Sen. Patricia Rucker

Maddy summarySB 496 changes the state's legal definition of "massage therapy" by removing reflexology and energy-based practices (like Reiki) from the category. This affects practitioners who previously provided these services under massage therapy licenses, requiring them to operate under separate licensing frameworks. The bill amends the state licensing code to clarify that these practices are no longer considered massage therapy. It became law after the governor signed it on April 24, 2025, and took effect on August 8, 2025.

Maddy summarySB 240 updates the legal definition of sexual extortion to explicitly include threats to share intimate images or private information as a form of coercion. This change directly affects victims of such threats and law enforcement, making it a clearer criminal offense when someone pressures another person into sexual acts by threatening to disclose private content. The key provision broadens the scope of sexual extortion beyond physical threats, ensuring that digital coercion tactics are treated as serious criminal conduct under existing law.

Maddy summarySB 844 exempts non-native quail and partridge raised for agricultural purposes from needing a license to operate a private game farm. The bill amends West Virginia law to clarify that these birds, when kept for meat or egg production (like other domesticated poultry), are not subject to the game farm licensing requirement. This exemption applies only to birds used for agricultural activities - such as breeding for food production - excluding birds intended for release into the wild. The change reduces regulatory burden for farmers raising these birds as part of commercial agricultural operations.

Maddy summarySB 856 removes multiple reporting requirements from insurance-related entities in West Virginia. The bill eliminates the Insurance Commissioner's obligation to report on workers' compensation funds, occupational pneumoconiosis claims, and state agency workers' compensation program status to various committees and the Governor. It also removes requirements for employers to report on post-traumatic stress disorder claims, for insurance companies to report on civil actions against medical providers, and for the Insurance Commissioner to publish automobile insurance rates. The legislation also modifies the Industrial Council's duties by removing its reporting requirement regarding employer safety initiatives. This bill primarily affects the Insurance Commissioner, employers, insurance companies, and various government committees by reducing administrative reporting burdens.

Maddy summarySB 823 clarifies and separates the responsibilities between the Division of Emergency Management and the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). The bill defines specific duties for each agency to prevent overlap in their work, directly affecting staff and operations within these two state departments. Key provisions require each agency to clearly document and communicate their assigned tasks, reducing potential confusion during emergency response or environmental management efforts. This law became effective on August 8, 2025, after approval by the governor.

Maddy summarySB 734 repeals a specific requirement in the A. James Manchin Rehabilitation Environmental Action Plan that mandated state agencies to purchase recycled products. This bill removes the provision (§22-15A-21) from the plan's procurement guidelines. It directly affects how state agencies would have handled purchasing decisions under this environmental action plan. As a procedural repeal, it eliminates an existing rule without creating new requirements or changing broader policy.

Maddy summarySB 746 allows the State Board of Education to delegate its Medicaid provider status to public charter schools. This enables charter schools to directly bill Medicaid for student health services without needing separate approval from the State Board. The key provision removes a prior barrier that prevented charter schools from accessing Medicaid funding through the State Board’s existing provider status. Public charter schools are the direct beneficiaries, gaining streamlined access to Medicaid reimbursements for eligible health services.

Maddy summarySB 537 establishes the WV Mothers and Babies Pregnancy Support Program, providing direct support to low-income pregnant women and new mothers in West Virginia. The program, administered by the state health department, offers prenatal care, nutrition assistance, and social services to eligible individuals. It creates a new state-funded initiative to improve maternal and infant health outcomes for vulnerable populations. The bill became law after approval by the governor on April 30, 2025, and was enacted as Chapter 203 of the 2025 Regular Session Acts.

Maddy summaryWest Virginia's SB 75 redirects $9 million annually from the state's excess lottery fund to the Licensed Racetrack Modernization Fund for racetrack upgrades. It suspends all other planned distributions from the lottery fund (reducing them by 100%) for fiscal years starting July 1, 2014, and beyond, instead directing those funds to the State Excess Lottery Revenue Fund. The bill specifies that debt payments from this fund must be made first, followed by pro-rata payments for other mandated distributions. It also includes provisions allowing the Governor to redirect lottery revenues to the General Revenue Fund under specific budget shortfall conditions. This bill directly affects how lottery revenue is allocated between racetracks, state debt obligations, and other state programs.

Maddy summarySB 299 prohibits medical professionals in West Virginia from prescribing or dispensing "gender altering medication" (including puberty blockers and supraphysiologic hormone therapy) to patients under 18 years old. This directly affects doctors, physician assistants, and advanced practice nurses who provide care to minors. The bill requires telehealth regulations to include this prohibition and mandates that violations result in revocation of professional licenses. It amends existing health codes to define these prohibited practices and establishes enforcement through the Attorney General. The law takes effect July 11, 2025.