Sen. Vince Deeds

Maddy summarySB 723 clarifies West Virginia's law on law-enforcement cooperation with bordering states and federal agencies by amending definitions and procedures. The bill defines key terms like "criminal justice enforcement personnel" and specifies that agency heads may temporarily share resources - including personnel, equipment, and information - for crime investigations upon written request (or in emergencies involving imminent risk). This applies to state police, county sheriffs, municipal police, and campus police, while requiring compliance with existing laws and policies. The bill streamlines existing cooperation mechanisms without creating new legal obligations.

Maddy summarySB 726 removes a 30% limit on how much money West Virginia municipalities can save in their stabilization funds, which act as emergency rainy-day reserves. Currently, these funds cannot exceed 30% of a municipality's general fund budget, but the bill would eliminate that cap. Municipalities would then have greater flexibility to build larger reserves using surplus funds from their general budget. This change directly affects all West Virginia cities and towns that maintain such stabilization funds. The bill amends West Virginia Code §8-37-3 to reflect this policy adjustment.

Maddy summarySB 724 removes the requirement that home confinement officers must be certified as law-enforcement officers to join West Virginia's Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Retirement System. The bill also extends the deadline for eligible home confinement officers to elect participation in the retirement system. This change directly affects home confinement officers working in the state's justice system, allowing them to access retirement benefits without prior law-enforcement certification. The bill amends specific sections of the West Virginia Code (§16-5V-2 and §16-5V-6f) to update eligibility rules and election procedures.

Maddy summarySB 717 modifies retirement benefits for municipal police and firefighters in West Virginia. It allows those disabled "in the line of duty" to recalculate their retirement benefits as if they had reached retirement age (50) earlier. It also removes the requirement for those disabled "not in the line of duty" to submit annual tax returns to the pension fund after reaching Social Security's normal retirement age. These changes apply to municipal pension plans overseen by the Municipal Pensions Oversight Board.

Maddy summarySB 719 clarifies how campus police officers employed by West Virginia state institutions (like universities) can use accrued vacation or sick days to earn retirement credit under the Municipal Police Officers and Firefighters Retirement System. It specifies that these officers may only count unused leave days earned *after* they began participating in the retirement plan, not days accrued before joining. The bill establishes a 1:1 conversion of unused leave days to retirement credit (with specific rules for partial months), while ensuring lump-sum payments for unused leave don't count toward final salary calculations. This directly affects campus police officers who are current members of the retirement system and impacts how their service time is calculated for benefits. The bill corrects prior ambiguities in the law regarding their eligibility for this credit.

Maddy summarySB 886 removes the requirement for a burning permit when private landowners conduct prescribed fires on their property, provided they follow procedures set by the Division of Forestry. This change directly affects landowners managing vegetation for wildfire prevention or land health on private property. The bill amends existing law to exempt these controlled burns from the standard permit process during designated fire seasons (March 1-May 31 and October 1-December 31), while maintaining rules about burning times (5 p.m. to 7 a.m.), safety zones (10-foot clearance), and fire bans. It does not alter fire season dates, permit fees for other activities, or penalties for violations.

Maddy summarySB 890 changes West Virginia's public school calendar requirements from day-based to hour-based standards. It replaces the 180-day instructional requirement with a minimum of 900 instructional hours per year and changes the teacher employment term from 200 days to 1,600 hours. The bill allows counties to use up to 25 hours of alternative instruction (like remote learning during closures) toward the total hour requirement and permits flexible scheduling for educator development time. These changes directly affect all public school districts, teachers, and students in West Virginia by shifting how school calendar compliance is measured.

Maddy summarySB 742 modifies West Virginia's involuntary hospitalization process by allowing an authorized hospital physician to place a person under a 72-hour hold without first contacting specific officials (like mental hygiene commissioners). It removes the previous 24-hour deadline for filing a formal petition to extend the hold, instead requiring this petition to be filed within 72 hours. The bill also ensures hospitals and physicians are paid standard rates for these services and are protected from liability when acting in good faith. This directly affects individuals facing involuntary hospitalization for mental illness or addiction and the healthcare providers managing their care.

Maddy summarySB 899 allows teachers with 15 years of experience at a specific school level (elementary, middle, or high) to become certified school principals without traditional administrative coursework. Instead, they must complete a year-long program developed by the West Virginia Department of Education, covering school administration topics like instructional leadership and finance. The bill applies directly to current teachers seeking principal roles in schools matching their teaching experience level. This change takes effect July 1, 2026, replacing previous education requirements for principal certification. The policy aims to create a new pathway for experienced educators to transition into school leadership.

Maddy summarySB 945 allows the West Virginia Adjutant General to pay employees of the West Virginia Military Authority who were furloughed due to a federal government shutdown or furlough, once federal funds for that period become available. This bill directly affects National Guard and military authority personnel whose pay was interrupted by federal actions. It amends existing law to permit retroactive payment after funds are received, rather than requiring employees to wait for the next regular pay cycle. The provision does not create new funding but adjusts payment timing for affected employees during federal shutdowns. It applies specifically to employees covered under the West Virginia Military Authority Act.