H. B. 4013
(By Delegates Beach, Perry, Fahey and Pethtel)
[Introduced January 10, 2002; 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
thirteen, relating to local emergency telephone systems;
providing for the establishment of local policies for the
receiving of emergency police, fire, medical and other alarms,
and the method of alarms; and establishing penalties for
excessive false alarms.
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
thirteen, to read as follows:
ARTICLE 6. LOCAL EMERGENCY TELEPHONE SYSTEM.
§24-6-13. Handling of emergency calls for police, fire or
emergency medical service assistance from public or
private alarm systems.
(a) The county commission or its designated entity of each
county or the municipality operating an emergency telephone system
may develop a local policy for the receipt and handling of alarms
from alarm systems that alert for police, fire and emergency
medical service emergencies.
(b) As part of the policy established for the receipt of
alarms, the county commission or its designated entity shall
establish policies for the handling of false alarms created by the
alarm systems and provide for necessary penalties to ensure the
alarm systems are maintained and monitored to eliminate unnecessary
false alarms.
NOTE:
The purpose of this bill is to
provide for establishment
by counties or municipalities of local policies for the receipt and
handling of alarms from alarm systems that alert emergency service
entities. The bill provides for counties to establish policies and
penalties relating to false alarms.
This section is new; therefore, strike-throughs and
underscoring have been omitted.