Rep. Laura Kimble

Maddy summaryHB 4106 would allow West Virginia residents aged 18 to 20 to carry concealed handguns without a license in specific lawful situations, such as on their own property, while traveling to or from a hunting site, or transporting a firearm to a repair shop. The bill repeals the current requirement for a license and the criminal penalty for carrying without one for this age group, while clarifying that minors under 18 who carry unlawfully may be treated as delinquents. It does not change the existing license requirement for residents aged 21 and older. This bill directly affects 18- to 20-year-olds by removing barriers to concealed carry in the specified scenarios.

Maddy summaryHB 4749 amends West Virginia's Foster Child Bill of Rights to ensure foster children aged 13 and older receive specific protections during court hearings affecting their care. The bill requires legal representatives (like guardians ad litem) to notify these children about upcoming hearings, ask if they wish to attend, and explain that the hearing might be distressing without discouraging attendance. It also mandates that the hearing outcome be explained to the child by their legal representative. These provisions directly affect foster youth in West Virginia aged 13+ involved in court proceedings related to their placement.

Maddy summaryHB 4755 adds "aggravated vehicular homicide" (defined in §17C-5-1(c)) to West Virginia's list of offenses that trigger enhanced sentencing for repeat offenders. This change directly affects individuals convicted of aggravated vehicular homicide who have prior qualifying offenses under the state's recidivism laws. The bill amends Section 61-11-18 of the West Virginia Code to include this offense, meaning a second or third conviction for this crime could result in harsher penalties if the offender has previous serious convictions. The law focuses on increasing penalties for repeat offenders in cases involving severe DUI-related fatalities.

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 5406 updates West Virginia's DUI laws by shifting authority for chemical testing oversight from the Bureau of Public Health to the West Virginia State Police Forensic Laboratory. It eliminates outdated references to urine testing, removes propoxyphene from drug testing requirements, and permits trained phlebotomists to collect blood samples for analysis. The bill also corrects blood alcohol concentration thresholds for juvenile drivers and clarifies that refusing only a blood test - without refusing a breath test - will not automatically trigger license revocation. These changes streamline DUI testing procedures for law enforcement and ensure current medical standards are reflected in the law.

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 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 4176 allows youth hunters (ages 12-17) and individuals holding a Class Q special hunting permit to harvest one antlered deer during West Virginia's designated "Special Youth Deer Season." This change directly affects young hunters and disabled hunters with Class Q permits, expanding their hunting opportunities during this specific season. Any deer taken under this provision counts toward the regular firearms deer hunting season bag limit. The bill explicitly excludes Class XS license holders from these privileges.

Maddy summaryHB 4842 clarifies and strengthens civil remedies for individuals whose intimate images are disclosed without consent in West Virginia. The bill amends §55-20-3 to explicitly apply to cases involving sexual extortion (as defined in §61-8B-6), establish joint and several liability for all liable parties, and create civil penalties. It directly affects people who suffer harm from intentional or reckless disclosure of private intimate images they did not consent to share. The law ensures victims can pursue legal action against perpetrators who knew the image was private, the victim didn’t consent, and the victim was identifiable.