Sen. Mike Woelfel

Maddy summarySB 785 increases an existing $50,000 appropriation for "Personal Services and Employee Benefits" within the Fire Commission - Fire Marshal Fees fund (Fund 6152, Fiscal Year 2025). This supplemental budget adjustment uses unspent funds from the Department of Homeland Security's existing allocation to cover personnel costs for the Fire Marshal's office. The bill does not create new programs or affect external groups - it solely modifies a current budget line item. As a procedural funding measure, it has no substantive policy impact beyond reallocating existing unappropriated funds.

Maddy summaryThis Senate Resolution designates March 17, 2025, as Domestic Violence Awareness Day at the West Virginia Legislature. It serves as a symbolic recognition of domestic violence issues, citing state and national statistics on victimization and services provided by West Virginia's domestic violence programs. The resolution expresses the Senate's commitment to addressing domestic violence but does not create new laws, funding, or policy changes. It specifically acknowledges the work of the West Virginia Coalition Against Domestic Violence and directs a copy to their organization.

Maddy summarySB 780 is a procedural bill that increases funding for West Virginia's Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program by $21 million. It supplements an existing appropriation for fiscal year 2025 (ending June 30, 2025) using unspent federal funds allocated to the Department of Human Services. This adjustment directly affects families receiving TANF assistance by expanding available resources for support services. The bill does not create new policy but modifies an existing budget line to ensure federal funds are utilized for the program's designated purpose.

Maddy summarySB 786 increases an existing appropriation by $28,400,666 for the Hope Scholarship Program within the State Board of Education and Department of Education budget for fiscal year 2025. This supplemental funding directly affects the Hope Scholarship Program, which provides financial assistance to eligible students attending participating schools. The bill uses unappropriated funds remaining in the State Fund, General Revenue as identified in the Governor’s 2025 budget document. It does not create new programs but adjusts existing budget allocations to support current scholarship funding.

Maddy summarySB 782 adds $25,000 to the existing budget for the West Virginia Board of Licensed Dietitians' "Dietitians Licensure Board Fund" (Fund 8680) under the "Personal Services and Employee Benefits" line item. This supplemental appropriation uses unspent funds from the current fiscal year (ending June 30, 2025) to cover personnel costs for the Board. The bill directly affects the Board, which oversees dietitian licensing and professional standards in West Virginia. It does not create new programs or regulations but reallocates existing unappropriated funds to support the Board's operations.

Maddy summarySB 756 is a procedural budget adjustment that reallocates existing unspent funds within the Department of Commerce’s Wildlife Resources fund (Fund 3200, Fiscal Year 2025). It increases funding for Wildlife Resources ($605,639), Administration ($406,656), and Law Enforcement ($1,304,898) while decreasing Capital Improvements and Land Purchase funding ($2,317,193). This bill directly affects the Division of Natural Resources’ Wildlife Resources program by shifting current fiscal year budget allocations without creating new policies or changing spending laws. The adjustment uses unappropriated balances remaining in the fund as of March 2025.

Maddy summarySB 757 creates a new legal pathway allowing West Virginia residents to sue individuals or entities that violate their rights under state law or the West Virginia Constitution. It directly affects citizens whose constitutional or statutory rights - such as due process or equal protection - are infringed by state actors (e.g., officials or agencies acting under state authority). The bill enables plaintiffs to seek compensatory, nominal, or punitive damages, plus attorney fees and court costs if they win their case. This provision applies broadly to deprivations caused by state statutes, rules, or local ordinances, though it explicitly excludes judicial officers from injunctive relief claims unless prior declaratory relief was denied.

Maddy summarySB 477, known as "The Alex Miller Law," requires that an ambulance be present at all middle and high school football games under the West Virginia Secondary School Activities Commission’s control, if available, starting in the 2025-2026 school year. The bill allows games to continue if the ambulance must leave for an emergency. It directly affects all such football games governed by the commission, building on prior requirements for defibrillators and emergency plans. The law aims to improve emergency response at school athletic events following a student’s death during a game.

Maddy summarySB 750 changes how West Virginia's Public Service Commission (PSC) members are selected. It eliminates the Governor's power to appoint PSC members and instead requires statewide, nonpartisan elections for all three seats starting January 1, 2026. Current appointed members' terms end December 31, 2026, with new commissioners serving six-year terms in staggered elections. This directly affects the PSC (which regulates utilities like electricity and gas) and West Virginia residents, as elected commissioners will make decisions on utility rates and service standards. The bill does not alter the commission's regulatory responsibilities, only its selection process.

Maddy summarySB 740, the Stop Squatters Act, establishes a new process for property owners to quickly remove unauthorized occupants (squatters) from residential or commercial properties. It allows owners or their agents to request immediate police removal if conditions are met (e.g., occupant isn’t a tenant/family member, owner previously demanded they leave, and no court case is pending). The bill also creates criminal penalties: misdemeanors for damaging property under $1,000 during unlawful occupation, felonies for greater damage, and felonies for falsely listing property for sale/rent without legal title. Property owners must submit a verified complaint, and the law includes a civil remedy if removal is wrongful.