ENGROSSED
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
provide that on or before the first day of July, two thousand
six, county 911 centers will only accept calls from Underwriters
Laboratories-certified central stations and
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.