Maddy summarySB 662 creates a pilot program to provide free colorectal cancer screening and treatment in West Virginia for "unserved populations" - individuals with inadequate access to care due to financial constraints. The program, administered by the Bureau for Public Health, awards grants to approved organizations (like clinics or hospitals) to deliver screenings, diagnostic colonoscopies, and treatment at no cost to patients. Covered services include pre-visit consultations, colonoscopy procedures, polyp removal, and pathology, with treatment initiated if cancer is detected. Organizations must meet quality standards, and the program requires annual reporting on metrics like screenings performed, costs, and outcomes to the Legislative Oversight Commission.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summarySB 974 requires political subdivisions (like counties or cities) to publicly disclose specific reasons before hiring private attorneys on contingency fees - such as why in-house staff or hourly-fee contracts aren't suitable - and submit these to the Attorney General for review. It mandates clear public findings on factors like attorney qualifications, financial resources, and the necessity of contingency arrangements. The bill also clarifies that subdivisions cannot require attorneys to cover their own negligence, while allowing indemnity for attorney negligence. These transparency and oversight rules apply to all new contracts for legal services under contingency fee arrangements.
Maddy summarySR 42 is a ceremonial Senate resolution honoring the late Walter Dolph Helmick, a former West Virginia state legislator and public servant. It memorializes his life and career, noting his service as a coal miner, teacher, businessman, Mason, West Virginia House of Delegates member, Senate member (1989-2013), and Commissioner of Agriculture. The resolution formally recognizes his contributions to West Virginia and extends condolences to his family following his death in 2025. As a non-binding memorial resolution, it has no policy impact or effect on legislation.
Maddy summarySB 930 amends West Virginia law to increase the amount of pension benefits subject to annual cost-of-living adjustments for municipal police, firefighters, and employees of waterworks, sewage, and combined water/sewage systems. The bill raises the threshold for calculating these adjustments from $15,000 to $45,000 of an annual pension benefit, meaning a larger portion of their retirement income will now be tied to inflation. This change applies to existing retirees and future beneficiaries under the pension system, without altering the 4% annual cap on adjustments or the two-year waiting period for new retirees. The policy directly affects these municipal workers by potentially increasing their annual pension increases based on inflation data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Maddy summaryThis bill proposes a constitutional amendment to lower the voter approval threshold for local tax increases dedicated exclusively to fire protection or emergency medical services. Currently, most local tax hikes require 60% voter approval, but this amendment would allow such increases to pass with a simple majority (50% plus one vote) instead. The change would apply only to fire and EMS funding, with strict limits: increases could not exceed 50% over current rates, would last no longer than three years, and would require separate voter approval each time. This aims to streamline funding for critical emergency services while maintaining higher approval standards for other local tax increases.
Maddy summarySB 921 prohibits West Virginia Medicaid from funding abortions (except as allowed under existing law) or gender transition procedures. It disqualifies healthcare providers performing these services from participating in Medicaid and bans Medicaid payments for referrals related to them. The bill defines "public funds" broadly to include state and federal healthcare funds and allows lawsuits by affected individuals or the Attorney General to enforce these restrictions. It directly affects Medicaid recipients seeking these services and healthcare providers who perform them.
Maddy summaryThis bill removes time limits for workers to file or modify claims related to progressive massive fibrosis, a lung disease often linked to occupational exposure (like mining). It directly affects workers who develop this condition, allowing them to pursue or adjust compensation claims without being barred by past deadlines. The bill amends West Virginia's workers' compensation code to eliminate statute of limitations barriers specifically for these claims and adds a new impairment rating for progressive massive fibrosis. This change ensures affected workers can access benefits regardless of when symptoms first appeared or worsened.
Maddy summarySB 615 (West Virginia Senate Bill 615) requires all state and local law enforcement agencies in West Virginia to notify U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) when they determine an individual is in the U.S. without legal authorization. The bill directly affects undocumented immigrants in West Virginia and mandates that law enforcement cooperate with federal immigration authorities under federal law. Key provisions include prohibiting any state or local policies that would block this notification, and requiring agencies to follow federal immigration enforcement procedures. This bill changes how West Virginia law enforcement handles immigration status determinations, making notification to ICE mandatory rather than optional.
Maddy summarySB 892 would allow medical cannabis to be dispensed in edible forms (like gummies or lozenges) in West Virginia, expanding current options for patients. It directly affects patients, caregivers, and dispensaries by adding edibles to permitted forms, while requiring strict safety rules: edibles must be specific shapes (e.g., square, circle), limited to 10mg THC per serving with a 15% variance, and produced only as lozenges or gelatins. Processors must get bureau approval for each edible product, including submitting packaging images with a universal symbol. The bill also bans color additives in edibles and mandates new reporting to the state’s cannabis monitoring database. This would be the first time edibles are permitted under West Virginia’s medical cannabis program.
Maddy summarySB 810 establishes a Lung Cancer Prevention and Education Program within West Virginia's Bureau for Public Health to target underserved communities lacking access to screening. The bill provides grants to qualified organizations (like hospitals or clinics) to offer low-dose CT scans for early lung cancer detection, along with education and referral services. Eligible applicants must meet specific standards for quality screening, collaboration with healthcare providers, and outreach to underserved populations. The program requires annual reporting on services provided and outcomes, and it uses funding from the state's Rainy Day Fund to cover screening costs for qualifying residents.