Maddy summarySB 820 creates the Whistleblower Protection Fund to support reporting of unethical practices in specific healthcare facilities, including clinical inpatient medical treatment centers, office-based medication-assisted treatment programs, and opioid treatment programs. The fund, administered by the Office of the Inspector General, will finance public awareness campaigns - such as advertisements, social media outreach, and informational materials - to encourage whistleblowers to report misconduct without fear of retaliation. Funding sources include legislative appropriations, donations, and public health grants. The Inspector General must submit annual reports to the Health Committee detailing campaign activities, the number of reports received, and their outcomes. This bill focuses on creating a reporting mechanism, not altering existing legal penalties.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summarySB 579 prohibits municipalities participating in West Virginia's Home Rule Program from creating local nondiscrimination ordinances that add protected classes beyond those specified in state law. This directly affects cities and towns seeking to expand anti-discrimination protections for groups like LGBTQ+ residents or other categories not covered by existing state statutes. The bill restricts local authority by requiring all municipal nondiscrimination policies to align strictly with state-defined protected classes, preventing communities from implementing broader local protections. It does not change other aspects of the Home Rule Program, such as board structure or fee requirements.
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 summaryThis West Virginia Senate Concurrent Resolution (SCR 15) is a formal statement opposing China's misuse of UN Resolution 2758 to exclude Taiwan from international organizations. It clarifies that the resolution's purpose was solely to determine China's UN representation, not Taiwan's political status, and rejects China's "One China Principle" as conflated with the UN resolution. The resolution calls on the UN to stop using Resolution 2758 to deny Taiwan participation in UN bodies and reaffirms that the U.S. "one China policy" does not recognize China's claim over Taiwan. It directly affects Taiwan's ability to engage with international institutions, where it has been excluded since 1971 despite its population of 23.5 million.
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.
Maddy summaryThis is a ceremonial resolution (SR 37), not a bill with policy changes. It formally recognizes the Energy Council's 50th anniversary and commends the organization for its work since 1975. The resolution expresses the West Virginia Senate's appreciation for the Council's role in fostering nonpartisan collaboration among energy policymakers across 14 U.S. states and two Canadian provinces. It has no binding effect or impact on energy policy, funding, or regulations.
Maddy summarySB 841 prohibits all West Virginia state government entities - including public schools, universities, healthcare facilities, and social services offices - from promoting, facilitating, or funding any discussions, programs, or medical procedures related to sexual orientation or gender transitioning. The bill bans state funds for gender transition treatments (like hormone therapy or puberty blockers), restricts school materials discussing gender identity, and prohibits staff from engaging in related training or curriculum. Violations could result in employee termination, funding suspension, or lawsuits by West Virginia residents. This directly affects state-funded institutions and their educational, medical, and administrative activities.
Maddy summarySB 803 requires that rules governing data centers operated by utility companies must undergo legislative review by the Legislative Rule-Making Review Committee, removing a previous exemption that allowed such rules to bypass this process. The bill defines "data center" as a facility storing computing hardware and states legislative concerns about opaque energy deals for these facilities that could raise electricity rates for consumers. It amends existing law to ensure data center regulations follow standard rule-making procedures, aligning them with other utility regulations. This change focuses on increasing transparency in how utility companies structure data center energy contracts, without setting new rates or directly altering consumer rates.
Maddy summarySB 472 requires the West Virginia Department of Human Services to make public reports of child abuse or neglect through the newly created Critical Incident Review Team, replacing current confidentiality rules. It mandates that the public access these reports in the same format as the team’s existing reporting, adds specific data to the child welfare dashboard, and allows the Foster Care Ombudsman access to case information - including reporter identities. The bill amends existing laws (§49-2-809, §49-5-101, and §49-11-101) to enable this transparency while maintaining confidentiality for certain sensitive details. It directly affects the Department of Human Services (which must implement the changes), the public (who gains access to reports), and child welfare stakeholders. The law creates the Critical Incident Review Team to oversee this process and sets reporting requirements for the department.
Maddy summarySB 806 reorganizes West Virginia's bail statutes to clarify and update procedures for setting bail and pretrial release. It requires judicial officers to consider specific factors like offense severity, defendant’s criminal history, and health when determining bail, and mandates release on recognizance (without money deposit) for certain misdemeanors unless there’s good cause to deny it. The bill sets a maximum cash bail amount for misdemeanors, adds requirements for surety bonds (including net worth rules), and prohibits judges from suggesting relatives as sureties. These changes directly affect defendants facing criminal charges, courts, and bail bond providers by standardizing bail decisions and expanding pretrial release options for non-violent offenses.