Introduced Version
Senate Bill 144 History
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Key: Green = existing Code. Red = new code to be enacted
Senate Bill No. 144
(By Senators Nohe and Jenkins)
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[Introduced February 14, 2013; referred to the Committee on the
Judiciary; and then to the Committee on Finance .]
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A BILL to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by
adding thereto a new section, designated §19-20-26, relating
to creating Haas' Law to honor fallen law-enforcement canines
and other canines in the service of state or local
governmental agencies.
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 §19-20-26, to read as
follows:
ARTICLE 20. DOGS AND CATS.
§19-20-26. Honoring fallen K-9s in the service of state or local
government agencies.
(a) This section shall be known as "Haas' Law" and is intended to honor law-enforcement canines and other canines in the service
of state or local governmental agencies, and to help provide
closure to grieving law-enforcement officers or other governmental
employees who have served as handlers for these dogs.
(b) Any canine working for, or retired from, a state or local
law-enforcement agency or other governmental agency shall be
memorialized by that agency upon its death if the law-enforcement
officer or other agency employee who acted as the canine's handler
so requests. The tribute shall include:
(1) A memorial service, which may be a small informal service
within the law-enforcement agency or other governmental agency
where the canine served, or it may be open to the public, at the
discretion of that agency;
(2) A plaque and flag to be presented to the canine's most
recent handler as a memorial to the canine for its distinguished
service;
(3) A picture of the canine and its most recent handler to be
placed, for an appropriate period of time, on a "wall of honor" at
the law-enforcement agency or other agency which is dedicated for
pictures of canines and their handlers; and
(4) An obituary posted in the local newspaper in honor of the
fallen canine.
(c) The Superintendent of State Police or other appropriate director of a state agency which utilizes canines in its service,
a county commission or a municipal government may set aside funding
to provide for canine memorial services for those law-enforcement
agencies or other governmental agencies under their direction.
Such funding may be dedicated from moneys realized from the seizure
of contraband by law-enforcement agencies or as otherwise
determined by the state agency, county commission or municipal
government.
NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to create "Haas' Law" to
honor fallen law-enforcement canines and other canines in service
of state and local government agencies, and to honor their
handlers.
§19-20-26
is new; therefore, strike-throughs and underscoring
have been omitted.