H. B. 2656
(By Delegates Stemple, Kominar, H. K. White,
Doyle and Paxton)
[Introduced
January 11, 2006
; referred to the
Committee on Veterans Affairs and Homeland Security the the
Judiciary.]
A BILL to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by
adding thereto a new section, designated §15-11-3, relating to
providing that United States flags fly at half-mast for three
days whenever a state resident soldier is killed by hostile
fire or when an in-state law-enforcement officer is killed in
the line of duty; and, requiring the Secretary of Military
Affairs and Public Safety to send notice to all appropriate
state and local governmental agencies directing them to fly
flags at half-mast, commencing two days before the day of the
funeral of the deceased soldier or law-enforcement officer.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, be amended
by adding thereto a new section, designated §15-11-3,
to read as
follows:
ARTICLE 11. PAYMENT OF FUNERAL EXPENSES AND OBSERVANCE OF LOSS.
§15-11-3. Flag to be flown at half-mast when soldier killed by
hostile fire or law-enforcement officer killed in the
line of duty; Secretary to notify state and local
authorities.
(a) Each state, county and municipal governmental agency that
regulates the exhibition of the flag of the United States shall
exhibit the flying of the flag at half-mast upon official
notification from the Secretary of Military Affairs and Public
Safety that either a state resident member of the Armed Forces was
killed by hostile fire, or that a resident law-enforcement officer
was killed in the line of duty. The flag shall remain at half-staff
for three days, commencing two days before the day designated for
the funeral.
(b) Upon official notification that a member of the Armed
Forces was killed by hostile fire who, at the time of his or her
death, was a resident of this state, or that a resident
law-enforcement officer was killed in the line of duty, the
Secretary of Military Affairs and Public Safety shall notify all
appropriate state, county and municipal governmental agencies of
the member or officer's death and the circumstances surrounding it.
NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to provide that United
States flags fly at half-mast for three days whenever a state resident soldier is killed by hostile fire or when an in-state
law-enforcement officer is killed in the line of duty. In
furtherance of this purpose, certain provisions of the bill require
the Secretary of Military Affairs and Public Safety to send notice
to all appropriate state and local governmental agencies directing
them to fly flags at half-mast for three days, commencing two days
prior to the funeral.
This section is new; therefore, strike-throughs and
underscoring have been omitted.