Sen. Chris Rose

Maddy summarySB 877 requires the West Virginia Legislature to include the exact title, summary, and description of proposed constitutional amendments directly in the joint resolution submitted to voters. This ensures official ballots display the Legislature's intended wording without relying on the Secretary of State to fill in missing details. The bill applies to all constitutional amendment proposals and standardizes how ballot language is prepared for voter approval. It is a procedural change affecting the drafting of resolutions, not the substance of amendments.

Maddy summaryThis Senate Resolution (SR 38) is a ceremonial designation, not a policy bill. It formally recognizes Mingo County, West Virginia, by designating March 20, 2025, as "Mingo County Day" at the West Virginia Legislature. The resolution highlights the county's history (founded 1895, Native American heritage, coal mining legacy, Mine Wars), recent flood resilience, and tourism assets like the Hatfield-McCoy Trail. It does not create new laws, allocate funds, or directly affect any residents or policies - it is purely a symbolic gesture of legislative recognition. The resolution was adopted by the Senate on March 20, 2025.

Maddy summarySB 851, the Child Protection Investigations Reform Act, requires West Virginia’s Department of Human Services to provide clear, written summaries and verbal notifications to parents or legal custodians accused of child abuse or neglect during investigations. The written summary explains investigation procedures, the right to file complaints, access records (unless safety is at risk), and legal counsel options, all in plain language the person understands. Verbally, it must also inform individuals of their Fourth Amendment rights, including the right to refuse interviews without a lawyer, withhold medical records, and consult an attorney before agreeing to safety plans. The bill applies only to investigations initiated on or after July 1, 2025, and does not change existing legal standards for reporting abuse.

Maddy summarySB 719 raises the age at which minors can consent to certain medical services from 16 to 18 years, specifically for sexually transmitted infection care, alcohol addiction treatment, and controlled substance addiction treatment. The bill requires health care providers to notify parents or guardians (unless §16-30-26(b) applies) but removes the "mature minor" exception for these services. It also eliminates minors' ability to independently consent to do-not-resuscitate orders. The bill directly affects minors aged 16-17 and their parents/guardians regarding these specific health services.

Maddy summaryThis West Virginia Senate Concurrent Resolution (SCR 15) is a formal statement opposing China's misuse of UN Resolution 2758 to exclude Taiwan from international organizations. It clarifies that the resolution's purpose was solely to determine China's UN representation, not Taiwan's political status, and rejects China's "One China Principle" as conflated with the UN resolution. The resolution calls on the UN to stop using Resolution 2758 to deny Taiwan participation in UN bodies and reaffirms that the U.S. "one China policy" does not recognize China's claim over Taiwan. It directly affects Taiwan's ability to engage with international institutions, where it has been excluded since 1971 despite its population of 23.5 million.

Maddy summarySB 853 clarifies registration requirements for individuals and organizations bidding at public auctions of tax-abandoned land held by West Virginia's State Auditor. It requires bidders to register in advance with the Auditor's office or submit a notarized affidavit on the auction day, and prohibits registration for those with past payment defaults, delinquent property taxes, repeated code enforcement violations, or unresolved legal disputes related to property ownership. The bill specifically allows 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations focused on housing or public facilities to bid at auctions, provided their bid is no more than 5% lower than the highest non-nonprofit bid. This affects anyone seeking to purchase tax-foreclosed land through county auctions, ensuring bidders meet specific eligibility criteria before participating.

Maddy summaryThis is a ceremonial resolution (SR 37), not a bill with policy changes. It formally recognizes the Energy Council's 50th anniversary and commends the organization for its work since 1975. The resolution expresses the West Virginia Senate's appreciation for the Council's role in fostering nonpartisan collaboration among energy policymakers across 14 U.S. states and two Canadian provinces. It has no binding effect or impact on energy policy, funding, or regulations.

Maddy summarySB 841 prohibits all West Virginia state government entities - including public schools, universities, healthcare facilities, and social services offices - from promoting, facilitating, or funding any discussions, programs, or medical procedures related to sexual orientation or gender transitioning. The bill bans state funds for gender transition treatments (like hormone therapy or puberty blockers), restricts school materials discussing gender identity, and prohibits staff from engaging in related training or curriculum. Violations could result in employee termination, funding suspension, or lawsuits by West Virginia residents. This directly affects state-funded institutions and their educational, medical, and administrative activities.

Maddy summarySB 686 amends West Virginia's Commercial Feed Law to clarify that farmers selling products made entirely on their own farm are not considered "distributors" under the law. This exempts small-scale farmers who offer for sale, sell, exchange, or barter their own farm-produced goods (like unprocessed feed or crops) from needing a commercial feed distributor permit. The bill specifically updates definitions in §19-14-2(h) to state that "any person engaged in offering for sale, selling, exchanging, or bartering products or commodities produced exclusively on his or her own farm is not a distributor." It directly affects local farmers selling directly from their farms without commercial processing or packaging, reducing regulatory requirements for these transactions. The change focuses on clarifying existing definitions rather than creating new regulations.

Maddy summaryThis is a symbolic Senate Resolution (SR 35), not a law, recognizing the West Virginia Mothers and Babies Support Program (WVMBSP) for its achievements during the 2023-2024 program year. It highlights the program's work in expanding services to 11,858 women and babies across all 55 counties through 49 partner locations, including pregnancy care centers and social service agencies. The resolution acknowledges specific accomplishments like funding essential resources (car seats, diapers, prenatal vitamins) and supporting program expansions, but does not create new policies or allocate funds. It serves solely as a formal acknowledgment of the program's impact.