Sen. Mike Woelfel

Maddy summarySB 621 creates a tax credit for West Virginia corporations that operate existing employer-provided or employer-sponsored child care facilities on workplace premises. It allows corporations to claim a credit equal to 100% of their annual operational costs (excluding property costs) for these facilities, minus any amounts paid by employees. The credit is limited to the corporation’s tax liability for the year and can be carried forward up to five years if unused. This bill directly affects businesses operating qualifying on-site child care, providing a financial incentive to maintain or expand such services.

Maddy summarySB 616 would repeal all sections of West Virginia's Contractor Licensing Act (§30-42-1 through §30-42-20) and terminate the West Virginia Contractor Licensing Board. This bill directly affects licensed contractors who currently must obtain and maintain state licenses to work in the state. The key mechanism is the complete removal of the legal framework governing contractor licensing, including application processes, fees, renewal requirements, and disciplinary procedures. The bill would eliminate the requirement for contractors to hold state licenses and end the board's oversight of the profession.

Maddy summarySB 585 increases annual salaries for specific state employees in West Virginia, including West Virginia State Police members (across all ranks), forensic laboratory personnel, public school teachers, and school service staff. The bill establishes new salary schedules effective July 1, 2026, with detailed pay rates for each position category (e.g., troopers, sergeants, forensic scientists). It also maintains existing length-of-service pay increases for State Police members, which began in 2015. The legislation directly affects these state workforce groups by raising their base pay through specified salary schedules.

Maddy summarySB 577 would impose a one-year moratorium on all electric and natural gas utility rate increases for utilities regulated by West Virginia's Public Service Commission, directly affecting all residential, commercial, and industrial customers. The bill prohibits new rate hikes, suspends pending rate cases, and requires the Commission to limit emergency exceptions only to situations threatening safe service or causing extreme financial hardship to the utility. It also mandates a legislative interim study on utility rate trends, management practices, and potential policy solutions during the moratorium period.

Maddy summaryThis bill (SB 576) requires the Secretary of the West Virginia Department of Health Facilities to continue operating all state-owned health facilities and prohibits the sale or transfer of operations or related property for three specific hospitals - Mildred Mitchell-Bateman Hospital, Welch Community Hospital, and William R. Sharpe Jr. Hospital - without prior legislative approval. It strengthens existing duties by mandating that the Secretary cannot divest these facilities to private buyers without an act of the Legislature. The bill directly affects the Secretary’s authority and ensures these hospitals remain under state control unless the Legislature explicitly approves a sale.

Maddy summarySB 552 authorizes West Virginia county school boards to designate qualifying rural schools as "rural anchor schools," directly affecting low-enrollment schools in predominantly rural communities. To qualify, schools must meet specific criteria, including being the primary neighborhood school, having enrollment below state averages, and facing transportation or safety barriers if closed. The bill provides these schools with state funding based on a minimum 150-student enrollment for fixed costs (like utilities and staffing), regardless of actual enrollment, while requiring funds to be used only for operational costs, core staffing, or academic programs. County boards must report annually on enrollment, staffing, and fund usage to the state board.

Maddy summarySB 554 establishes an enrollment stabilizer mechanism to help West Virginia public school districts plan budgets more predictably by smoothing out year-to-year changes in student enrollment. The bill requires school funding calculations to use the highest of three options: actual recent enrollment, 98% of the prior year's enrollment, or a three-year average of enrollment. It also creates a rural stability add-on for qualifying rural counties experiencing significant enrollment volatility, allowing adjustments to the stabilizer for geographic isolation and local funding capacity. This bill directly affects all 55 West Virginia county school boards, with special protections for rural districts, without increasing the total state funding amount for the basic school support program.

Maddy summarySB 551 amends West Virginia law to restore voting rights for faculty, student, and employee members currently serving as nonvoting advisors on boards of governors at 19 public universities and community colleges. The bill changes their status from "nonvoting, advisory" to full voting members, directly affecting institutions like West Virginia University, Marshall University, and West Virginia State University. Key provisions remove the nonvoting designation from statutes governing these positions, allowing faculty (rank of instructor or above), students (in good academic standing), and employees (classified or non-classified) to vote on board decisions. This policy change aims to increase institutional representation without altering board composition or appointment processes.

Maddy summarySB 550 changes how West Virginia's Public Service Commission (PSC) members are selected by replacing appointments with nonpartisan elections. It requires all future PSC commissioners to be elected statewide on a nonpartisan ballot during primary elections, rather than appointed by the governor. The bill establishes staggered initial elections: three commissioners will be elected to five-and-a-half-year terms, followed by regular six-year terms for subsequent elections. This directly affects the PSC, which regulates utilities like electricity and gas, and sets new filing requirements for candidates seeking these elected positions.

Maddy summarySB 555 establishes the Essential Personnel Bridge Grant Program to provide targeted financial assistance to West Virginia school districts for essential staff positions not fully covered by existing state funding. It directly affects county school boards, allowing them to apply for reimbursements to cover part of the salaries and benefits for staff in roles critical to maintaining instructional programming, special education services, mental health support, transportation, or compliance with mandates. Applications require demonstrating that positions exceed state-funded levels and address specific student needs, with grants prioritized based on county financial capacity, local funding reliance, and impact on student outcomes. Funds may only be used for mandated salaries/benefits of the requested positions, and the program requires annual reporting on grant usage and student impacts.