Senate Bill No. 594
(By Senators Prezioso and Unger)
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[Introduced March 18, 2005; referred to the Committee
on Government Organization.]
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A BILL to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by
adding thereto a new section, designated §7-1-3oo, relating to
authorizing county commissions to adopt ordinances to reduce
false alarms.
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 §7-1-3oo, to read as
follows:
ARTICLE 1. COUNTY COMMISSIONS GENERALLY.
§7-1-3oo. Authority to adopt ordinances relating to false alarms.
(a) In addition to all other powers and duties they now
possess, county commissions may enact ordinances, establish a
system of administration and enforcement, assess fees and
penalties, issue orders and take other necessary and appropriate
actions for the reduction and elimination of false alarms.
(b) Any false alarm ordinance adopted by a county commission
shall be consistent with the standards relating to burglar,
security, medical and fire alarms as established by the National
Burglar and Fire Alarm Association, the National Alarm Reduction
Association or their successor organizations.
(c) The county commission shall appoint an alarm administrator
to administer the false alarm ordinance. In counties that have an
enhanced 911 system, the E-9l1 director shall be the administrator.
In counties without an enhanced 911 system, the alarm administrator
shall be knowledgeable and qualified in the areas of alarm systems
and false alarm reduction efforts.
(d) The false alarm ordinance shall provide for the
appointment of a false alarm advisory board, which shall consist of
the alarm administrator, the county sheriff or other
law-enforcement officer, a chief from a county fire department, or
his or her designee, a representative from the alarm industry and
a member-at-large selected by the county commission to serve a
two-year term. The advisory board shall review, assist and make
recommendations concerning false alarm reduction efforts and report
to the commission.
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(NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to authorize county
commissions to adopt ordinances developing administration and
enforcement procedures to reduce false alarms.
This section is new; therefore, strike-throughs and
underscoring have been omitted.)