H. B. 3285
(By Mr. Speaker, Mr. Kiss, and Delegates Perry and Tabb)
[Introduced March 25, 2005; referred to the
Committee on Political Subdivisions then the Judiciary.]
A Bill to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by
adding thereto a new section, designated §7-1-3oo, relating to
authorizing county commissions to adopt ordinances to reduce
false alarms.
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 §7-1-3oo, to read as
follows:
ARTICLE 1. COUNTY COMMISSIONS GENERALLY.
§7-1-3oo. Authority to adopt ordinances relating to false alarms.
(a) In addition to all other powers and duties they now
possess, county commissions may enact ordinances, establish a
system of administration and enforcement, assess fees and
penalties, issue orders and take other necessary and appropriate
actions for the reduction and elimination of false alarms.
(b) The provisions of any false alarm ordinance adopted by a
county commission pursuant to this section shall take precedence
over any other county ordinance pertaining to false alarms.
(c) Any false alarm ordinance adopted by a county commission
shall provide that on or before the first day of January, 2006,
county 911 centers will only accept calls from Underwriters
Laboratories certified central stations and be consistent with the
standards relating to burglar, security, medical and fire alarms as
established by the National Burglar and Fire Alarm Association, the
National Alarm Reduction Association, or their successor
organizations.
(d) The county commission shall appoint an alarm administrator
to administer the false alarm ordinance. In counties that have an
enhanced emergency telephone system pursuant to section six,
article six, chapter twenty-four, the enhanced emergency telephone
system director shall be the administrator. In counties without an
enhanced emergency telephone system, the alarm administrator shall
be knowledgeable and qualified in the areas of alarm systems and
false alarm reduction efforts.
(e) The false alarm ordinance shall provide for the
appointment of a false alarm advisory board, which shall consist of
the alarm administrator, the county sheriff or other
law-enforcement officer, a chief from a county fire department, or
his or her designee, a representative from the alarm industry, and a member-at-large selected by the county commission to serve a
two-year term. The advisory board shall review, assist and make
recommendations concerning false alarm reduction efforts and report
to the commission.
NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to authorize county
commissions to adopt ordinances to reduce the incidence of false
alarms.
This section is new; therefore, strike-throughs and
underscoring have been omitted.
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