Rep. Jeff Eldridge

Maddy summaryHB 5681 would allow qualified certified nurse practitioners and certified nurse midwives in West Virginia to prescribe, administer, and dispense prescription drugs without needing a collaborating physician. Currently, state law requires these professionals to have a written agreement with a physician to prescribe medications, but the bill removes this requirement. The legislation amends specific sections of the West Virginia Code governing registered nurses and their practice standards. This change would directly affect nurse practitioners and midwives by expanding their independent prescribing authority for medications.

Maddy summaryHB 4958 establishes the Southern Coalfield Resiliency and Revitalization Program to support Boone, Logan, McDowell, Mingo, and Wyoming counties (the "Southern Coalfield" area), which have suffered economic decline due to coal industry challenges. The bill creates a Revitalization Council - including county commissioners, state agency heads, and college representatives - to coordinate resources, prioritize economic development, and develop strategies for these counties. Key provisions include requiring annual reports, authorizing reduced-cost access to state property/equipment for qualifying businesses, and directing the Division of Economic Development to facilitate incentives. The program operates for five years with no new state positions created, focusing on streamlining existing state and partner resources for community revitalization.

Maddy summaryThis House Resolution (HR 18) formally congratulates the West Virginia All Airborne Chapter of the 82nd Airborne Association for being named "Chapter of the Year for 2025" by the national association. It recognizes specific achievements listed in the resolution, including the chapter's "82nd Airborne Mustang" symbol, disaster relief efforts in California and Tennessee, fundraising for community events like Bridge Day and Christmas dinners, and their "All the Way" spirit. As a symbolic resolution, it has no legal effect or policy changes - it merely offers formal recognition to the veterans' chapter. The resolution was introduced in the West Virginia House of Delegates on February 19, 2026.

Maddy summaryHB 4693 declassifies Community and Technical Education (CTE) teaching positions at community colleges and trades-based high school instructors teaching CTE courses, allowing counties to target additional funding to specific roles in critical need. Currently, all CTE positions are grouped together, requiring county funding to be distributed across all positions; this bill removes that classification barrier. The bill maintains existing state funding for these positions while enabling counties to add supplemental funds to high-demand roles like skilled trades or healthcare education. This change aims to help fill staffing shortages in key CTE fields by letting counties offer targeted financial incentives without reducing state support.

Maddy summaryHB 5646 increases the West Virginia Flood Resiliency Trust Fund to $250 million and allocates $1 million from the Revenue Shortfall Fund to the Disaster Recovery Trust Fund to assist communities affected by 2024-2025 flooding. The bill requires the State Resiliency Office to develop a flood protection plan using at least 6% of federal Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery funds. It mandates annual expenditure reports and budget requests to the Resiliency Office Board, enabling the office to begin flood prevention work in vulnerable areas. The legislation directly supports flood-prone communities and state recovery efforts through concrete funding mechanisms.

Maddy summaryThis is a commemorative House resolution honoring former West Virginia House Speaker and Chief Justice Timothy P. Armstead following his passing. It memorializes his service, names a conference room in the House as the "Speaker Tim Armstead Memorial Conference Room," and extends condolences to his family. The resolution does not create new laws or affect policy - it formally recognizes his legacy and contributions to West Virginia.

Maddy summaryHB 5599 would make possessing fentanyl a felony offense, replacing its current misdemeanor classification. Under the bill, anyone found with fentanyl without a valid prescription could face up to 15 years in prison, a $25,000 fine, or both. The bill specifically targets fentanyl - a synthetic opioid - and applies to all possession, regardless of quantity, directly affecting individuals caught with the drug. This change amends West Virginia law to impose stricter penalties for fentanyl possession, aligning it with penalties for other serious controlled substances.

Maddy summaryHB 5550 amends West Virginia law to clarify and strengthen the definition of proper shelter for tethered or roaming free dogs. It requires shelters to be four-sided, roofed, moisture-proof, windproof, and ventilated with suitable bedding (like hay or straw), while prohibiting inadequate options such as cardboard boxes, vehicles, or exposed porches. The bill also limits tethering outside to 30 minutes during extreme weather (85°F+ heat, 32°F or below cold, or severe storms) unless the dog is a working dog inspected as safe by animal control. These requirements directly affect dog owners and animal control officers, ensuring dogs have adequate protection from weather conditions.

Maddy summaryHB 5468 would allocate $5,000 per deputy sheriff position in each West Virginia county from the state's general revenue fund, to be used exclusively for raising deputy sheriff salaries. Counties receiving these funds must spend them solely on pay increases for deputies, with no flexibility for other expenses like equipment or administrative costs. This bill directly affects all West Virginia counties that employ deputy sheriffs by creating a dedicated state funding stream specifically for their salary increases.

Maddy summaryHB 5467 would increase the retirement benefit calculation rate for West Virginia deputy sheriffs from 2.5% to 3.0% of their final average salary per year of service. This change would directly affect current and future deputy sheriffs who participate in the state's Deputy Sheriff Retirement System, increasing their monthly retirement income. The bill amends Section 7-14D-2 of the West Virginia Code to adjust the "accrued benefit" formula, which determines retirement payouts. The bill was introduced in the House on February 12, 2026, and referred to the Committee on Finance.