WEST VIRGINIA LEGISLATURE
2024 REGULAR SESSION
Committee Substitute for House Bill 5355
By Delegates Statler, Rohrbach, Mallow, Toney,
Ellington, Sheedy, Summers, Riley, Williams,
Hanshaw (Mr. Speaker), and Jennings [Originating in the Committee on Government Organization; Reported on February 21, 2024]
 CS for HB 5355
1 A BILL to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended; and to amend said code by adding
2 thereto a new section, designated §15A-11-12, relating to the Fire Protection Fund and its
3 use by volunteer and part-volunteer fire companies and departments; making a legislative
4 finding; defining a term; providing that volunteer and part-volunteer fire companies and
5 departments may use monies from the Fire Protection Fund to pay expenses associated
6 with the required implementation of the State Auditor’s West Virginia Checkbook fiscal
7 reporting system.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
ARTICLE 11. FIRE COMMISSION.
§15A-11-12. Certain expenses to be paid by Fire Protection Fund.
1 (a) Legislative findings. – A new provision in §33-3-33 of this code requires volunteer and
2 part-volunteer fire companies and departments in this state to utilize the State Auditor's West
3 Virginia Checkbook fiscal reporting system on or before January 1, 2026, in order to remain
4 eligible to receive any funds. Because volunteer and part-volunteer fire companies and
5 departments have expenses associated with the transition to this online system, such
6 departments should be able to utilize funds from the Fire Protection Fund to cover such expenses.
7 (b) Definition. – "Expenses" include, but are not limited to, those items that are required or
8 helpful for the implementation of the State Auditor's West Virginia Checkbook fiscal reporting
9 system for volunteer and part-volunteer fire companies and departments, including but not limited
10 to computers, programming, the use of a Certified Public Accountant ("CPA"), and other
11 technology and associated expenses.
12 (c) Enactment. – Volunteer and part-volunteer fire companies and departments may utilize
13 Fire Protection Fund monies to pay for expenses associated with the transition to the State
14 Auditor's West Virginia Checkbook fiscal reporting system.
1 1
CS for HB 5355
NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to allow volunteer and part-volunteer fire companies and departments to use fire protection funding for certain purchases associated with the State Auditor's West Virginia Checkbook fiscal reporting system.
Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from a heading or the present law and underscoring indicates new language that would be added.
1 2


Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 15A-11-12
Committee Substitute: 15A-11-12