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| WV firefighter proposed legislation: |
| Together we are strong and can make things happen |
2007 legislative session yielded... 4 new laws for WV Fire / EMS Click Here to view the 2007 WV legislative information |
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It is the opinion of this website that the 2008 legislative session was not a beneficial session to West Virginia Fire & EMS.
We believe there was much confusion amoung the fire service, and many firefighters did not have a clear understanding of the different bills proposed. Many people did not know which bills to actually support, and which to oppose. There was not nearly the unity that we witnessed in 2007, therefore most bills that would have benefitted the fire service did not pass. Why was this? We are not sure if there is a clear cut answer, and we will not speculate although we sure would like to, it's probably best if we don't. We will say that many people did work very hard and should be commended including WVSFA Legislative Chairman Gary Hall and his committee members, and thanks to Sonny Wagoner for once again organizing a very nice reception for our legislators. Many people spend a lot of time and effort on organizing support for these bills and most of these people volunteer their time toward achieving the goal of bill passage, therefore wan cannot blame any of those people if the effort fails. You do not have to have a college degree to figure out what really went wrong in Charleston this year with our bills, just ask your legislators. In 2009 we can again be successful just as we were in 2007, but it will take unity and strength in numbers. You cannot sit back and expect a few people to change the world, and it will take your help for us to create change. A good place to start is for your department to be represented in Charleston this August at the WVSFA Convention. This is where you can voice your concerns, and push for what you belive we need. The WVSFA has some good officers that want to hear your voice, and they will welcome you help. The following bills are some that were proposed this year: SB 155 - the "West Virginia Volunteer Firefighter Length of Service Act". This article compensates volunteer firefighters for length of service. In return for the required length of service commitment as a volunteer firefighter, every eligible recipient will receive a retirement pension of four hundred dollars per month for the rest of their life. HB 2045 - "Firefighters authorized to gather evidence and investigate". The purpose of this bill is to authorize paid municipal fire departments to investigate suspicious or illegal fires and to gather evidence at scenes of suspicious or illegal fires set or existing in or around public rights-of-way or otherwise within a municipality. HB 2711 - "Authority of fire officers in charge of fire, service call or other emergency; definition". The purpose of this bill is to provide that fire officers may use adjacent property to prevent fire from spreading. Additionally, the bill makes a minor stylistic change. HB 2452 - "Exemption for volunteer fire department members". The purpose of this bill is to allow members of volunteer fire departments who have successfully completed required training and who have two years of service to exempt five hundred dollars from their gross income, for state personal income tax purposes. SB 172 - "Authorized expenditures of revenues from the municipal pensions and protection fund and the fire protection fund". The purpose of this bill is to provide that certain revenues may be allocated to fund pensions for volunteer firemen in order to improve recruitment and retention of volunteer firemen. SB 206 - "Surcharge on fire and casualty insurance policies to benefit volunteer and part-volunteer fire departments, the West Virginia State Fire Chiefs' Association and the West Virginia State Fireman's Association; special fund; allocation of proceeds". The purpose of this bill is to provide State Treasury, Fire Protection Fund revenue to the West Virginia State Fire Chiefs' Association and the West Virginia State Fireman's Association, to be used for both associations' administration and training expenses, and to exempt both associations from eligibility and spending requirements SB 534 - "Fire Safety Standard and Firefighter Protection Act". The purpose of this bill is to establish a Cigarette Fire Safety Standard and Firefighter Protection Act requiring certain cigarette ignition propensity standards; and establishing criteria for implementation of this article. Session ended March 8th at midnight this year: A very special thanks to Senator John Unger for sponsoring several bills, arranging a meeting with the governors legislative director, and for holding workshops in different areas of the state to teach us how to get legislation passed. |
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