Sen. Mike Azinger

Maddy summarySB 664, the First Amendment Preservation Act, prohibits West Virginia state agencies from contracting with companies that rate news sources for accuracy, bias, or misinformation. It requires advertising and marketing firms bidding for state contracts to provide written certification that they do not use such rating services. The law applies to all state advertising contracts executed, renewed, or modified on or after July 1, 2025. The bill does not restrict services that aggregate news articles or provide ad performance analytics, as long as they do not involve media monitoring organizations.

Maddy summarySB 653 extends retirement benefits under West Virginia's Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Retirement System to include emergency vehicle operators (such as ambulance drivers) who were previously excluded. It modifies the definition of "final average salary" used to calculate retirement benefits and adjusts benefit percentages, increasing the maximum payout from 67% to 90% of that salary under certain funding conditions. The bill specifically affects current and future EMS personnel, including 911 operators with transferred assets, by clarifying how their service credit and benefit amounts are determined. These changes apply to all covered EMS employees under the existing retirement system framework.

Maddy summaryWest Virginia's SB 633, the "Protecting Kids from Porn Act," requires commercial adult websites (those offering over 25% explicit content) to implement strict age verification before allowing access to minors. This includes mandatory biometric facial recognition, government ID, and credit card authentication for users, with re-verification every 24 hours. Websites failing to comply face $1 million per violation, permanent state blocking, and civil liability up to $10,000 per minor exposed. The law prohibits circumvention via VPNs or proxies and establishes an Attorney General enforcement unit to audit compliance. It directly affects adult content platforms operating in West Virginia, not general internet users.

Maddy summaryThis Senate Resolution (SR 13) memorializes Wanda Porterfield Casto, a 34-year part-time Senate Secretary/Administrative Assistant who served the West Virginia Senate and dedicated her life to public service. The resolution formally honors her legacy as a wife, mother, grandmother, and public servant, extending the Senate's deepest sympathies to her family following her passing on May 20, 2024. It directs the Senate Clerk to send a copy of the resolution to her family. As a commemorative resolution, it has no policy impact and serves solely to recognize her contributions.

Maddy summaryThis Senate Resolution (SR 3) creates a Select Committee on Substance Use Disorder and Mental Health for the Eighty-Seventh Legislature. The committee, appointed by the Senate Presiding Officer (up to 17 members), will gather information on prevention, treatment, research, policies, access to care, and funding related to substance use disorders and mental health. It may meet during legislative interims and has jurisdiction over related legislative proposals, operating under Senate committee rules. This is a procedural resolution establishing a committee, not a law changing policy.

Maddy summarySB 575 defines "community air monitoring programs" as non-governmental air quality monitoring systems operated by community groups (excluding those run by state agencies, the EPA, or polluters). It prohibits West Virginia's Department of Environmental Protection from using data collected through these programs for regulatory actions, including issuing fines, enforcement cases, rulemaking, or permitting decisions against polluters. The bill requires the state to verify monitoring equipment validity if community data is presented in violation complaints, but explicitly bars the use of such data for regulatory purposes under the Clean Air Act. This bill directly affects community monitors and state environmental enforcement processes.

Maddy summarySB 568 amends West Virginia law to protect the confidentiality of information gathered during market conduct examinations by the Insurance Commissioner. This means insurance companies, agents, brokers, and solicitors will have their business practices and operational details kept private during these reviews, preventing public disclosure. The bill directly adds a legal requirement that such information must be treated as confidential, ensuring it cannot be shared without proper authorization. This change primarily affects the insurance industry and the Department of Insurance, safeguarding sensitive business data from becoming public records.

Maddy summarySB 431 amends West Virginia laws to restrict minors' access to venues displaying sexually explicit content and increase penalties for indecent exposure involving minors. It prohibits venues (like theaters, dance halls, or entertainment spaces) from admitting minors under 18 to areas showing sexually explicit conduct, with limited exemptions for specific private clubs or events requiring ID checks for alcohol service. The bill raises fines and jail terms for indecent exposure, especially when done for sexual gratification or involving minors, with steeper penalties for repeat offenses. It directly affects minors under 18, venue operators, and individuals engaging in such exposure, focusing on preventing minors' exposure to sexually explicit displays.

Maddy summarySB 287 amends West Virginia law to protect minors who are victims of human trafficking from criminal prosecution for prostitution. Specifically, it adds a provision to §61-8-5(b) stating that no minor shall be prosecuted for prostitution if the court determines they are a victim of trafficking under the human trafficking statutes (§61-14-1 et seq.). The bill directly affects minors under 18 who are exploited in commercial sex acts, ensuring they are treated as victims rather than criminals. Key mechanisms include explicitly removing criminal liability for minors in these circumstances while maintaining penalties for traffickers, pimps, and others who profit from trafficking. The changes aim to align West Virginia law with victim-centered approaches to human trafficking.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires replacing the Robert C. Byrd statue in the West Virginia Capitol rotunda with four new statues - George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, James Madison, and Arthur I. Boreman - each placed in a corner of the rotunda. It directs the Department of Administration to use existing funds from the "capitol renovation and improvement fund" for this replacement, without creating new costs or policy changes. The bill is purely procedural, affecting Capitol decor, not public policy or citizen rights.