Rep. Jonathan Pinson

Maddy summaryHB 4798 requires all West Virginia schools to implement a wearable panic alert system called "Alyssa's Law" for staff by December 31, 2026. The bill mandates that every school staff member (including teachers) receives a device capable of instantly triggering 9-1-1 calls and campus-wide lockdowns while integrating with local emergency systems. Schools must also provide annual training on device use and share security data (like cameras and maps) with law enforcement. This policy directly affects all school staff across the state and aims to improve emergency response during crises. The bill is currently in committee review and has not yet become law.

Maddy summaryHB 4412 requires websites where pornography is a substantial portion of content to verify that users are over 18 before accessing material. It applies to commercial entities (like businesses or corporations) hosting such content and mandates the use of "reasonable" age verification methods, such as digital IDs like West Virginia Mobile ID. Failure to comply creates civil liability for the entity, allowing lawsuits with a five-year statute of limitations, while clarifying that internet service providers aren't liable for hosting content they didn't create. The bill defines "minor" as under 18 and specifies that websites must retain verification data, but exempts news organizations and existing legal content like child pornography.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a Central Abuse Registry in West Virginia to track individuals convicted of crimes involving child abuse, neglect of incapacitated adults, abuse of adults receiving behavioral health services, and property misappropriation by those providing care services. It also adds specific sex offenses to the registration requirements and clarifies that people convicted of certain past offenses must remain on the registry. The legislation establishes a single annual fee of $125 for individuals required to register under both the abuse registry and sex offender registry, simplifying compliance by requiring only one payment. Funds collected from these fees will be used first to support mental health services for current and former state police employees before being applied to general state police operations.

Maddy summaryHB 5086 establishes standards for peer support programs in West Virginia, directly affecting healthcare workers (covered caregivers like nurses, doctors, social workers, and first responders) and the peer support teams that assist them. The bill defines "peer support services" as nonclinical emotional or practical assistance provided by trained colleagues to help workers manage stress from high-pressure jobs, and requires peer support team members to complete 8 hours of initial training plus quarterly refreshers covering confidentiality, mental health resources, and communication skills. It prohibits licensing boards from disciplining peer support providers or requesting their communications, creating legal protections for these interactions under new §57-3-11. The law also defines key terms and sets training requirements through new sections §21-18-1 and §21-18-2.

Maddy summaryHB 5437, the Vape Safety Act, requires vape or smoke retailers (businesses selling vapor products, tobacco, or nicotine products) to obtain a license from West Virginia’s Alcohol Beverage Control Commissioner. The bill restricts vape shop locations (prohibiting them near schools, parks, or residences), mandates compliance with advertising standards, and creates a product directory listing only approved "authorized vapor products." It also establishes fees, civil/criminal penalties for violations (up to $10,000 fines or 1-year jail time), and sets operating standards for retailers and manufacturers. The law directly affects vape shop owners, manufacturers, and wholesalers by imposing new licensing, location, and product approval requirements.

Maddy summaryHB 4799 establishes a statewide cold case task force within the West Virginia State Police to investigate unsolved criminal cases. The task force, led by an executive board of the State Police Superintendent, police chiefs, and sheriffs' association presidents, will coordinate with other law enforcement agencies while respecting ongoing investigations. It creates a dedicated "cold case task force fund" for operations and requires the West Virginia Fusion Center to share relevant data from existing cold case databases. The bill focuses on structural mechanisms for investigation rather than new policy changes, directly affecting state and local law enforcement agencies collaborating on cold cases.

Maddy summaryHB 4005, "Skills to Work," creates a state-funded Youth Apprenticeship Program for West Virginia students aged 16 or older in 11th or 12th grade. It allows these students to earn high school credit and job skills certifications through structured apprenticeships in fields like manufacturing, healthcare, and office technology, requiring 135 classroom hours and 400 on-the-job training hours per program. The bill mandates schools to partner with employers to develop approved apprenticeships, with standards including progressive wages, performance evaluations, and school approval. It also clarifies that apprenticeships cannot include hazardous occupations prohibited for minors under federal and state child labor laws. The program must be fully implemented across all school systems by the 2025-2026 school year.

Maddy summaryHB 4196 requires licensed medication-assisted treatment (MAT) programs in West Virginia to offer long-acting reversible contraception (LARC), such as IUDs or implants, to patients receiving methadone or suboxone for substance use treatment. This applies to all facilities providing these services under the state's licensing framework, adding it as a standard requirement to existing operational rules. The bill directly affects MAT facilities, which must now integrate LARC options into their care protocols, and patients using methadone or suboxone at these locations. It creates a concrete policy change by mandating access to these contraceptive methods without requiring additional patient steps.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires physicians and osteopathic doctors in West Virginia to complete continuing education credits specifically in nutrition as part of their biennial license renewal process. The law mandates that medical professionals earn a minimum of fifty hours of continuing medical education every two years, with osteopathic physicians required to complete thirty-two hours including nutrition training, and these credits must be approved by relevant medical boards. The bill amends existing state code sections to make nutrition education a mandatory component of the continuing education requirement for license renewal.

Maddy summaryHB 4053 establishes the "Blue Envelope Program" to improve communication between law enforcement and drivers with autism spectrum disorder, dementia, or intellectual/developmental disabilities during traffic stops. Eligible drivers (with a valid license/permit) can request a specially designed blue envelope containing their license, registration, and emergency contact information, along with a vehicle decal and communication guidance for officers. The program, set to launch January 1, 2027, will be administered through the West Virginia Division of Motor Vehicles, sheriff's offices, and police stations.