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.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summarySenate Resolution 30 designates February 9, 2026, as "WVSU Day" at the West Virginia Capitol to honor West Virginia State University (WVSU). The resolution formally recognizes WVSU's historical significance as a public HBCU founded in 1891, its land-grant status, and its contributions to education and economic development in the state. This is a ceremonial resolution with no policy changes or direct impact on constituents, solely serving to acknowledge the university's legacy.
Maddy summaryThis bill allows West Virginia county school boards to hire or accept certified chaplains as volunteers to provide support services for students, staff, and parents. Chaplains selected by school boards do not need state certification or licensing, but must pass background checks (similar to child care facilities) and cannot be registered sex offenders. The bill also limits legal liability for chaplains unless their actions were maliciously intended to harm or harass others. It directly affects school boards, chaplains, and the school community by creating a formal pathway for chaplain services.
Maddy summarySB 716 would lower the participation requirement for West Virginia's volunteer firefighter tax credit from 30% to 20% of department activities. This change directly affects volunteer firefighters seeking the tax credit, making it easier to qualify by reducing the minimum activity threshold. The bill amends Section 11-13JJ-4 of the state code to update the participation percentage while keeping other eligibility conditions unchanged. Currently, firefighters must participate in 30% of activities; the bill would require only 20%.
Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits election officials in West Virginia from counting ballots that violate specific legal requirements, including those cast in the wrong precinct, provisional ballots submitted on election day, and ballots with uncorrectable procedural errors. It removes county commission discretion to overlook technical mistakes that clearly indicate a voter was not eligible to vote, while still allowing ballots to be counted if errors can be reasonably explained as unintentional. The legislation also establishes criminal penalties for election officials who fail to reject illegal ballots or count them in violation of the new rules, and creates a system for voters to check if their provisional ballots were counted.
Maddy summarySB 388 requires all public elementary and secondary schools in West Virginia to make the Aitken Bible available in fourth, eighth, and 10th grade social studies classrooms. Schools may only use private donations to obtain the Bible - public funds cannot be used for this purpose. The bill explicitly applies to public charter schools authorized under West Virginia law. This legislation mandates the availability of the Aitken Bible in specified grades while restricting funding sources for its distribution.
Maddy summaryThis bill amends West Virginia's dog racing licensing rules. It removes requirements that racetrack applicants must host a minimum number of live racing dates to obtain or maintain a license or to secure telecast wagering contracts. The bill also allows racetracks to operate simulcast racing (live races shown via video) without conducting any live dog racing, and simplifies licensing for video lottery operations at these venues. These changes directly affect dog racetracks seeking licenses or renewing operations, particularly those transitioning away from live racing.
Maddy summaryThis bill allows county school boards participating in multicounty vocational centers to choose whether to operate career technical education (CTE) programs within local high schools instead of at centralized centers. The programs can be either state-approved (per 20 U.S.C. §2342) or locally created. It gives school boards flexibility to better serve students by bringing CTE programs closer to their home schools, without requiring withdrawal from multicounty centers. The bill does not mandate program relocation but provides a new option for program placement within existing high school structures.
Maddy summarySB 546 establishes requirements for clothing and necessity allowances for children in foster care in West Virginia. It mandates that placement providers (foster parents, kinship caregivers, or residential providers) assess each child’s wardrobe and approved necessities (non-clothing items like hygiene products) at initial placement. If lacking, providers must obtain an initial allowance of at least $375 for immediate clothing and essentials, or supplementary allowances up to $175 for extraordinary needs like illness or damaged items. Payment options include a reloadable card (issued within 48 hours), a case worker’s purchasing card, or reimbursement (last resort), with requirements to maintain an inventory tracking the child’s items throughout all placements. The bill directly affects foster children, their caregivers, and the Department of Human Services.
Maddy summaryWest Virginia's SB 612 designates November 7 as "Victims of Communism Day" for public schools, requiring high school students in the mandated U.S. Government class to receive at least 45 minutes of annual instruction on this topic. The bill specifies instruction must cover historical communist regimes (including Mao Zedong's Cultural Revolution, Stalin's Soviet system, and others) and how victims suffered through poverty, violence, and suppression. It directs the State Board of Education to revise social studies standards by April 2026 to include these requirements. The observance applies to all public schools, with make-up days if November 7 falls on a non-school day. This bill directly affects West Virginia public school students and educators in required U.S. Government courses.