The House Committee on Government Organization had a consideration of five bills at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 13 in 215-E. All five of the bills considered on this day pertained to improving or revising West Virginia’s first responder services.
House Bill 2542 would expand access to emergency phone services by permitting the director of a county or municipality emergency telephone system to negotiate contracts for emergency mobile-phones in the county in the event landlines are unavailable.
This bill was passed unanimously and advanced to the House floor with recommendation that it pass.
Another bill that was advanced to the House floor was House Bill 2439. This bill would simplify the way WV volunteer fire departments document their use of state funds. Current statute requires these volunteer fire departments to report on their use of state appropriations by providing a report by a CPA, or by filing a sworn statement of expenditures which must be signed by the chief or director of the volunteer fire department. House Bill 2439 changes this by allowing these fire departments to undergo the simpler process of filing bank statements and check images instead of sworn statements of expenditures. The bill also provides a mechanism to issue out penalties to volunteer fire departments who misuse or misappropriate state funds, by allowing the state to withhold money in future instances.
House Bill 2411 was on the agenda for the House Government Organization committee as well, but this bill was tabled because most of its provisions were very similar to House Bill 2439.
The committee also had a consideration of House Bill 2958, a bill to allow the West Virginia State Auditor to conduct regular, 5-year audits of WV Volunteer fire departments to ensure the proper use of state money. This bill was also approved unanimously and advanced to the House floor with the recommendation that it pass.
House Bill 2830 was also advanced to the House floor on this day. This bill would establish Next Generation 911 services in the state of West Virginia. West Virginia is one of four states in the country that have yet to start establishing Next Generation 911 services, which allow users to communicate with emergency communication services through the use of text and/or multimedia message. The bill would provide for legislative findings, require a legislative report, and sets the parameters for which a commission would be established.
Delegate Michael Angelucci, D-Marion, expressed gratitude to House Government Organization Committee Chairman Gary Howell, R-Mineral, for putting bills pertinent to WV first responders on the agenda.
“Today is Emergency Medical Services Day at the Capitol,” Angelucci said. “Thank you for honoring our state’s first responders by putting these bills on the agenda and allowing us to consider them.”
Howell also expressed gratitude to WV’s first responders, saying that the thanks really goes to them.
“The honor goes to those who go out in the face of danger when we need it most,” Howell said.
The House Committee on Government Organization concluded their meeting by applauding these state workers, expressing gratitude for their hard work.
