Sen. Amy Grady

Maddy summarySB 674 allows West Virginia students to use the Classical Learning Test (CLT) as an alternative to the ACT or SAT for college admissions and financial aid eligibility. Public colleges must accept CLT scores for admission, and students need a minimum score of 19 (or equivalent) on the CLT, ACT, or SAT to qualify for financial aid. The bill requires high schools to offer the CLT, ACT, or SAT to students in grades 9-12 and the CLT10 or PSAT to students in grades 9-10. School districts may seek reimbursement for related testing fees. This directly affects West Virginia public school students and higher education institutions.

Maddy summaryWest Virginia's SB 647 allows public universities to enter agreements with student-athletes for compensation related to their name, image, or likeness (NIL), such as endorsement deals or social media partnerships. It prohibits institutions from using state funds for these payments and bans student-athletes from earning NIL compensation for alcohol, adult entertainment, or other specified activities. The bill also prevents athletic conferences or associations from penalizing student-athletes or institutions for engaging in authorized NIL activities, including reducing scholarships. This directly affects student-athletes at West Virginia public universities and the state's higher education institutions. The law aims to clarify NIL rights while limiting certain commercial uses and regulatory interference.

Maddy summarySB 253 creates the West Virginia Chronic Weight Management Task Force to study obesity and type 2 diabetes management. The task force, composed of the State Health Officer (as chair), legislative members, and appointed experts from health organizations (including diabetes nonprofits, community health offices, and patient advocates), will examine health interventions, barriers to care, and data-driven solutions. It must report findings to the Joint Committee on Health annually starting December 31, 2025, and make recommendations for legislative action by December 31, 2027. The bill requires state agencies like the Department of Health to provide administrative support and cooperate with the task force’s work.

Maddy summaryWest Virginia's SB 558 requires public high school students to earn at least one-half credit in a computer science course to graduate, starting with the 2027-2028 school year for ninth graders. The bill defines "computer science" as studying programming, algorithms, and computer principles - not basic computer skills like word processing - and mandates courses meet state standards, offered in person unless not feasible (then allowing blended or online options). Schools must list approved courses by 2026, and if a computer science course fulfills a math or science requirement, transcripts must note it as equivalent for college admissions. The law also requires the State Board of Education to create rules supporting teacher capacity and course flexibility.

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 bill requires West Virginia public schools to implement wearable panic alert systems for all school employees by December 2025. It mandates that each employee receives a device enabling immediate emergency contact and campus-wide lockdown notifications, with annual training required before each school year. The law also requires county school boards to share security data (like camera feeds and facility maps) with local law enforcement and establish access protocols. The system must integrate with 9-1-1 services, directly affecting school staff, administrators, and local emergency responders.

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 summaryThis bill exempts home producers from most state food regulations for selling nonpotentially hazardous foods (like baked goods, jams, or non-alcoholic beverages) directly to consumers. It applies to individuals producing these items at their residential property, excluding dairy, meat, poultry, or alcoholic products. Producers must sell directly to consumers (not through retailers), deliver items to consumers, and provide required notices about the food's origin. The exemption covers licensing, permitting, inspection, packaging, and labeling requirements for these specific foods, while potentially hazardous foods (like dairy) still require department permits and oversight.

Maddy summaryWest Virginia Senate Bill 551 amends the state's second-degree murder penalty by increasing the minimum prison sentence from 10 to 15 years and changing the maximum to "life imprisonment" instead of 40 years. It also requires individuals convicted under this law to serve at least 15 years before becoming eligible for parole, raising the prior minimum from 10 years. The bill directly affects people convicted of second-degree murder in West Virginia, altering both their potential sentence length and parole eligibility. This change applies to all current and future second-degree murder convictions under the state's criminal code.