from recognizing or enforcing foreign judgments that compel censorship or criminalize protected U.S. speech, and it establishes civil penalties for violations. This directly affects West Virginia’s digital innovation sector by aiming to shield it from extraterritorial censorship efforts, such as those seen in the UK’s Online Safety Act enforcement against 4chan or Brazil’s court orders against X. The bill is currently in the Senate Judiciary Committee (introduced February 12, 2026).

Maddy summaryThis bill extends the expiration date of West Virginia's Alzheimer's Disease and Other Dementia Advisory Council, preventing it from sunsetting (ending) as originally scheduled. The council, composed of voting members including people with dementia, caregivers, healthcare providers, and advocacy representatives, reviews state dementia care services, assesses healthcare system capacity, and makes recommendations on policies and resources. The extension maintains the existing council structure and responsibilities without altering its duties or creating new policies. It directly affects the council's continued operation to address dementia care needs across the state. (100 words)

Maddy summarySB 633 modernizes West Virginia's Commission on Holocaust Education by updating its membership structure and governance. The bill replaces outdated provisions relying on Holocaust survivors (many now deceased) with a new framework allowing commission-appointed voting members and non-voting student advisory members, while explicitly requiring Holocaust education to remain the commission's sole purpose. It strengthens safeguards to protect historical accuracy and ensures the commission continues providing centralized educational resources for schools, churches, and communities studying the Holocaust. These changes aim to maintain the commission's mission as a permanent statewide resource for Holocaust education amid evolving circumstances.