Sen. Chris Rose

Maddy summarySB 932 amends West Virginia's food safety law to explicitly classify cultivated meat products as "adulterated foods." It directly affects producers and sellers of cultivated meat in the state by subjecting these products to existing prohibitions against adulterated food under §16-7-2. The bill adds a specific definition to the law, stating that cultivated meat - defined as food made by growing animal cells in a lab to mimic meat - is considered adulterated. This change means such products would be prohibited from being sold as regular food under current state law, without creating new regulatory requirements. The bill focuses solely on the legal classification, not on the safety or market impact of cultivated meat.

Maddy summaryThis Senate Resolution (SR 32) expresses the West Virginia Senate's commitment to protecting coal-dependent communities and energy infrastructure. It specifically requires coal-fired power plants to operate at a minimum 69% annual capacity factor to maintain grid reliability and protect over 10,000 coal jobs, while opposing actions that threaten mine closures or job losses. The resolution also pledges to prioritize local coal jobs over "out-of-state contracting" and prevent ratepayers from bearing higher costs due to reduced coal generation. As a non-binding resolution (adopted February 18, 2026), it does not create new law but formally commits the Senate to supporting coal through policy advocacy and oversight.

Maddy summarySB 984 allows individuals petitioning to restore their right to possess firearms to also request restoration of their right to serve on a jury in the same application. It automatically restores both firearms possession and jury service rights for certain nonviolent felons without requiring a separate petition. The bill clarifies eligibility for these petitions, specifies court authority to grant these rights, and mandates the Attorney General to publish public guidance on the process. This law directly affects West Virginia residents with prior felony convictions who seek to regain civil rights related to firearms and jury service.

Maddy summaryWest Virginia Senate Bill 992 requires the state Department of Health to conduct a study comparing health outcomes between vaccinated and unvaccinated pediatric populations using existing state data. The study will analyze datasets like Medicaid claims, immunization records, and hospital discharge data to examine associations with conditions such as asthma, autoimmune disorders, and neurodevelopmental diagnoses. Researchers must account for confounding factors like socioeconomic status and geographic location using established epidemiologic methods. The final report, to be submitted to the legislature, aims to inform public health policy through transparent data analysis without altering vaccination requirements.

Maddy summarySB 188 would amend West Virginia law to allow state political party committees to determine the length of the term for their committee chair. Currently, the law may have required a fixed term, but this bill gives parties discretion to set the duration (e.g., one or two years) through their internal voting process. It directly affects the chairs of state-level committees for major political parties, such as the West Virginia Democratic and Republican parties. The bill does not specify a new term length but transfers this decision-making authority to the parties themselves.

Maddy summarySR 42 is a ceremonial Senate resolution honoring the late Walter Dolph Helmick, a former West Virginia state legislator and public servant. It memorializes his life and career, noting his service as a coal miner, teacher, businessman, Mason, West Virginia House of Delegates member, Senate member (1989-2013), and Commissioner of Agriculture. The resolution formally recognizes his contributions to West Virginia and extends condolences to his family following his death in 2025. As a non-binding memorial resolution, it has no policy impact or effect on legislation.

Maddy summarySB 957 reduces the minimum number of council members required for certain small West Virginia municipalities from five to three. It applies specifically to Class IV towns or villages with a population of 2,000 or fewer that are not divided into wards or election districts, and also affects "manager plan" and "manager-mayor plan" forms of government in these communities. The bill aims to provide local governments with more flexibility in structuring their councils based on population size. This change modifies existing provisions in the West Virginia Code regarding municipal charter requirements and council composition. The legislation is currently in the Senate Committee on Government Organization.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits the distribution or prescription of "abortifacients" (drugs intended to cause abortion) within West Virginia. It directly affects licensed medical professionals (like doctors and pharmacists) and anyone distributing such drugs, with violations carrying felony penalties (3-10 years imprisonment) for non-professionals and potential license revocation for medical providers. Key provisions include banning the mailing, sale, or dissemination of abortifacients without a valid prescription, requiring medical professionals to attest to compliance, and creating a civil lawsuit option for affected parties. The law includes exceptions for medical emergencies - defined as situations where an abortion is necessary to prevent serious risk of death or life-threatening impairment to the patient.

Maddy summaryWest Virginia's SB 478, the Second Amendment Reaffirmation and Protection Act, prevents state and local officials from enforcing firearm restrictions that rely solely on federal laws later repealed or declared unconstitutional. The bill automatically makes such state or local provisions unenforceable once the federal law is invalidated, unless the state passes new independent laws. It also allows individuals to sue officials who knowingly enforce these invalidated federal rules for damages. The law directly affects state/local law enforcement and residents who might face enforcement actions based on outdated federal regulations.

Maddy summarySB 926, introduced in the West Virginia Senate on February 12, 2026, proposes to eliminate state capital gains tax on the sale or exchange of certain precious metal bullion. The bill would amend West Virginia's tax code to exclude gains from selling gold, silver, platinum, or palladium bullion from taxable adjusted gross income. This change would directly affect West Virginia residents who sell qualifying precious metals, reducing their state tax liability on those transactions. The bill is currently pending in the Senate Finance Committee and has not yet been enacted into law.