Rep. Erica Moore

Maddy summaryHB 4395 requires school boards to continue investigations into allegations that school personnel harmed student safety or welfare, even if the employee resigns or transfers to another school. It mandates that investigations must be completed regardless of the employee's employment status, and county superintendents must report all such cases - including reasons for suspension - to the state superintendent within seven business days. The state superintendent will maintain a confidential database of all investigated personnel, including the basis for investigations or disciplinary actions. This bill directly affects school personnel, school boards, and county superintendents by ensuring ongoing accountability for potential child safety violations.

Maddy summaryHB 4390 requires West Virginia to temporarily pay kinship parents (family caregivers raising relatives' children) the same monthly rate as foster parents, under specific conditions. To qualify, kinship parents must pass a background check within five days, pass a home safety screening, and receive assistance from the Department of Human Services to become foster parent-certified. This temporary payment lasts up to six months to help families complete certification, after which the rate reverts to standard kinship payments if certification isn't achieved. The bill directly affects family caregivers in foster care placements who meet these initial requirements.

Maddy summaryHB 5087 establishes the Interstate Cosmetology Licensure Compact, allowing cosmetologists licensed in West Virginia to practice in other participating states with a single multistate license. It creates the Interstate Cosmetology Licensure Compact Commission to administer the agreement and requires applicants for interstate practice to undergo state and national criminal history checks. The bill directly affects cosmetologists seeking to work across state lines, particularly military members and their spouses, by reducing licensing barriers. Key provisions include standardized background checks, enforcement by the West Virginia Board of Barbers and Cosmetologists, and mechanisms for states to share disciplinary information to protect public safety.

Maddy summaryHB 5101, the Joanna Phillips Domestic Violence Prevention Act, increases penalties for specific domestic violence offenses in West Virginia. It raises the minimum prison sentence for strangulation, suffocation, or asphyxiation of a family or household member (causing injury or loss of consciousness) from one year to two years, and for repeat offenders from one year to three years. For second offenses of domestic battery or assault, the bill sets a minimum jail term of 60 days and increases the maximum fine from $500 to $4,000. The bill also alters bail requirements for domestic violence cases to enhance victim safety protections.

Maddy summaryHB 5484 creates a new felony crime in West Virginia for conspiring to deny medical care to victims of sexual exploitation, assault, incest, or abuse. It directly affects individuals who work together (conspire) to block victims from accessing licensed medical treatment for injuries or conditions caused by these crimes. The bill establishes penalties of 5-10 years in prison, a $50,000 fine, or both for violations. This law specifically targets efforts to prevent victims from receiving necessary medical care following sexual offenses, without altering existing abortion laws.

Maddy summaryHB 5466 renames and clarifies the "Batterer Intervention and Prevention Abuse Intervention Program" (now simply called a "batterer intervention program") within West Virginia's domestic violence laws. The bill updates definitions to specify that these programs must offer in-person options alongside virtual classes and require licensed providers to teach nonviolent strategies for intimate partners. It also revises the Family Protection Services Board's membership to include specific representatives from domestic violence programs, the West Virginia Coalition Against Domestic Violence, and batterer intervention programs, while adjusting funding distribution to allocate 15% of the Family Protection Fund for board administration and splitting remaining funds between domestic violence programs. This bill directly affects licensed domestic violence programs, batterer intervention providers, and the board managing these services.

Maddy summaryHB 5227 modifies West Virginia's business reporting fees and adds a new logotype for veteran-owned businesses. It sets an annual report fee at $25 (or $50 biennially) for corporations, limited partnerships, and LLCs required to file reports with the Secretary of State. The bill also grants the Secretary authority to waive late fees for these filings. Additionally, it establishes a new official logotype (a special mark or symbol) that qualified veteran-owned businesses - defined as those at least 51% owned by veterans or their spouses - may use on their materials. This bill directly affects businesses required to file annual/biennial reports and veteran-owned entities seeking the new logotype.

Maddy summaryHB 5401 expands absentee voting eligibility in West Virginia to citizens temporarily residing overseas. To qualify, voters must have been residents of West Virginia before leaving, hold a U.S. passport, not have established permanent residency abroad, and intend to return. They must also be registered or eligible to vote in another U.S. jurisdiction. The bill updates both mail-in and electronic absentee ballot rules to include this group, aligning with federal voting protections for overseas citizens.

Maddy summaryHB 5048 ensures foster children in temporary care facilities continue their education through virtual learning while awaiting residential placement. It requires that virtual instruction occur in the county where the child was last enrolled (or the current county if unavailable, or the nearest capable county), and mandates that virtual learning begins within three days of placement in temporary care. Foster care agencies responsible for the child must receive IT training to support this transition. Once placed with a foster family, all educational records and virtual learning details are transferred to the new county and foster family. The bill directly affects foster children in temporary care and the agencies managing their placement.

Maddy summaryHB 4474 extends the expiration date of West Virginia's Alzheimer's Disease and Other Dementia Advisory Council, which was scheduled to sunset. The bill prevents the council from automatically dissolving by renewing its operational period. The council, composed of 15 voting members (including people with dementia, caregivers, healthcare providers, and researchers) and 5 nonvoting government representatives, examines dementia care needs, reviews state services, and assesses healthcare capacity. It does not create new policies but ensures the council can continue its work on dementia-related issues. This procedural bill affects only the council's continued operation, not direct service recipients.