WEST virginia Legislature
2017 regular session
By
[
to the Committee on the Judiciary.
A BILL to amend the Code
of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by adding thereto a new section, designated
§7-15-19; to amend said code by adding thereto a new section, designated §8-15-28;
and to amend said code by adding thereto a new section, designated §16-4C-24,
all relating to authorizing certain first responders to carry firearms; authorizing
supervising entities to authorize ambulance crew members, firefighters, rescue
squad members and emergency service personnel to carry firearms; specifying the
training required for them to be eligible to carry a firearm; and allowing
reimbursement for the cost of the training.
Be it enacted by the
Legislature of West Virginia:
That the Code of West
Virginia, 1931, as amended, be amended by adding thereto a new section,
designated §7-15-19; that said code be amended by adding thereto a new section,
designated §8-15-28; and that said code be amended by adding thereto a new
section, designated §16-4C-24, all to read as follows:
CHAPTER 7. COUNTY
COMMISSIONS AND OFFICERS.
ARTICLE 15. EMERGENCY
AMBULANCE SERVICE ACT OF 1975.
§7-15-19. Ambulance
crew’s authority to carry firearm.
Notwithstanding any
provision of this code to the contrary, an authority may authorize a member of
an ambulance crew to carry a firearm in the course of performing official
duties if the member has first successfully completed a firearms training and
certification program and the member maintains certification in a manner which
is equivalent to that which is required of members of the State Police. The
authority may reimburse the member for the cost of the training and
maintenance.
CHAPTER 8. MUNICIPAL
CORPORATIONS.
ARTICLE 15. FIRE
FIGHTING; FIRE COMPANIES AND DEPARTMENTS; CIVIL SERVICE FOR PAID FIRE
DEPARTMENTS.
§8-15-28.
Firefighters’ and rescue squad members’ authority to carry firearm.
Notwithstanding any
provision of this code to the contrary, a department may authorize a
firefighter or rescue squad member to carry a firearm in the course of
performing official duties if the firefighter or rescue squad member has first
successfully completed a firearms training and certification program and the
member maintains certification in a manner which is equivalent to that which is
required of members of the State Police. The department may reimburse the
firefighter or rescue squad member for the cost of the training and maintenance.
CHAPTER 16. PUBLIC
HEALTH.
ARTICLE 4C. EMERGENCY
MEDICAL SERVICES ACT.
§16-4C-24. Emergency
medical service personnel’s authority to carry firearm.
Notwithstanding any
provision of this code to the contrary, a department may authorize emergency
medical service personnel to carry a firearm in the course of performing
official duties if the individual has first successfully completed a firearms
training and certification program and the individual maintains certification
in a manner which is equivalent to that which is required of members of the
State Police. The Department may reimburse the individual for the cost of the
training and maintenance.
NOTE: The purpose of this bill is
to authorize supervising entities to authorize ambulance crew members,
firefighters, rescue squad members and emergency service personnel to carry
firearms. It specifies the training required for them to be eligible to carry a
firearm and allows them to be reimbursed for the cost of the training.
Strike-throughs indicate language
that would be stricken from a heading or the present law and underscoring
indicates new language that would be added.