Sen. Mike Woelfel

Maddy summarySB 888 establishes a standardized testing schedule for individuals in West Virginia's substance use disorder treatment programs. It requires comprehensive testing at treatment entry, followed by qualitative tests every two weeks for six weeks (initiation phase), every 45 days for one year (stabilization phase), and every six months thereafter (maintenance phase). The bill also mandates that patients provide a test upon provider request at any time to assess compliance. This directly affects individuals enrolled in state-funded drug treatment programs and their treatment providers. The law describes a specific progression of testing requirements without creating new facilities or altering treatment standards.

Maddy summarySB 589 increases annual salaries for West Virginia judges effective July 1, 2025. Magistrates will earn $75,840, Supreme Court justices $157,600, circuit court judges $146,600, and family court judges $111,950. The bill also suspends court contributions to the judicial retirement system until specific conditions are met and adjusts survivor benefit calculations for judges' families. These changes directly affect current judges across all state court levels.

Maddy summarySB 755 establishes a five-year program requiring every West Virginia public secondary school to have a licensed athletic trainer on staff or contracted through the county board by July 1, 2031. It expands career technical education (CTE) sports medicine programs to all high schools through cost-efficient methods like shared resources or mobile instructors, aligning curricula with higher education standards. The bill mandates annual state funding for trainer recruitment and retention, including using the Underwood-Smith Loan Repayment Program to incentivize dual-role teacher-athletic trainers. This directly affects student-athletes (through improved safety access), schools (requiring new staffing), and CTE programs (expanding course offerings statewide).

Maddy summaryThe provided bill text focuses on amendments to public charter school regulations (§18-5G-3 and a new §18-2-46) but does not include the specific provisions for the FAFSA requirement mentioned in the bill title. Without the actual text detailing the FAFSA submission mandate, a factual summary of that requirement cannot be generated from the given context. The context only describes charter school governance and criteria, not student financial aid application processes.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires residential substance use disorder treatment facilities receiving state Medicaid payments to hold both state licensure and specific accreditation (CARF, Joint Commission, or DNV) by July 1, 2025. Facilities failing to meet these requirements will not receive reimbursement for services provided on or after January 1, 2026. The Bureau for Medical Services must update its provider manual by October 1, 2025, to enforce these rules and report on effectiveness by 2030. It directly affects all residential facilities treating substance use disorders that seek state Medicaid funding.

Maddy summarySenate Bill 598 allows judges in West Virginia to refer parents who knowingly make false accusations of child abuse, neglect, or domestic violence during child custody proceedings to prosecutors. If a court finds an accusation was knowingly false, the judge may order the accuser to reimburse the accused parent for reasonable legal costs and refer the case to prosecutors to determine if criminal charges apply. The bill specifically targets deliberate falsehoods - not withdrawn or unproven reports - and applies to parents or household members making such false claims in custody cases. This policy change directly affects parents involved in custody disputes who make verified false allegations, aiming to address misuse of child protection systems.

Maddy summarySB 83 amends West Virginia law to grant the Foster Care Ombudsman (or their designee) access to confidential child abuse, neglect, and fatality/near-fatality records when acting in their official duties. This directly affects the Ombudsman's office, enabling them to review records previously restricted to other entities like courts or child fatality review teams. The key provision adds the Ombudsman to the list of authorized recipients under §49-5-101, allowing access to records related to child abuse/neglect cases and fatalities without requiring court orders. The bill maintains existing confidentiality protections, ensuring reporter identities remain shielded except when shared specifically with the Ombudsman.

Maddy summarySB 776, the Firearms Industry Nondiscrimination Act, prohibits financial institutions that do business with West Virginia from discriminating against firearm businesses or trade associations. Specifically, it bans refusing services, terminating existing relationships, or refraining from continuing business solely because an entity sells firearms, ammunition, or related products. The law includes key exceptions: it does not apply to restrictions on selling firearms/ammo, compliance with federal/state laws, or business decisions based on specific customer factors unrelated to firearm business. This applies only to financial institutions contracted with the state, not to general retail or consumer transactions.

Maddy summarySB 843 prohibits individuals listed on West Virginia's state sex offender database from entering public school property or attending school events, including activities involving their own children. It requires parent-teacher conferences involving such individuals to occur off-site via phone or virtual meeting. Violations would be misdemeanors for first offenses (up to six months in jail) and felonies for repeat offenses (one to five years). The bill also authorizes the State Board of Education to create implementing rules.

Maddy summarySB 853 clarifies registration requirements for individuals and organizations bidding at public auctions of tax-abandoned land held by West Virginia's State Auditor. It requires bidders to register in advance with the Auditor's office or submit a notarized affidavit on the auction day, and prohibits registration for those with past payment defaults, delinquent property taxes, repeated code enforcement violations, or unresolved legal disputes related to property ownership. The bill specifically allows 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations focused on housing or public facilities to bid at auctions, provided their bid is no more than 5% lower than the highest non-nonprofit bid. This affects anyone seeking to purchase tax-foreclosed land through county auctions, ensuring bidders meet specific eligibility criteria before participating.