Maddy summaryWest Virginia's SB 498, titled the "Protecting Kids from Porn" Act, requires websites providing adult content (where over 25% of material is explicit) to implement strict age verification before allowing access. It mandates a four-step process: facial recognition, government ID verification, credit card authentication for adults, and third-party checks, with re-verification every 24 hours. The law prohibits bypassing these measures via VPNs or proxies and imposes significant penalties, including $1 million per violation, permanent blocking of non-compliant sites, and civil liability up to $10,000 per minor exposed. It directly affects commercial adult websites operating in West Virginia and aims to prevent minors from accessing pornographic material online.
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Maddy summarySenate Bill 462 requires most employers in West Virginia to use the federal E-Verify system to confirm whether new employees are legally permitted to work before hiring them. Employers must create an E-Verify account, temporarily employ new workers until verification is complete, and maintain records for three years or the length of employment, whichever is longer. The bill also prohibits local governments from creating conflicting rules and allows the labor commissioner to access specific state records (like driver’s license databases) to verify work status while protecting personal information. This applies to all businesses and organizations employing workers in West Virginia, with exceptions for employees hired before the bill’s effective date and those already exempt under federal law.
Maddy summarySenate Bill 42 (SB 42) allows licensed pharmacists in West Virginia to sell ivermectin for human use without a prescription. It requires pharmacists to provide the FDA-approved patient information sheet at the time of sale and eliminates the need for consultation. The bill protects pharmacists from liability in civil, criminal, or disciplinary actions if they follow the law in good faith, and also shields healthcare providers from disciplinary action for recommending ivermectin within their scope of practice. This directly affects pharmacists (who gain new dispensing authority) and patients (who can purchase ivermectin without a prescription). The law does not change ivermectin's FDA-approved uses or medical guidelines.
Maddy summarySB 447 amends West Virginia's Industrial Access Road Fund to clarify spending rules and raise monetary limits. It increases the annual county allocation cap for unmatched funds from $400,000 to $800,000 and sets a $300,000 cap for matched funds. The fund can only finance roads to existing or planned industrial sites (e.g., manufacturing, distribution, or West Virginia Business Ready Sites Program locations), not schools, shopping centers, or private property. Counties must provide surety bonds if sites aren't built on time, and projects require Division of Highways approval within 90 days.
Maddy summarySB 418, the "Creating Safer Communities Act," allows West Virginia counties to levy a new 1% sales or amusement tax starting July 2026, subject to voter approval via referendum. The tax revenue must fund public safety services (sheriff's departments, fire, and emergency response), school resource officers in unincorporated areas, and emergency services. Counties must notify state tax officials before implementation and cannot impose the tax on municipalities participating in the Municipal Home Rule Program. This bill provides counties with a new funding mechanism to address gaps in public safety and school security under current funding structures.
Maddy summarySB 422 requires West Virginia's Division of Motor Vehicles to provide towing and recovery companies (regulated by the Public Service Commission) immediate, on-demand access to vehicle owner registration information. This change prevents towing companies from incurring delays that lead to accumulating fees for vehicle owners while they seek contact details. The Division must update its systems or create a new portal by July 1, 2026, to enable this instant access. The bill directly affects towing companies and vehicle owners by reducing unnecessary charges tied to delayed owner contact.
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 189 establishes a licensing framework for certified professional midwives (CPMs) in West Virginia, requiring a license from the West Virginia Board of Registered Nurses to practice midwifery or use the title "licensed midwife." The bill defines key terms like "midwife," "licensed midwife," and "collaboration" with physicians, clarifying that midwives provide primary maternity care but must refer clients needing higher medical care. It sets requirements for licensure, continuing education, temporary permits, and prohibits unlicensed practice, while outlining responsibilities for midwives including client confidentiality and proper referrals. This bill directly affects midwives seeking to legally practice and their clients by creating standardized regulations for midwifery care in the state.
Maddy summarySB 212 creates a Whistleblower Protection Fund to support public awareness campaigns encouraging the reporting of unethical or illegal practices in 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 be financed through legislative appropriations, donations, public health grants, and other sources. It requires the Office of the Inspector General to run advertising campaigns (including social media, materials, and ads) promoting whistleblower protections and to report annually on campaign activities, report volumes, and outcomes to the Joint Standing Committee on Health. This bill directly affects healthcare facilities covered under the law and aims to reduce retaliation against whistleblowers while improving patient safety.
Maddy summarySB 180 creates a free State Central Legal Advertising Website managed by the State Auditor, allowing legal advertisers (such as individuals or entities required by law to publish notices for property sales, foreclosures, or court matters) to post notices online instead of in newspapers. It reduces publication requirements: Class II ads (normally requiring two weeks of publication) would only need one week if posted online, and Class III ads (normally requiring three weeks) would also require just one week. The State Auditor will provide an electronic affidavit to certify online publication, which courts will accept as proof of service, streamlining the process for all entities required to publish legal advertisements.