Sen. Chris Rose

Maddy summarySB 503 requires all West Virginia state office buildings and individual agency offices to display the national motto "In God We Trust" in a visible, conspicuous location. The display must be durable, at least 8.5x11 inches, and may include the U.S. flag but no other text or imagery. State funds cannot be used for this display; agencies may only accept private donations. The law, effective July 1, 2026, applies to all state buildings used for official business. It does not change the motto itself but mandates its physical display in specified locations.

Maddy summaryThis bill allows West Virginia pharmacists to dispense Ivermectin for human use under two conditions: through a collaborative agreement with a prescriber or, once the FDA approves it for over-the-counter sale, without a prescription. When dispensing without a prescription, pharmacists must provide an FDA-approved patient information sheet and no consultation is required. The bill also shields pharmacists and healthcare providers from civil, criminal, or disciplinary action when following these provisions in good faith. The OTC dispensing provision will take effect immediately upon FDA approval, while other parts of the bill become effective 90 days after passage.

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 summaryThis bill (SB 471) allows physician assistants (PAs) in West Virginia to own healthcare-related businesses, such as clinics or practices. It specifically prohibits PAs from having a financial interest in referral arrangements (e.g., owning a clinic they refer patients to) and permits medical corporations to have PA shareholders. The bill also designates physician assistants as a "professional service" under the state’s Uniform Limited Liability Company Act, enabling PAs to form or join LLCs for their practice. These changes directly affect PAs seeking to establish or invest in healthcare businesses.

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 412 amends West Virginia law requiring health education in public schools (grades 6-12) to specifically include instruction on "human growth and development related to pregnancy and human development inside the womb." This bill directly affects all West Virginia public schools and their health education curricula. The key provision mandates that existing health education courses must now incorporate this specific content about prenatal development and pregnancy. The bill does not change other required health topics like STD prevention, substance abuse, nutrition, or CPR instruction. It focuses solely on adding this new component to the existing health education requirements.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires medical professionals who administer vaccines to report all adverse effects and injuries to West Virginia's Bureau for Public Health. It mandates that providers receive annual educational materials about vaccine side effects and complete formal training every five years. The bill also creates a public reporting mechanism for individuals (including parents) to submit vaccine-related concerns directly to the Bureau. The Bureau must then compile an annual report for the West Virginia Legislature on these reported cases. The policy directly affects healthcare providers and patients receiving vaccines statewide.