Del. Wayne Clark

Maddy summaryHB 2059 would transfer oversight of childcare services from the West Virginia Department of Human Services to the State Board of Education. It requires childcare centers, family day-care providers, and early childhood education programs to obtain licenses or certifications from the State Board of Education instead of DHS. The bill reclassifies early childhood education under the State Board's authority and establishes new implementation standards for these programs. This change would directly affect childcare providers, state agencies managing early childhood services, and families accessing childcare in West Virginia.

Maddy summaryHB 2704 revises transportation and reimbursement rules for individuals involuntarily committed to mental health facilities in West Virginia. It allows counties to use multiple deputies during transport and permits counties to contract with closer out-of-state facilities if available. The bill amends existing law (§27-5-4) to give counties flexibility in managing transportation logistics after commitment. This directly affects individuals under involuntary commitment orders and local county mental health authorities. The changes aim to improve efficiency in the post-commitment transportation process.

Maddy summaryThis constitutional amendment (HJR 34) proposes changing West Virginia's constitution to give the legislature greater flexibility in taxing tangible personal property. It would allow the legislature to exempt specific property types (like motor vehicles) from ad valorem tax, reduce tax rates for certain items, set different tax rates for different property categories, or classify property as real vs. personal for tax purposes. The amendment requires voter approval in the 2026 general election to take effect. It does not enact a specific tax reduction but creates a constitutional framework for future legislative action on property taxation.

Maddy summaryHB 2707, the Mountain Bike Responsibility Act, establishes safety requirements for commercial mountain bike trail operators in West Virginia and clarifies liability for riders. It requires operators to mark trail difficulty levels, maintain emergency response plans, post specific risk-assumption warnings (stating riders accept inherent dangers like terrain hazards), and follow industry safety standards. The bill explicitly exempts operators from liability for natural trail conditions (e.g., roots, rocks, weather) and equipment failures, while mandating clear warnings about rider responsibilities. This affects commercial trail operators and mountain bikers using their facilities, but excludes public or non-profit trail systems.

Maddy summaryHB 3069 creates a salary adjustment for West Virginia teachers based on regional housing costs. It provides a "market pay enhancement" to certified teachers in counties where base salaries fall below competitive levels relative to neighboring areas, calculated using median home prices from the National Association of Realtors. The enhancement amount is determined annually by comparing the median home price in a teacher’s county and adjacent counties (including border states) to West Virginia’s statewide median, then applying a percentage-based multiplier to the county’s average teacher salary. This adjustment applies only to teachers in counties where base pay is deemed insufficiently competitive, with the first calculation effective July 15, 2025, and updated every five years thereafter. The policy directly affects public school teachers in West Virginia counties facing regional pay disparities.

Maddy summaryHB 2690, the Dental Insurance Transparency Act, requires dental insurance carriers in West Virginia to publicly report how much of collected premiums are spent on actual patient care versus administrative costs. Carriers must file annual reports with the Insurance Commissioner detailing medical loss ratios (MLRs), similar to federal standards, including enrollment data, cost-sharing details, and coverage limits. If a carrier spends less than 80% of premium funds on patient care (the MLR threshold), they must issue rebates to policyholders as reduced premiums. The law also mandates transparency around payment methods, requiring carriers to notify providers of fees for electronic payments and offer fee-free alternatives. These reports will be summarized and made publicly available yearly by the commissioner.

Maddy summaryHB 3079 exempts child care programs serving only military dependents and located on military bases or certified by the U.S. military from West Virginia's state licensing requirements. These programs will no longer need state licensure, as military installation commanders will determine eligibility and which children are served. The bill amends existing law to explicitly include these military-connected programs under an exemption, removing redundant state oversight. This change directly affects military family child care providers operating on bases or under military certification.

Maddy summaryHB 2968 ends West Virginia's Public Employees Insurance Association (PEIA) as a state-run healthcare plan and allows it to operate as a private insurance company. Instead of employer payments going to PEIA, the bill requires employers to pay $1,100 monthly directly into employees' Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) for healthcare premiums or related costs. Employees can choose to use these HSA funds for any healthcare provider or continue using PEIA as a private insurer. The change takes effect on July 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 2870 amends West Virginia's DUI statute to clarify that fleeing the scene after driving while impaired is treated as part of the DUI offense itself, not a separate violation. This change directly affects drivers who flee after being stopped for DUI, as it will subject them to enhanced penalties under existing DUI sentencing structures. The key mechanism adds fleeing while impaired to the definition of the offense, ensuring it triggers the same license revocation periods (up to life) and jail terms (e.g., 2+ years for bodily injury) as a standard DUI. The bill does not create new penalties but corrects a legal gap where fleeing was previously not counted toward DUI sentencing.

Maddy summaryHB 2965 redirects employer payments currently made to West Virginia's Public Employees Insurance Association (PEIA) into a Health Savings Account (HSA) for state employees. Starting July 1, 2025, eligible employees would receive $1,100 monthly into their HSA, which they can use to pay for healthcare insurance premiums and related expenses. Employees would choose their own healthcare plans using these funds instead of being enrolled in PEIA. The bill changes how employer contributions are delivered but does not alter existing insurance coverage options.