Sen. Amy Grady

Maddy summarySB 122 establishes a minimum student enrollment of 1,200 for calculating state school funding in West Virginia. It amends the school aid formula to ensure counties with fewer than 1,200 students still receive funding based on this minimum, rather than their actual enrollment. This directly affects all West Virginia public school districts receiving state aid, preventing smaller counties from being disadvantaged in funding calculations. The bill sets this floor for the "basic foundation program" to maintain consistent support for school districts.

Maddy summarySenate Bill 544 clarifies fire and ventilation rules for small-scale food vendors like county fair booths, church kitchens, and volunteer fire department food services - defined as facilities operating 15 days or less annually. It removes the requirement for expensive commercial-grade hoods and automatic fire suppression systems that previously applied to these limited-use facilities. Instead, the bill mandates simpler safety measures: grease fire extinguishers, one extinguisher per 1,000 square feet (minimum two), staff fire safety training, constant equipment monitoring, and basic ventilation for cooking areas. The West Virginia State Fire Marshal will create detailed rules to implement these provisions.

Maddy summarySB 533 clarifies that legal actions involving the West Virginia Secondary School Activities Commission (WVSSAC) must be filed in the county where the school is located or in the circuit court of that county. It does not change WVSSAC's operational rules, eligibility criteria for students (such as home-schooled students or Hope Scholarship participants), or fee structures. This is a procedural clarification to specify court jurisdiction for lawsuits related to the commission, without altering existing policies or affecting any stakeholders.

Maddy summarySB 536 authorizes five specific West Virginia counties to levy a special sales tax within designated economic development districts to fund local projects. The bill permits Ohio County (Fort Henry District, 500 acres until 2054), Harrison County (Charles Pointe, 437 acres), Monongalia County (University Town Centre, 1,450 acres until 2053), Jefferson County (Hill Top House Hotel, 11 acres with special rules), and Mercer County (The Ridges, 420 acres with public hearing requirements) to collect this tax on sales of goods and services within their district boundaries. Counties must obtain legislative approval before imposing the tax, and each district has a defined sunset date (2053-2054) when it would automatically end unless terminated earlier. This tax is intended to fund local economic development without reducing state General Revenue Fund collections.

Maddy summarySenate Bill 286 grants parents and legal guardians direct access to their minor child's health records without requiring the child's permission, except in four specific cases: the child has graduated high school, is emancipated, married, or if a criminal case for child abuse is pending against the parent. The bill removes the need for healthcare providers to obtain a minor's authorization for parents to access records, aligning with existing HIPAA guidelines. It also ensures managed care organizations, child placing agencies, and temporary custodians can access a child's medical records. This change applies to all healthcare providers and child welfare entities in West Virginia, streamlining access while maintaining clear exceptions.

Maddy summarySenate Bill 509 amends West Virginia laws (§61-8D-3 and §61-8D-4) to increase criminal penalties for parents, guardians, custodians, or trusted adults who abuse or neglect children. It specifies that a third or subsequent offense involving child abuse or neglect resulting in bodily injury becomes a felony (with 1-5 years in prison), while prior convictions under these sections trigger higher fines and longer sentences for repeat offenders. The bill also clarifies that misdemeanor convictions for such offenses do not automatically restrict custody rights or require registration under sex offender laws, and mandates potential services like parenting classes for misdemeanor cases. It explicitly states that reasonable discipline is not covered under these penalties.

Maddy summarySB 481 amends West Virginia law to explicitly permit off-duty law enforcement officers to carry concealed weapons in public schools and school events. This change directly affects off-duty officers (including those with active law enforcement credentials) and public schools, clarifying that they are exempt from existing restrictions that prohibit weapons on school grounds. The bill modifies the exemption language in §61-7-11a(b)(2)(A) to specifically include "off duty" officers, removing ambiguity about whether current exemptions cover them. It does not change restrictions for civilians or other personnel, maintaining the existing prohibition for non-exempt individuals.

Maddy summarySenate Bill 186 (SB 186) would increase witness fees in West Virginia courts to match current federal rates. Specifically, it would raise the daily attendance fee from $10-$20 to $40 per day and adjust mileage reimbursement to align with the state’s standard rate for employees using personal vehicles (currently 15 cents per mile, but now tied to the state’s official travel rate). This change directly affects witnesses summoned to testify in West Virginia state courts, excluding grand jury and justices of the peace proceedings. The bill aims to standardize compensation for witnesses appearing in state court with the federal system, ensuring parity for those traveling for court appearances.

Maddy summarySenate Bill 254 creates a new felony offense in West Virginia for digitally manipulating media to falsely depict a minor in sexually explicit content. It prohibits inserting an actual minor's image (defined as someone under 18 when photographed) into explicit material to make it appear the minor was involved. Violators face fines up to $10,000, up to five years in prison, or both. The law specifically states this offense is separate from other existing criminal provisions.

Maddy summarySB 258 amends West Virginia's Teachers Retirement System to allow members who joined on or after July 1, 2015, to convert their accrued annual and sick leave into additional retirement service credit. Specifically, each day of accrued leave counts as one day of service credit toward calculating retirement benefits. This change directly affects newer public school teachers in the system by increasing their retirement benefits based on unused leave. The bill modifies §5-16-13 of the West Virginia Code to implement this conversion, providing a concrete policy change without altering health insurance provisions.