Sen. Craig Hart

Maddy summarySB 460 would exempt tips and overtime compensation from West Virginia's personal income tax. This means workers earning tips (such as in restaurants) or overtime pay (for hours beyond 40 in a week) would not owe state income tax on those earnings. Employers would still be required to report these payments as part of their tax filings, but the state would not tax them. The bill directly affects all West Virginia workers who receive tips or overtime compensation, including service industry employees and hourly workers.

Maddy summarySB 423, the "Public Electrical Savings Act," establishes rules for public entities (like schools, government buildings, and municipal facilities) entering power purchase agreements (PPAs) for on-site solar energy. It requires that any PPA must guarantee customers a lower cost per kilowatt-hour than the local utility’s rate, limits PPA contracts to five years (with renewal allowed), and caps total solar generation from PPAs at 3% of a utility’s statewide peak demand. The bill also sets individual capacity limits (50kW for homes, 1,000kW for businesses) and mandates utility meter inspections and cost reporting. These provisions aim to ensure public solar projects provide actual cost savings while preventing grid strain.

Maddy summarySB 213 would give West Virginia's Public Service Commission (PSC) authority to regulate internet service providers (ISPs). The bill requires ISPs to provide reliable, safe service under fair terms and allows customers to file complaints with the PSC about inadequate service or unfair practices. The PSC could enforce these standards by imposing fines of up to $7,000 per violation for non-compliance. This directly affects ISPs operating in West Virginia and their residential and business customers.

Maddy summarySB 229, the "Fueling Modern Life Act," declares carbon dioxide a necessary nutrient for life and prohibits West Virginia from treating it as a pollutant or setting reduction targets (including "net-zero" goals). The bill repeals existing air pollution regulations that would have required permits or restrictions on carbon dioxide emissions. This directly affects state environmental agencies, requiring them to stop enforcing emission limits and instead support carbon-based fuels like coal, oil, and natural gas for electricity and transportation. The law aims to remove regulatory barriers for fossil fuel use by redefining carbon dioxide's role in state policy.

Maddy summarySB 150 would exempt passenger cars that are 25 years old or older from West Virginia's personal property tax. The bill amends the state tax code to add these vintage vehicles to the list of property already exempt from taxation. This change directly affects owners of older vehicles meeting the age requirement by eliminating their annual property tax obligation for qualifying cars. The exemption applies to all qualifying passenger cars without regard to their value, condition, or whether they are used for personal or collector purposes.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires the West Virginia Department of Education to review school closures and consolidations from the current year and the previous four fiscal years. Within 180 days, the department must propose changes to the School Aid Formula that would have prevented at least 80% of closures previously justified by financial or operational reasons. It directly affects public schools in West Virginia facing closure threats due to budget constraints. The bill mandates these formula adjustments regardless of past district decisions, aiming to stabilize school funding. The provision takes effect immediately upon passage.

Maddy summarySB 224 reorganizes how West Virginia allocates existing school construction funds to prioritize facility improvements. It sets aside 10% of available funds for statewide projects (like school construction), 5% specifically for multi-use vocational-technical facilities (including post-secondary programs), and 2% for emergency repairs. The bill requires school authorities and county boards to submit approved 10-year facility plans before receiving funds and prioritizes vocational-technical projects that partner with community colleges. It directly affects school districts, county boards, and vocational centers by changing how they access state funding for facility upgrades.

Maddy summarySB 249 would repeal all existing West Virginia law requiring annual vehicle safety and emissions inspections. Specifically, it eliminates Sections 17C-16-1 through 17C-16-9 of the West Virginia Code, removing the mandatory requirement for vehicle owners to obtain annual inspection stickers. This change would directly affect all vehicle owners in West Virginia who currently must comply with these inspections. The bill is currently in the early stages of the legislative process, having been introduced in the Senate on January 14, 2026.

Maddy summaryWest Virginia's SB 230 requires electricity providers to give customers a choice between smart meters and traditional manual meters for their homes, businesses, or rental units. The bill mandates that utilities must allow customers to opt out of smart meters for manual meters that are read manually, contain no battery, and emit no electromagnetic signal. It specifically clarifies that normal electromagnetic radiation from electricity flow is not considered an "electromagnetic signal" under this requirement. This policy directly affects all residential and commercial electricity customers in West Virginia who currently have smart meters installed.

Maddy summarySB 227, the Nonprofit Transparency and Accountability Act, requires nonprofits receiving any public funds (state or federal) to comply with Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests exactly as government bodies do. It directly affects West Virginia nonprofits that use public money for operations, mandating they respond to public records requests under the same rules as government agencies. The bill adds new legal requirements for these organizations to enroll in "Open Checkbooks" for financial transparency. This creates standardized accountability for nonprofits using public funds, without changing funding levels or creating new financial obligations.