Sen. Mike Woelfel

Maddy summarySB 768 increases funding for West Virginia's Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation by supplementing existing appropriations from the State Fund, General Revenue. It raises the fiscal year 2025 budget for Correctional Units (Fund 0450) from $7,148,314 to $7,670,255 and for Juvenile Services (Fund 0570) from $2,319,890 to $2,319,890 (note: amount appears unchanged in text). The bill uses unappropriated state funds to cover operational costs at correctional facilities and juvenile services programs. This is a routine budget adjustment, not a new policy change.

Maddy summarySB 781 reallocates $9,506,440 from the Economic Development Authority's Economic Development Project Fund (Fund 9065) to the Department of Human Services' Medical Services program (Fund 5365) for fiscal year 2025. This budget amendment uses unappropriated funds from the State Excess Lottery Revenue Fund to shift existing state funding without creating new programs or changing eligibility rules. The bill directly affects the Economic Development Authority, which will see reduced funding for economic development projects, and the Department of Human Services, which will receive increased funding for medical services. The reallocation is purely procedural and does not alter the total state budget for fiscal year 2025.

Maddy summarySB 770 allocates $500,000 from West Virginia's unappropriated surplus balance to the Division of Culture and History within the Department of Arts, Culture, and History for fiscal year 2025. This supplemental appropriation uses existing unspent funds to support cultural programs and historical preservation activities managed by the Division. The bill directly affects the Division of Culture and History, which oversees state museums, historic sites, and cultural initiatives. It does not create new funding but reallocates $500,000 already available in the state treasury.

Maddy summarySB 791 increases funding for West Virginia's Birth-to-Three program, which provides early childhood health services for infants and toddlers. The bill supplements an existing $6,589,343 appropriation in the Bureau of Public Health's maternal and child health budget for fiscal year 2025. This additional funding directly supports services for low-income families with children under three years old. The bill does not create new policy but allocates existing unappropriated state funds to maintain current program operations. It was introduced on March 17, 2025, and referred to the Senate Finance Committee.

Maddy summarySB 220 requires public schools in West Virginia to provide annual, age-appropriate instruction on child sexual abuse prevention (grades 3-6), personal safety/assault prevention (grades 3-6), and dating/sexual violence prevention (grades 7-12). Schools must notify parents one week before personal safety lessons and allow opt-outs for students. The bill also mandates that all public school employees complete a four-hour, trauma-informed training every three years on recognizing abuse, responding to disclosures, and preventing victimization. These requirements are voluntary for public charter schools and nonpublic schools.

Maddy summarySB 789 adds a $1 million "Directed Transfer" line item to the West Virginia Department of Commerce's budget, reallocating unspent funds from the Jobs for WV Graduates program (previously designated under fund 0606, appropriation 83699). The funds will be transferred to the Department's Marketing and Communications Operating Fund (fund 3002) for fiscal year 2025 expenditures. This is a budget reallocation of existing unappropriated funds, not new funding, to support marketing and communications activities under the Department of Commerce.

Maddy summarySB 775 redirects $28,564,089.61 in unused funds from the West Virginia Economic Development Authority's Economic Development Project Bridge Loan Fund (fund 9066) to the state's General Revenue Fund surplus. The bill expires these funds, which the Governor's budget identified as exceeding necessary balances for the fund's purpose. This transfer makes the money available for general state appropriations during fiscal year 2025. The bill does not create new policies or affect specific individuals or businesses - it solely reallocates existing unspent funds.

Maddy summarySB 784 adds $15 million to the Division of General Services' capital budget for fiscal year 2025, using an unappropriated surplus balance from the state treasury. This supplemental appropriation specifically funds "Capital Outlay, Repairs and Equipment" to support state building maintenance and infrastructure projects. The bill directly affects the Division of General Services, which will manage these funds for state facilities. It is a procedural budget adjustment with no new policy or eligibility changes.

Maddy summarySB 779 increases funding for the West Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) by $3.5 million from the State Road Fund for fiscal year 2025. It supplements an existing appropriation line item (fund 9007, organization 0802) designated for the DMV's "Current Expenses" category. The bill directly affects the DMV's operational budget, allowing it to cover ongoing costs like staffing and services. This is a procedural budget adjustment, not a policy change, to utilize unappropriated funds remaining in the State Road Fund.

Maddy summarySB 783 increases funding for West Virginia's Public Defender Services by $22.6 million in the 2025 fiscal year. It specifically raises existing appropriations for two key areas: $2.6 million for Public Defender Corporations (line item 6) and $20 million for Appointed Counsel Fees (line item 7) under Fund 0226. This supplemental budget adjustment uses unappropriated state funds identified in the Governor's budget document to support court-appointed legal services. The bill directly affects public defenders and court-appointed attorneys who represent indigent clients in criminal cases. It does not create new policies but allocates existing unspent funds to maintain current defense services.