HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 37

(By Delegates Susman, Houston, Browning, Mahan, Michael,

Staton, Fleischauer, Campbell and Poling)


[Introduced February 11, 2003 ; referred to the

Committee on Rules.]
Requesting the Joint Committee on Government and Finance to conduct a study of planning for the safe evacuation from the state capitol complex of people with disabilities, including development of measures to provide alternative warning systems and improving alert and notification plans.

Whereas, Natural disasters, biological and chemical threats or accidents and other emergencies require thoughtful planning and appropriate warning systems to ensure that all people are able to safely evacuate the state capitol complex without loss of life or injury; and
Whereas, A recent survey of more than one thousand people found that fifty-eight percent of people with disabilities do not know whom to contact about emergency plans for their community in a disaster and fifty percent of those working full or part time say that no plans have been developed for an evacuation; and
Whereas, There is a need to improve emergency preparedness for people with disabilities to ensure that citizens, visitors and employees with disabilities in the capitol complex have an effective means of warning of an emergency, assistance in evacuating and identification of safe egress in an emergency; therefore, be it
Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That the Legislature hereby requests the Joint Committee on Government and Finance to conduct a study of planning for the safe evacuation from the state capitol complex of people with disabilities, including the development of measures to provide alternative warning systems and improving alert and notification plans ; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the Joint Committee on Government and Finance report to the regular session of the Legislature, 2004, on its findings, conclusions and recommendations, together with drafts of any legislation necessary to effectuate its recommendations; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the expenses necessary to conduct this study, to prepare a report and to draft necessary legislation be paid from the legislative appropriations to the Joint Committee on Government and Finance.