This bill amends the Code of West Virginia to allow volunteer and part-volunteer fire companies and departments to utilize funds from the Municipal Pensions and Protection Fund and the Fire Protection Fund to employ or contract certified firefighters. The bill stipulates that such expenditures must first receive approval from the county fire board or, in the absence of a fire board, the county commission. Additionally, the bill outlines specific conditions that must be met before funds can be used for this purpose, including a determination of understaffing and the necessity of the expenditure to address that staffing need.

Furthermore, the bill modifies the list of authorized expenditures for these funds by adding the employment or contracting of certified firefighters as a permissible use. It also removes the provision that allowed for the purchase of food and related items for fire companies responding to emergencies, indicating a shift in focus towards staffing needs. The bill emphasizes the importance of maintaining separate bank accounts for state funds and mandates record retention for financial transactions related to these funds for a period of five years.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 8-15-8b