Sen. Eric Tarr

Maddy summarySenate Bill 730 requires West Virginia's Bureau for Family Assistance to meet two specific program standards by January 1, 2027: (1) reduce its error rate in processing applications to 6% or below, and (2) block individuals living in the U.S. illegally from receiving supplemental nutrition benefits. The bill directly affects the Bureau’s operations and applicants seeking nutrition assistance. It aims to align the state’s program with federal requirements, as noted in the bill’s purpose statement. The provisions focus on operational accuracy and eligibility verification for nutrition benefits.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits election officials in West Virginia from counting ballots that violate specific legal requirements, including those cast in the wrong precinct, provisional ballots submitted on election day, and ballots with uncorrectable procedural errors. It removes county commission discretion to overlook technical mistakes that clearly indicate a voter was not eligible to vote, while still allowing ballots to be counted if errors can be reasonably explained as unintentional. The legislation also establishes criminal penalties for election officials who fail to reject illegal ballots or count them in violation of the new rules, and creates a system for voters to check if their provisional ballots were counted.

Maddy summarySB 388 requires all public elementary and secondary schools in West Virginia to make the Aitken Bible available in fourth, eighth, and 10th grade social studies classrooms. Schools may only use private donations to obtain the Bible - public funds cannot be used for this purpose. The bill explicitly applies to public charter schools authorized under West Virginia law. This legislation mandates the availability of the Aitken Bible in specified grades while restricting funding sources for its distribution.

Maddy summaryThis bill changes when lawsuits about asbestos or silica exposure can begin in West Virginia. It sets three triggers: a person must have a medical diagnosis, discover facts leading to a diagnosis, or pass away with a related health issue before a case can start. It also separates noncancer claims (like lung disease) from cancer claims and prohibits lawsuits against coal mining equipment manufacturers unless filed within 10-12 years of the equipment's first sale or use. The bill directly affects people exposed to these substances who develop health issues and manufacturers of mining equipment.

Maddy summarySB 624 extends the expiration date of a tax modification that reduces personal and corporate income tax for qualified opportunity zone businesses in West Virginia. It directly affects businesses newly registered in West Virginia between January 1, 2019, and January 1, 2024, that operate within designated opportunity zones. The bill prevents the current 2024 sunset date from taking effect, allowing these businesses to continue claiming the tax reduction for the full 10-year period authorized under existing law. This change ensures ongoing eligibility for the tax benefit without requiring new business registrations.

Maddy summarySB 530 expands West Virginia's Child Abuse and Neglect Investigations Unit within the State Police by requiring at least one retired State Police officer from each of the 21 police districts to join the unit, increasing its size to 21 members. The bill mandates that the unit maintain an office in every State Police district (located within local Human Services offices), coordinate closely with Child Protective Services, and track statewide data on child abuse/neglect cases without identifying individual cases. It also establishes rules for rehiring retired officers (requiring specific training but no pension accrual) and requires an annual report to the legislature on unit activities and case data. The unit will focus on investigating and prosecuting child abuse cases while supporting local law enforcement and social services.

Maddy summarySB 118 establishes a West Virginia Forest Carbon Registry managed by the Division of Forestry to track properties involved in carbon offset agreements or projects. It requires landowners, developers, and purchasers to register details like property boundaries (via GIS shapefiles), contact information, and project terms within 60 days of agreement. Existing agreements must be recorded by July 1, 2027, with county courthouses filing memorandums to ensure transparency during title searches. The bill directly affects forestland owners and entities participating in carbon credit programs, aiming to standardize documentation and accountability for carbon sequestration projects across the state.

Maddy summarySB 142 requires West Virginia judges to recuse themselves from cases where a party's lawyer or law firm contributed more than $250 to the judge's campaign in the most recent election. It applies to circuit judges, Intermediate Court of Appeals judges, and Supreme Court justices. The bill includes a waiver process: if a judge learns of a contribution, they may ask parties and lawyers (outside court) to agree to forgo recusal, with any agreement recorded in the case file. The judicial council will advise the Supreme Court on implementing these recusal rules.

Maddy summaryThis bill (SB 35) limits employer liability when an employee's criminal record for drug addiction-related offenses or diseases is expunged. It requires the state to create a database tracking these expungements and mandates courts to check this database in cases involving such employees. Employers are not required to provide health insurance or cover health care costs related to drug addiction or addiction-related diseases if the employee's record was expunged. The law specifically applies to employees participating in "return to work initiatives" for recovering addicts and does not affect employers' obligations for non-addiction-related issues.

Maddy summarySB 93 limits the ability of plaintiffs to recover damages for future medical monitoring (such as screenings or tests) in West Virginia civil lawsuits. It states that an increased risk of disease alone - without a currently diagnosed condition - is not compensable. To recover monitoring costs, plaintiffs must prove they have an existing, diagnosable disease caused by the defendant’s actions, and the monitoring must be directly tied to that disease. Payments for future monitoring must be made into a court-supervised fund (not directly to the plaintiff), with unused funds repaid to the defendant after the required monitoring period ends.