WEST VIRGINIA LEGISLATURE
2023 REGULAR SESSION
Engrossed Senate Bill 737
BY SENATORS TARR, PHILLIPS, BARRET, BOLEY,
CLEMENTS, JEFFRIES, MARONEY, NELSON, OLIVERIO,
PLYMALE, QUEEN, ROBERTS, SMITH, AND WOODRUM
[Originating in the Committee on Finance;
reported on February 24, 2023]
 Eng SB 737
1 A BILL to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by adding thereto a new section,
2 designated §16-4C-25, relating to emergency medical services funding; creating a special
3 revenue account; providing for administration of the fund by the Office of Emergency
4 Medical Services; providing for rulemaking; and requiring an annual report.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
ARTICLE 4C. EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES ACT.
§16-4C-25. Emergency Medical Services Salary Enhancement Fund.
1 (a) There is hereby created in the State Treasury a special revenue fund designated and
2 known as the Emergency Medical Services Salary Enhancement Fund which is an interest- and
3 earnings-accumulating account. The fund is established to support supplementing the salaries of
4 county emergency medical service personnel as that term is defined in §16-4C-3(g) of this code
5 or a county designated or contracted emergency medical service provider and all moneys must
6 be spent to support increasing salaries of emergency medical service workers to encourage
7 retention. The fund consists of moneys appropriated by the Legislature, grants, gifts, devises, and
8 donations from any public or private source. All interest and other returns derived from the deposit
9 and investment of moneys in the Emergency Medical Services Salary Enhancement Fund shall
10 be credited to the fund. Any balance, including accrued interest and other returns, remaining in
11 the fund at the end of each fiscal year shall not revert to the General Revenue Fund but shall
12 remain in the fund and be expended as provided in this section. The Director of the West Virginia
13 Office of Emergency Medical Services shall administer the fund.
14 (b) The Director of the Office of Emergency Medical Services shall promulgate emergency
15 rules pursuant to the provisions of §29A-3-15 of this code. These rules shall include a means of
16 distributing any available funds to counties to accomplish the purpose of this section with an
17 emphasis on the following factors:
18 (1) Counties who may demonstrate the most need;
19 (2) Counties that have a special levy for emergency medical services;
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20 (3) Counties that have reached the maximum allowable rate on regular levies; and/or
21 (4) Counties that have a challenge recruiting and retaining emergency medical services
22 personnel due to interstate competition.
23 (c) The Office of Emergency Medical Services shall prepare an annual report to the
24 Legislative Oversight Commission on Health and Human Resources Accountability. The report
25 shall provide:
26 (1) A county-by-county accounting of how the funds were distributed;
27 (2) An accounting by county of the number of emergency medical service workers
28 receiving a salary enhancement; and
29 (3) Recommendations for continued funding.
30 The first report is due by July 1, 2024, and annually thereafter.
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Statutes affected:
Originating in Committee: 16-4C-25
Enrolled Version: 16-4C-25
Engrossed Version: 16-4C-25