H. B. 4664


(By Delegates Ennis, Cann, Proudfoot,

Evans and Martin)

[Introduced February 27, 1998; referred to the

Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources.]




A BILL to amend article seven, chapter twenty of the code of West Virginia, one thousand nine hundred thirty-one, as amended, by adding thereto a new section, designated section one-f, relating to awarding service revolver to special conservation officers upon retirement; furnishing uniform for burial.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That article seven, chapter twenty of the code of West Virginia, one thousand nine hundred thirty-one, as amended, be amended by adding thereto a new section, designated section one- f, to read as follows:
ARTICLE 7. LAW ENFORCEMENT, MOTORBOATING, LITTER.
§20-7-1f. Awarding service revolver to special conservation officers upon retirement; furnishing uniform for burial.
(a) Upon the retirement of any special conservation officer as authorized in section one, article seven of this chapter, the chief of the officer's section shall award to the retiring special conservation officer his or her service revolver, without charge, upon determining:
(1) That the special conservation officer is retiring honorably with at least twenty-five years of recognized special law-enforcement service as determined by the chief conservation officer; or
(2) That such special conservation officer is retiring with less than twenty-five years of service based upon a determination that he or she is totally physically disabled as a result of service with the division.
(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a) of this section, the chief conservation officer shall not award a service revolver to any special conservation officer who has been declared mentally incompetent by a licensed physician or any court of law, or who, in the opinion of the chief conservation officer constitutes a danger to any person or the community.
(c) Upon the death of any current or honorably retired special conservation officer, the respective chief shall, upon request of the deceased officer's family, furnish a full uniform for burial of the deceased officer.


NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to allow a special conservation officer to be awarded his or her service revolver upon retirement if so recommended, and to furnish a full uniform for burial of a deceased officer, upon request of the family.

This section is new; therefore, strike-throughs and underscoring have been omitted.

AGRICULTURE AND NATURAL RESOURCES COMMITTEE AMENDMENT


On page two, section one-f, line seventeen, following the word "the", by striking out the words "chief conservation officer" and inserting in lieu thereof the words "section chief".