Rep. Roger Hanshaw

Maddy summaryHB 5307 adds $10 million in funding from West Virginia's unappropriated surplus balance to the Division of Culture and History within the Department of Tourism for fiscal year 2026. This supplemental appropriation directly affects the division's ability to fund cultural programs, historical preservation, and related activities. The funds will be used for operational expenses during the 2026 fiscal year, as specified in the state budget's surplus allocation.

Maddy summaryHB 5288 provides additional funding to West Virginia's existing Spay Neuter Assistance Fund, which helps low-income pet owners cover spaying and neutering costs for their animals. The bill supplements an unappropriated balance from the 2026 fiscal year budget to increase the fund's allocation without changing program eligibility or requirements. This is a procedural funding adjustment, not a new policy, and directly supports the state's veterinary assistance program for pet sterilization. The fund operates under West Virginia Code Chapter 19, continuing existing services for qualifying residents.

Maddy summaryHB 5317 allocates $20 million from West Virginia's unappropriated surplus funds to the Department of Commerce's Division of Natural Resources for fiscal year 2026. This supplemental funding specifically supports capital outlay, repairs, and equipment within the Division's existing budget (Fund 0265). It does not create new programs or change policy, but rather uses leftover state funds to address operational needs for natural resource management. The bill directly affects the Division of Natural Resources' ability to maintain infrastructure and equipment during the 2026 fiscal year.

Maddy summaryHB 4022 amends West Virginia law to establish how child protective services (CPS) workers are allocated and stationed across counties. It requires the state agency to base allocations on county population (using U.S. Census data), current referrals for child safety concerns, and average caseloads, effective July 1, 2024. The bill prevents allocations from dropping below the January 1, 2023, levels when all positions were filled, but allows adjustments for immediate needs like vacancies. It mandates an annual report to the Legislative Oversight Commission by July 1 each year, detailing all allocation changes lasting over three weeks and their justifications. This bill directly affects county CPS offices and the state agency managing child welfare staffing.

Maddy summaryHB 5480 establishes the West Virginia Youth Summer Employment and Career Readiness Program to provide paid summer jobs and career training for youth aged 14-20, with priority given to those in foster care, receiving public assistance (like TANF or SNAP), or involved in the justice system. Administered by the Department of Commerce’s Division of Workforce Development, the program requires partnerships with private businesses, nonprofits, and government agencies to create work placements and career exploration opportunities. It mandates annual reporting on program effectiveness, allows private funding through matching contributions, and creates a special revenue account to support operations. The goal is to address workforce shortages, retain youth in West Virginia, and build a skilled local workforce through structured employment experiences.

Maddy summaryHB 5088 amends West Virginia's Natural Resource Police Officer Retirement System to adjust retirement benefit calculations based on retirement date. It specifies that officers retiring after July 1, 2029, will receive 2.75% of their final average salary multiplied by years of service (up from 2.5% for those retiring between 2025-2029). The bill also requires additional funding for the retirement system to support these changes. This directly affects current and future Natural Resource Police Officers in West Virginia who retire on or after July 1, 2029. The changes are part of a broader adjustment to retirement benefits under the system's funding structure.

Maddy summaryHB 5364 eliminates numerous outdated or unnecessary state boards and commissions, such as the Public Land Corporation and various Medicaid enhancement boards, and transfers their duties, responsibilities, and funds to existing agencies like the Division of Natural Resources and the Tourism Advisory Council. Key provisions include vesting the Public Land Corporation’s property in the Division of Natural Resources and shifting the West Virginia Motorsport Committee’s duties to the Tourism Advisory Council. The bill also repeals entities like the West Virginia Council on Aging and the Interagency Council on Osteoporosis, consolidating their functions without creating new structures. This legislation streamlines state government by removing redundant bodies and aligning administrative tasks with current departments.

Maddy summaryThis bill directs West Virginia's Office of Energy to develop a comprehensive energy policy and plan covering coal, natural gas, nuclear, renewable, hydrogen, and geothermal sources. It transfers the Office of Coalfield Community Development into the Office of Energy, eliminates outdated duties like the annual coalfield report, and grants the Office new authority to hold stakeholder meetings, set energy-ready community criteria, and designate project sites. The legislation also repeals the 2023 Coal Fired Grid Stabilization Act, merging its provisions into a new "Comprehensive Grid Stabilization and Energy Security Act." The Office must submit annual reports on its findings and develop strategies for multiple energy sectors, including state energy security planning. This restructures state energy policy to embrace diverse energy sources while focusing on stability, cost, and security.

Maddy summaryHB 4025 exempts new hires and promoted employees in West Virginia's Departments of Health Facilities, Human Services, and Health from the classified civil service system and state grievance procedures starting July 1, 2026. Current employees in these departments retain their existing civil service protections and grievance access. The bill grants department secretaries more flexibility in hiring, promotions, and compensation while maintaining prohibitions against nepotism, discrimination, and unethical practices. This change applies only to employees entering or moving within these departments after the effective date, not to current staff or governor-appointed positions.

Maddy summaryHB 4577 creates a reciprocity agreement with the Republic of Ireland for driver licenses, allowing Irish license holders to drive in West Virginia without retaking tests if their license meets comparable standards. The bill requires that foreign license standards (specifically for Ireland) align with West Virginia's, and mandates that drivers operating under this agreement comply with the state's mandatory motor vehicle liability insurance and financial responsibility laws. This agreement applies only to Ireland and does not alter the standard driver's license examination process for new applicants in West Virginia.