Rep. Anitra Hamilton

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 summaryThis bill requests the Joint Committee on Government and Finance to study women's collegiate sports programs in West Virginia, focusing on financial sustainability, name image and likeness impacts, and Title IX obligations. The study will examine current funding levels, endowment feasibility, revenue-sharing models, and operational efficiency methods to support female student-athletes. The committee must submit a report by January 1, 2027, to state officials with findings, conclusions, and potential legislative recommendations. Funding for the study will come from existing legislative appropriations to the committee.

Maddy summaryHB 5475 would change West Virginia's Public Service Commission from an appointed body to an elected one. The bill requires three commissioners to be elected to six-year nonpartisan terms from three districts corresponding to the state's three congressional districts, with staggered terms for the first election cycle. It maintains existing requirements, including one commissioner needing a law license with at least 10 years of experience and prohibitions against financial ties to public utilities or holding other elected office. The bill eliminates the Governor's appointment authority and Senate confirmation process for commission members.

Maddy summaryThis House Resolution honors the life and legacy of the late West Virginia legislator Larry D. Kump, who passed away on February 28, 2026. The resolution formally expresses the House of Delegates' condolences to Kump's family and acknowledges his service as a representative for Berkeley County across three different terms. It recognizes his career in criminal justice and mediation, his commitment to limited government, and his role as a devoted family member and church leader. The document is a ceremonial tribute rather than a law that changes policy or affects public programs.

Maddy summaryHB 5478 establishes a statewide pilot program distributing free, internet-free learning touchpads to eligible preschoolers in West Virginia to improve kindergarten readiness. The program targets children aged 3-4 who qualify based on family income (at or below federal poverty level), participation in programs like WIC or Head Start, or other risk factors identified by the state. Each touchpad kit includes preloaded early-learning apps, headphones, a protective case, and parent guides with daily activity suggestions and text-message tips. The West Virginia Department of Education will administer the program, partner with community organizations, and evaluate its impact on readiness metrics annually, while ensuring compliance with child privacy laws.

Maddy summaryHJR 40 proposes adding Article XV to the West Virginia Constitution, granting voters the power to directly propose new laws or constitutional amendments (initiative) and reject laws passed by the legislature (referendum). To use these powers, voters would need to gather signatures equal to 10% of the votes cast for Governor in their district or county, with statewide initiatives requiring signatures in two-thirds of counties. The bill specifies that initiative and referendum measures cannot propose laws the legislature couldn't enact, name specific individuals for office, or amend Article XV itself, and limits statewide initiatives to five per election. This would directly affect registered voters by creating new tools for direct participation in lawmaking, subject to the outlined procedural requirements.

Maddy summaryHB 5585 would expand access to West Virginia's Revenue Shortfall Reserve Fund to cover public health emergencies. It specifically authorizes the Governor to draw from this fund to support public service districts and water board improvements in counties designated as being in a public health emergency. The bill amends existing law to explicitly include public health emergencies as a valid reason for using the reserve fund, alongside natural disasters or revenue shortfalls. This change would directly affect designated counties by providing funding for essential public health infrastructure during emergencies.

Maddy summaryHB 5539 would allow West Virginia employers (both public and private) to give hiring preference to unemployed coal miners who meet specific criteria. To qualify, a miner must have worked in coal mining for at least five years, been unemployed as a coal miner for over one year, not be retired, and not have been fired for cause (like safety violations). Employers could prioritize these miners only if they meet all job-specific knowledge, skills, and eligibility requirements. The bill aims to support coal miners displaced by industry changes by creating a legal pathway for targeted hiring. This is a proposed policy change, not yet enacted.

Maddy summaryHB 5610, titled the "Granting Relatives Access to Monitor Act" (GRAM'S Act), allows residents of West Virginia long-term care facilities (such as nursing homes) or their authorized representatives (like guardians or attorneys in fact) to install electronic monitoring devices (cameras or audio recorders) in their rooms. To do so, the resident or representative must pay for the device and installation (excluding electricity), complete a facility-provided form, and obtain consent from other residents sharing the room. The bill requires facilities to provide consent forms and prohibits unauthorized monitoring, with violations treated as license violations subject to criminal penalties. This directly affects residents seeking monitoring for safety, their families, and long-term care facilities managing these requests.

Maddy summaryHB 5574 updates ethics rules for West Virginia's Public Service Commission (PSC) commissioners. It requires commissioners to publish their financial statements online annually, revises criteria for determining actions in the "public interest," and removes outdated provisions like §24-1-1a and §24-1-1b. The bill also makes PSC members subject to the state's code of judicial conduct. These changes directly affect PSC commissioners by increasing transparency and aligning their conduct standards with judicial ethics.