WEST virginia Legislature

2017 regular session

Introduced

House Bill 2916

By Delegates Pethtel, Hanshaw and Lovejoy

[Introduced March 10, 2017; Referred
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.