Sen. Eric Tarr

Maddy summarySB 564 (West Virginia Senate Bill 564) would prohibit voters not affiliated with a major political party (such as Democrat or Republican) from voting in that party's primary election. The bill amends election code sections to require that unaffiliated voters - registered as "independent" or with no party affiliation - receive only ballots for nonpartisan candidates and public questions during primaries, rather than party-specific ballots. This directly affects unaffiliated voters in West Virginia primary elections, limiting their choice to nonpartisan options only. The change is a procedural adjustment to voter registration and ballot access rules, not a new policy on election administration.

Maddy summaryThe Mountain Homes Act establishes a state fund to support housing construction for workers employed by businesses in West Virginia. It directly affects businesses (referred to as "Applicants") that seek to build housing for their employees, requiring them to contribute at least 50% of a project's cost as a "Cash reserve." The West Virginia Economic Development Authority will administer the fund, overseeing applications, eligibility, and project approvals while mandating annual reports to the Governor and legislature. The program aims to address housing barriers as the state transitions from an energy-based economy, ensuring workers have access to housing near their jobs.

Maddy summarySB 629 increases payments by 25 percent for therapists and other professionals who provide early intervention services to West Virginia's Birth-to-Three program but are not employed by the state. This change applies to all contracted service providers under the program, effective July 1, 2025. The additional payments will be funded through the existing West Virginia Birth-to-Three Fund, which supports services for children with developmental delays. The bill does not affect salaries of state employees, as it specifically targets non-state agency contractors.

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 bill requires West Virginia judges to recuse themselves (step aside) in any court case where a party's lawyer or their law firm contributed more than $250 to the judge's most recent campaign. It directly affects judges, lawyers, and law firms involved in cases where such contributions occurred. The key mechanism is an automatic recusal trigger above the $250 threshold, though parties may agree to waive the recusal after a judge discloses the contribution and the parties discuss it privately. The rule takes effect July 1, 2025, and applies to all circuit judges, Intermediate Court of Appeals judges, and Supreme Court justices.

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 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 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 572 prohibits county boards and commissions from spending money if they continue to include a labor representative position. Starting July 1, 2025, any requirement for a labor representative on these bodies is eliminated, and boards must replace such positions with appointments from non-labor-affiliated individuals. The bill mandates that spending authority for any affected board or commission is blocked until they comply with this change. This directly impacts county-level boards and commissions currently requiring labor representation under state law.