Sen. Patricia Rucker

Maddy summaryThe West Virginia Officials Training Program Act creates a voluntary training program for county commissioners, municipal officials, and members of boards/commissions (like planning or parks boards) who manage public funds and make governance decisions. Administered by the State Auditor, it establishes a tiered certification system with role-specific courses covering fiscal oversight, compliance, and emergency response, including a dedicated track for school board members. The program aims to improve local governance by providing structured, role-appropriate training, with the State Auditor overseeing curriculum development and annual reporting.

Maddy summarySB 479 requires parents or guardians found responsible for substantiated child abuse or neglect to undergo a 90-day hair follicle drug test before regaining unsupervised visitation rights or having children returned to their care. This replaces reliance on urine or blood tests, which can be easily manipulated, and mandates testing within 48 hours of a substantiated case. If a parent tests positive for drugs without a prescription, their minor children must also be tested via hair follicle analysis, with newborns screened for intrauterine drug exposure. The law aims to ensure child safety by preventing drug-related relapse and reducing the risk of re-abuse, while requiring all test results to be shared with child protective services, courts, and medical providers.

Maddy summaryThis bill transfers administration of West Virginia's SNAP (food assistance) and TANF (cash aid) programs from the Department of Human Services to WorkForce West Virginia. It updates state law to designate WorkForce West Virginia as the agency responsible for managing these programs, including receiving federal funds and handling recipient services. The change directly affects SNAP and TANF recipients, as well as state agencies delivering these benefits. The bill also clarifies the title of WorkForce West Virginia's executive leader for program oversight.

Maddy summarySB 500 amends West Virginia's sex offender registration law to prohibit individuals convicted of specified sex offenses from residing within 1,000 feet of any school, park, or playground. This applies to all sex offenders required to register under existing law (including those convicted of offenses listed in §15-12-2(b) of the West Virginia Code). The bill adds this spatial restriction to current registration requirements, requiring offenders to maintain this distance from designated locations. It does not change registration procedures but adds a new residency limitation for affected individuals.

Maddy summaryWest Virginia's SB 498, titled the "Protecting Kids from Porn" Act, requires websites providing adult content (where over 25% of material is explicit) to implement strict age verification before allowing access. It mandates a four-step process: facial recognition, government ID verification, credit card authentication for adults, and third-party checks, with re-verification every 24 hours. The law prohibits bypassing these measures via VPNs or proxies and imposes significant penalties, including $1 million per violation, permanent blocking of non-compliant sites, and civil liability up to $10,000 per minor exposed. It directly affects commercial adult websites operating in West Virginia and aims to prevent minors from accessing pornographic material online.

Maddy summarySenate Bill 42 (SB 42) allows licensed pharmacists in West Virginia to sell ivermectin for human use without a prescription. It requires pharmacists to provide the FDA-approved patient information sheet at the time of sale and eliminates the need for consultation. The bill protects pharmacists from liability in civil, criminal, or disciplinary actions if they follow the law in good faith, and also shields healthcare providers from disciplinary action for recommending ivermectin within their scope of practice. This directly affects pharmacists (who gain new dispensing authority) and patients (who can purchase ivermectin without a prescription). The law does not change ivermectin's FDA-approved uses or medical guidelines.

Maddy summarySB 305 authorizes West Virginia's Tax Department to implement a specific regulatory rule governing online bingo and raffle operations. The rule, previously drafted and modified by the department, will establish requirements for businesses hosting these games. This affects online gaming operators who must comply with the rule and the Tax Department, which gains authority to enforce it. The bill does not create new tax rates or policies but enables the existing rule to take effect.

Maddy summarySB 358 authorizes the West Virginia Board of Pharmacy to implement a specific rule (15 CSR 01) governing pharmacy licensure and practice standards. The bill reauthorizes a rule the Board previously filed in the State Register (July 2025), modified to address legislative committee feedback and refiled (October 2025). This procedural bill does not create new policy but formally permits the Board to enforce existing standards for pharmacy licensing and professional conduct. It directly affects pharmacy licensees, practitioners, and pharmacy facilities operating in West Virginia. The rule covers requirements for obtaining and maintaining a pharmacy license and practicing under state regulations.

Maddy summarySB 351 authorizes the West Virginia Board of Optometry to adopt a revised legislative rule (14 CSR 02) concerning oral pharmaceutical certificates for optometrists. The bill specifically approves a rule that was modified after addressing objections from the Legislative Rule-Making Review Committee and refiled in the State Register on September 18, 2025. This is a procedural approval of an existing rule change, not a new policy or requirement. The rule directly relates to how optometrists may obtain authorization to prescribe certain oral medications. No new provisions or affected groups are created by this bill; it merely formalizes the Board’s authority to implement the revised rule.

Maddy summarySB 365 authorizes the West Virginia Board of Pharmacy to implement a rule (15 CSR 19) governing pharmacy inspections. The rule, revised to address feedback from the Legislative Rule-Making Review Committee, directly affects pharmacies by establishing procedures for inspections conducted by the Board. This procedural bill does not create new inspection requirements but formalizes an existing rule for oversight of pharmacy facilities.