H. B. 2574


(By Mr. Speaker, Mr. Kiss (By Request)

and Delegates Yeager and R. M. Thompson)


[Introduced February 28, 2001; referred to the

Committee on Political Subdivisions then the Judiciary.]




A BILL to amend article six, chapter twenty-four of the code of West Virginia, one thousand nine hundred thirty-one, as amended, by adding thereto a new section, designated section twelve, relating to local emergency telephone systems; providing for the confidentiality of calls received by 911 centers.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:

That article six, chapter twenty-four of the code of West Virginia, one thousand nine hundred thirty-one, as amended, be amended by adding thereto a new section, designated section twelve, to read as follows:

ARTICLE 6. LOCAL EMERGENCY TELEPHONE SYSTEM.

§24-6-12. Confidentiality of 911 calls and records.

(a) All calls for emergency service which are recorded electronically, in writing, or in any other form shall be kept confidential by the 911 center receiving the call and may only be released pursuant to a court order requiring the release of the information: Provided, That nothing contained in this section may be construed as preventing the 911 center from releasing information to a responding agency as may be necessary for that agency's response on a call or the completion of necessary reports relating to that call.

(b) 911 centers may release information to bonafide law-enforcement agencies, the prosecuting attorney of a county or a United States attorney pursuant to a lawful criminal investigation. However, nothing in this article may be construed as prohibiting a request under chapter twenty-nine-b of this code for information relating to the operation of the center.

(c) Nothing in this article requires disclosure of any information that is specifically exempt from disclosure by statute.




NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to require 911 Centers to keep confidential all information received on 911 calls.

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