H. B. 4375
(By Delegates Kuhn, Shaver, Caputo, Stalnaker,
Perdue and Hrutkay)
[Introduced
February 4, 2002
; referred to the
Committee on Finance.]
A BILL to amend and reenact section two, article eleven, chapter
fifteen of the code of West Virginia, one thousand nine
hundred thirty-one, as amended, relating to requiring the
payment of funeral expenses for probation officers killed in
the line of duty.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That section two, article eleven, chapter fifteen of the code
of West Virginia, one thousand nine hundred thirty-one, as amended,
be amended and reenacted to read as follows:
ARTICLE 11. PAYMENT OF FUNERAL EXPENSES.
§15-11-2. Payment of funeral expenses of law-enforcement, safety
and emergency workers killed in the line of duty.
(a) The secretary of military affairs and public safety shall, upon written request, direct payment from the fund in the form of
a draft as provided in this article up to and including an amount
not exceeding eight thousand dollars for the reasonable funeral
expenses, including burial expenses, of a law-enforcement, safety
or emergency worker killed on or after the first day of January,
one thousand nine hundred ninety-nine, while carrying out official
duties: Provided, That no such funds shall be expended for any
funeral expense that is otherwise payable pursuant to the
provisions of article four, chapter twenty-three of this code, as
amended, or other benefit programs established by a provision of
this code which does not involve employee participation: Provided,
however, That where other funds for funeral expenses are provided
pursuant to the laws of this state, from whatever source, which
amount to less than eight thousand dollars, funds provided by the
provisions of this section shall be expended so as to assure that
at least eight thousand dollars is available for reasonable funeral
expenses. The secretary shall direct payment of such funeral
expenses upon written request of an employer or head of a volunteer
organization, as is appropriate pursuant to this article,
certifying that the individual for whom funeral expenses are
requested was killed while performing official duties.
(b) The secretary shall supply the draft in the name of the
person contracting for the funeral services and, if known, the
service provider to the employer or agency head making the request
who shall tender the draft to the person who contracted for the
services.
(c) For the purposes of this section, "law-enforcement, safety
or emergency worker" means:
(1) Any duly authorized member of a law-enforcement agency who
is authorized to maintain public peace and order, prevent and
detect crime, make arrests and enforce the laws of the state or any
county or municipality thereof, other than parking ordinances, and
including those persons employed as security officers at municipal,
county, regional or state offices, authorities or institutions,
although their employers may not be public law-enforcement
agencies, employed by the Hatfield-McCoy regional recreation
authority and members of the West Virginia national guard while
engaged in active duty service: Provided, That this section does
not apply to those persons employed by private security firms or
agencies.
(2) Any state, regional, county or municipal correctional
officer.
(3) Any firefighter employed by the state or any political
subdivision of the state and any volunteer firefighter performing
as a member of a volunteer fire department.
(4) Any "emergency medical services personnel", as defined in
section three, article four-c, chapter sixteen of this code,
employed by or volunteering for any state agency or institution or
political subdivision of the state.
(5) Any probation officer appointed under the provisions of
section five, article twelve, chapter sixty-two or section fifteen,
article five, chapter forty-nine of this code.
NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to provide for the payment
of funeral expenses for probation officers killed in the line of
duty. This includes adult and juvenile officers.
Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from
the present law, and underscoring indicates new language that would
be added.