Maddy summarySB 804 gives public charter schools direct control over all extracurricular activities for their students, replacing county board oversight. It allows charter schools to optionally delegate athletic and band activities to the West Virginia Secondary School Activities Commission (WVSSAC), which would now be a state agency managing rules for competitive balance (including transfer counts) and handling disputes through its executive director. The bill removes a written permission requirement for homeschoolers, Hope Scholarship participants, and microschool students to join school activities, while modifying fees they pay. It also changes commission membership to include athletic directors (or their representatives) from schools that delegate authority, and shifts all commission funds to public funds.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summaryWest Virginia's SB 758 establishes new rules for vape and smoke shops, requiring them to obtain permits from county health departments and comply with specific location and operating standards. The bill prohibits these shops from operating within 1,000 feet of schools or residential areas, bans advertising that appeals to minors (like candy flavors or cartoon characters), and mandates inspections with fines for violations. It directly affects vape and smoke shop owners by creating a permit system and restricting where they can operate, while aiming to protect youth from nicotine product marketing. The law also defines key terms like "alternative nicotine products" and sets standards for business compliance.
Maddy summarySJR 6 is a proposed constitutional amendment (not a bill) that would eliminate West Virginia's tax on business inventory, including raw materials, work-in-process, and finished goods held for sale or manufacturing. This change would directly affect businesses (reducing their tax burden) and local governments (counties, municipalities, school districts), which would lose revenue from this tax. The amendment requires the state legislature to provide alternative funding to replace lost revenue for impacted communities, ensuring no net fiscal harm to local governments. It must be ratified by voters in the 2026 general election to take effect.
Maddy summarySB 604 requires West Virginia’s Department of Human Services (DHS) to automatically notify the Public Service Commission (PSC) when a person qualifies for utility bill discounts through programs like SSI, TANF, or SNAP. This eliminates the need for customers to apply separately, as the PSC must then order utilities to apply a 20% discount for eligible households during December through April billing months. The bill specifically limits eligibility to named beneficiaries of these programs and their spouses. It streamlines access to existing discounts by shifting the notification responsibility from individuals to DHS.
Maddy summarySB 612 amends West Virginia law to require the Public Service Commission's (PSC) rules and regulations to undergo the same legislative review process as other state agency rules. Currently, PSC rules are exempt from this review; the bill removes that exemption. This change directly affects the PSC, which regulates utilities like gas, water, and electricity, by subjecting its rulemaking to legislative oversight. The key mechanism is amending §24-1-7 of the code to eliminate the existing exemption for PSC rules from legislative review procedures.
Maddy summarySB 264 amends West Virginia law to allow the death penalty for individuals convicted of intentionally killing a law-enforcement officer or emergency responder while they are performing their official duties. The bill specifically adds this scenario as an aggravating circumstance that must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt, requiring direct evidence like witness testimony or DNA, not just circumstantial proof. It defines "emergency responder" to include firefighters and emergency medical personnel. This change applies only to first-degree murder cases where the victim was a qualified officer or responder on duty, and it mandates jury unanimity for death penalty sentencing while requiring consideration of mitigating factors. The bill does not change existing death penalty eligibility for other murder cases.
Maddy summarySB 727 requires West Virginia's Department of Human Services (DHS) to hire an independent third party to conduct a comprehensive study of the state's child welfare system. The study must examine specific areas like court performance, foster care placement processes, family reunification efforts, and potential efficiency improvements, with findings due to the Joint Committee on the Judiciary by September 1, 2026. DHS will cover all costs of the study and must provide the third party with necessary information under confidentiality agreements. This bill mandates a neutral, evidence-based review to identify systemic issues and recommend improvements, without altering existing laws.
Maddy summaryThis Senate Resolution (SR 15) designates February 27, 2025, as Sexual Violence Awareness Day at the West Virginia Legislature. It does not create new laws or allocate funds; instead, it formally recognizes the issue through a symbolic resolution. The resolution directs the Clerk to send a copy to the West Virginia Foundation for Rape Information and Services, which has provided crisis support and prevention services for 45 years. It affects the Legislature by establishing a designated awareness day and acknowledges the state's high rates of sexual violence (ranked 5th nationally for lifetime contact sexual violence).
Maddy summaryThis Senate Resolution (SR 13) memorializes Wanda Porterfield Casto, a 34-year part-time Senate Secretary/Administrative Assistant who served the West Virginia Senate and dedicated her life to public service. The resolution formally honors her legacy as a wife, mother, grandmother, and public servant, extending the Senate's deepest sympathies to her family following her passing on May 20, 2024. It directs the Senate Clerk to send a copy of the resolution to her family. As a commemorative resolution, it has no policy impact and serves solely to recognize her contributions.
Maddy summarySB 605 requires West Virginia municipalities and counties that own or lease water or electricity utilities to create a "Utility Continuity Rate Credit Program" starting July 1, 2025. Homeowners affected by qualifying outages (e.g., 24+ hour power/water disruptions or repeated shorter outages) can receive a credit equal to 50% of eligible purchases (like home generators or water tanks), capped at $2,500, applied monthly over 24 months. Utilities must approve or deny applications within 30 days, and cannot raise rates to offset the credit. The Public Service Commission oversees implementation, and the program applies only to customers who made qualifying purchases within 60 days of an outage.