This bill proposes amendments to the Code of West Virginia regarding the appointment of fire chiefs in municipalities. It allows municipalities to exempt fire chiefs from civil service protection through an ordinance, enabling the mayor or council to appoint the fire chief similarly to how municipal police chiefs are selected. The bill includes provisions that clarify the authority of volunteer fire companies and outlines eligibility requirements for receiving funds from municipal pensions and the Fire Protection Fund.

Key changes in the bill include the insertion of language that states nothing in the section requires a municipality to classify the fire chief as a civil servant. Additionally, it modifies the existing law to specify that fire chiefs not covered by civil service provisions can be appointed by the mayor or commission, and it establishes that the governing body can choose to place the fire chief under civil service provisions at a later time. The bill aims to streamline the appointment process for fire chiefs and align it with the practices for police chiefs.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 8-15-4, 8-15-8a, 8-15-11