Source: http://www.legis.state.wv.us/WVCODE/code.cfm?chap=15&art=2&section=27A
Timestamp: 2017-12-16 18:43:03
Document Index: 694929544

Matched Legal Cases: ['§15', '§15', '§15', '§15', '§15', '§15', '§15', '§15', '§15', '§15', '§15', '§15', '§15', '§14616', '§15', '§1', '§15', '§15', '§15', '§15', '§15', '§15', '§15', '§15', '§15', '§15', '§15', '§15', '§15', '§15', '§15', '§15', '§15']

Chapter 15 | Article 15 - 2 | Section 27A
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§15-2-1. Short title.
This article shall be known and may be cited as the "West Virginia Department of Public Safety Reorganization Act."
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The Department of Public Safety, heretofore established, shall be continued and hereafter shall be known as the West Virginia State Police. Wherever the words "Department of Public Safety" or "Division of Public Safety" appear in this code, they shall mean the West Virginia State Police. The Governor shall nominate and, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, appoint a superintendent to be the executive and administrative head of the department. The superintendent shall be paid an annual salary as provided in section two-a, article seven, chapter six of this code. The superintendent shall hold the rank of colonel and is entitled to all rights, benefits and privileges of regularly enlisted members. On the date of his or her appointment, the superintendent shall be at least thirty years of age. Before entering upon the discharge of the duties of his or her office, he or she shall execute a bond in the penalty of ten thousand dollars, payable to the State of West Virginia and conditioned upon the faithful performance of his or her duties. Such bond both as to form and security shall be approved as to form by the Attorney General and to sufficiency by the Governor.
(a) The superintendent shall create, appoint and equip the State Police which shall consist of the number of troops, districts and detachments required for the proper administration of the State Police. Each troop, district or detachment shall be composed of the number of officers and members the superintendent determines are necessary to meet operational needs and are required for the efficient operation of the State Police. The superintendent shall establish the general organizational structure of the State Police by interpretive rule in accordance with the provisions of article three, chapter twenty-nine-a of this code. The superintendent shall provide adequate facilities for the training of all members of the State Police and shall prescribe basic training requirements for newly enlisted members. He or she shall also provide advanced or in-service training, from time to time, for all members of the State Police. The superintendent shall hold entry-level training classes for other law-enforcement officers in the state without cost to those officers, except actual expenses for food, lodging and school supplies. The superintendent may hold advanced levels of training classes for other law-enforcement officers in the state for a reasonable daily fee per student not to exceed $100.
(c) There is hereby created in the State Treasury a special revenue account, which is an interest bearing account, to be known as the State Police 100th Anniversary Fund. The special revenue account shall consist of merchandise sales, any appropriations that may be made by the Legislature, income from the investment of moneys held in the special revenue account and all other sums available for deposit to the special revenue account from any source, public or private. No expenditures for purposes of this section are authorized from collections except in accordance with the provisions of article three, chapter twelve of this code and upon fulfillment of the provisions set forth in article two, chapter eleven-b of this code. Any balance remaining in the special revenue account at the end of any state fiscal year does not revert to the General Revenue Fund but remains in the special revenue account and shall be used solely in a manner consistent with this article. The superintendent is authorized to expend funds from the account to offset costs for the 100th anniversary celebration; for purchasing 100th anniversary commemorative merchandise, equipment and vehicles; and to defray necessary expenses incidental to those and other activities associated with the 100th anniversary of the West Virginia State Police. This fund expires on December 31, 2019 and remaining funds shall be transferred to the Academy Training and Professional Development Fund.
(d) The superintendent may hold training classes for certification to access and use the West Virginia Automated Police Network (WEAPON) for a reasonable daily fee per student not to exceed $100.
(e) There is hereby created in the State Treasury a special revenue account, which is an interest bearing account, to be known as the West Virginia State Police Criminal Justice Information Services Fund. The special revenue account shall consist of: Fees collected for training and certification for access to the West Virginia Automated Police Network (WEAPON) system; any appropriations that may be made by the Legislature; income from the investment of moneys held in the special revenue account; and all other sums available for deposit to the special revenue account from any source, public or private. Any balance remaining in the special revenue account at the end of any state fiscal year does not revert to the General Revenue Fund but remains in the special revenue account and may be used solely in a manner consistent with this article. The superintendent is authorized to expend funds from the account for the following purposes: To offset operational and training costs; for building maintenance and repair; for purchases and for equipment repair; personal services; software; other associated maintenance costs; and to defray necessary expenses incidental to those and other activities associated with the communications section of the West Virginia State Police.
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(d) Beginning on July 1, 2011, members shall receive annual salaries as follows:
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§15-2-8. Chaplains.
The superintendent may also appoint for each company not more than two chaplains, residing within the state of West Virginia, who shall serve without pay, and who may not be required to perform any duties of members of the department, nor shall any bond be required. The superintendent is authorized to furnish each such chaplain one official uniform, with proper chaplain insignia, to be worn at any ceremonial occasion conducted officially by the department where the presence of a member of the clergy is customary. Such chaplains may be reimbursed by the superintendent for all reasonable and necessary expenses actually incurred in attending such ceremonies.
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(a) The Legislature finds that from the year one thousand nine hundred fifty-one to two thousand three, employees of the West Virginia State Police or its predecessor agencies have operated a voluntary contribution fund. Upon the death of a member or employee of the West Virginia State Police who, upon his or her death, was a member of the contribution fund, active members and employees of the West Virginia State Police who have voluntarily chosen to be members of the fund have been permitted, as an expression of respect and gratitude for the contributions and service of the deceased member in protecting the public, to donate small financial contributions to a designated beneficiary of the deceased member. The contributions were deposited into the contribution fund and the disbursements were made from the fund.
The Legislature further finds, upon the reports of the Legislative Auditor, that over the years, without statutory authority to do so, administrators of the West Virginia State Police and its predecessor agencies assumed control of the administration of the contribution fund, performing or directing the administrative functions necessary to receive contributions to and disbursements from the contribution fund.
The Legislature further finds that the State of West Virginia had not established the contribution fund or any similar benefit plan for the members and employees of the West Virginia State Police or its predecessor agencies, nor approved the same as an official state benefit program or plan in any manner whatsoever. In the absence of the establishment or approval of such a program or plan by the Legislature, the exercise of administrative powers for these purposes is inappropriate.
The Legislature further finds that the contribution fund is not a state program, but a private activity to which individual employees of the West Virginia State Police have committed state time and resources.
The Legislature further finds that the contributions and service of deceased members and employees of the West Virginia State Police merit sincere, dignified and personal voluntary expressions of respect and gratitude from fellow members and employees of the deceased. The Legislature further finds that the continuance of the contribution fund or similar benefit plan for the purposes of facilitating those personal voluntary expressions of respect and gratitude may be appropriate under certain circumstances.
It is therefore the intent of the Legislature to authorize the limited use of staff and other resources incidental to the continued administration of the private contribution fund in accordance with the provisions of this section.
(b) The limited use of State Police staff time, postage, duplicating and incidental resources is authorized in the continued administration of the contribution fund for the purpose of facilitating contributions and disbursements from the fund if the following conditions have been met:
(1) The superintendent has provided each member and employee of the West Virginia State Police a copy of this section and a statement in writing that clearly advises the member or employee that the contribution fund is a private activity established and maintained by members and employees of the West Virginia State Police in their private capacity with limited administration by the West Virginia State Police and is not in any manner a benefit or other plan provided by or on behalf of the State of West Virginia and that participation in the fund or plan is not required, but is only permitted if the member or employee elects to participate on a voluntary basis with no obligation to give nor opportunity for coerced participation and that the purpose of the fund is to facilitate participating members' expressions of admiration, appreciation and bereavement to the survivors of deceased members;
(2) All rosters, records and accounts of the contribution fund are available for public inspection and audit; and
(3) State Police administration is consistent with all applicable federal and state tax requirements.
(c) Membership in the State Police Contribution Fund is voluntary. On or before the thirty-first day of July, two thousand six, members or employees hired between the first day of January, two thousand three, and the effective date of this section may elect to participate in the fund, and within five days of employment or reemployment with the West Virginia State Police, a member or employee may elect to participate in the fund: Provided, That any member of the original contribution fund in good standing upon the effective date of this section shall be presumed to be a member of the contribution fund. A retired member may maintain membership in the fund. A member may terminate membership in the fund at any time, by written notice to the superintendent, or by ceasing to make contributions to the fund. Upon the death of a member of the fund, the superintendent is authorized to collect a contribution not to exceed the sum of five dollars from all personnel participating in the fund, payable to a designated beneficiary of the deceased member. To aid administrative efficiency and ease the burden of participation, the superintendent may collect funds prospectively to cover an estimated number of deaths in a given period: Provided, That any such remaining funds credited to a deceased member shall be returned to the member's designated beneficiary.
(d) Use of coercion in an attempt to influence a West Virginia State Police officer's or employee's election to participate in the contribution fund is prohibited and grounds for dismissal from employment.
(e) The superintendent is authorized to establish and maintain a nongovernmental bank account established by agreement with a bank within the state to receive contributions to and make disbursements from the fund. These receipts are not to be deposited or held in the State Treasury.
(f) The superintendent shall verify any death of a member of the fund and authorize the dissemination of a notice of the death to members of the fund. The superintendent shall use the most cost efficient means of communication available in making these notifications.
(g) The superintendent is authorized to develop a written internal department policy for the operation of the contribution fund, which may include terms and conditions of membership and the development of any necessary forms or agreements for enrollment in the fund and the designation of a beneficiary.
§15-2-10a. Duty to return assigned items; superintendent's right of setoff.
(a) Whenever any member of the department of public safety retires, resigns or is terminated from employment, he or she shall surrender, in good condition, considering reasonable wear and tear from proper use, all items of equipment and clothing assigned to such member as set forth in section ten of this article: Provided, That this section shall not apply to any member awarded his or her service revolver pursuant to the provisions of section forty-three of this article.
(b) Notwithstanding any provision of this code to the contrary, the superintendent of the department of public safety shall have a setoff against any West Virginia state police retirement benefits, salary owed, sick leave benefits or vacation day benefits owed such retired, resigning or terminated member in an amount equal to the value of any equipment and clothing not returned. Notwithstanding the fact that a retired, resigning or terminated member is no longer employed by the department of public safety, the member may file a grievance for the sole purpose of protesting the application of the setoff. Such a grievance shall be processed, considered and decided pursuant to the provisions of section six of this article and rules promulgated thereunder. Prior to applying any setoff under this subsection, the superintendent will notify the retired, resigning or terminated member of his or her opportunity to file a grievance.
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§15-2-11. Territorial jurisdiction.
The jurisdiction of the department shall extend anywhere in the state of West Virginia.
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§15-2-14. Oath of superintendent and members.
The superintendent and each of the other members of the department of public safety, before entering upon the discharge of his duties, shall take and subscribe to an oath which shall be in form and effect as follows, to wit: State of West Virginia,
I, ........................., do solemnly swear that I will support the Constitution of the United States, the Constitution of the State of West Virginia, and I will honestly and faithfully perform the duties imposed upon me under the provisions of law as a member of the Department of Public Safety to the best of my skill and judgment.
Taken, subscribed and sworn to before me, this the ...... day of .......................
All such oaths, except that of the superintendent, shall be filed and preserved in the office of the department of public safety.
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§15-2-15. State Police Child Abuse and Neglect Investigations Unit.
(a) The superintendent shall establish a special unit of the State Police, called the Child Abuse and Neglect Investigations Unit. The purpose of the unit is to focus on identifying, investigating and prosecuting criminal child abuse and neglect cases, in coordination with Child Protective Services, established pursuant to section nine, article six-a, chapter forty-nine of this code. The unit shall assist other State Police members with child abuse or neglect investigations as well as the Division of Child Protective Services. The unit may provide training, technical expertise and coordination of services for other law-enforcement agencies, Child Protective Services caseworkers, prosecuting attorneys and multidisciplinary teams established pursuant to the provisions of section two, article five-d, chapter forty-nine of this code, to identify, investigate, report and prosecute criminal child abuse and criminal child neglect cases. However, nothing in this section may be construed to mean that the unit will assume the duties or investigations of other State Police members or other law-enforcement officers.
(b) The unit will comprise, at a minimum, six members of the State Police. The superintendent shall assign a unit director, and shall assign five members regionally, to be dedicated and trained to assist county Child Protective Services Offices and caseworkers in investigating and coordinating with other law-enforcement personnel, cases of suspected child abuse or neglect. Cases to be investigated include allegations received pursuant to section two, article six-a, chapter forty-nine of this code, and any other credible child abuse or neglect allegations.
(2) Coordinating activities of the unit with Child Protection Services;
(3) Assisting Child Protective Services in developing and refining protocols for improving identification and prosecution of suspected criminal acts of child abuse or neglect; and
(4) Assuring that all other directives and responsibilities of the unit are fulfilled.
(d) The unit shall maintain a statewide statistical index on child abuse and neglect convictions resulting from convictions for violations of sections two, two-a, three, three-a, four and four-a, article eight-d, of chapter sixty-one of this code, to monitor the timely and proper investigation and disposition of child abuse or neglect cases. The statistical data index maintained by the unit shall not contain information of a specific nature that would identify individual cases or persons.
(e) On or before the thirty-first day of December of each year, the unit director shall submit an annual report to the Joint Committee on Government and Finance. The annual report is to include the statistical index required under the provisions of subsection (d) of this section, and may include recommendations for statutory or program reforms that will assist the unit and further promote the goals of the unit. The report may not contain information of a specific nature that would identify individual cases or persons.
(f) Every state law-enforcement agency of this state shall periodically provide statistical information regarding child abuse and neglect cases investigated and prosecuted by that law-enforcement agency to the unit.
(g) The superintendent may propose rules for legislative approval or procedural rules as necessary to effectuate the provisions of this section in accordance with the provisions of article three, chapter twenty-nine-a of this code. The superintendent shall provide forms to law-enforcement agencies, circuit clerks and parole officers to facilitate submission of appropriate information necessary to prepare the statistical reports required by this section.
(h) There is hereby established a special account in the State Treasury, into which shall be deposited any gifts, grants or donations made to the unit, and any other funds directed to be deposited into the account by appropriation of the Legislature, and to be expended for the purposes of this section pursuant to appropriation of the Legislature.
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§15-2-16. Interference with officers or members; false information; penalty.
Any person who shall at any time intercept, molest or interfere with any officer or member of the department of public safety while on duty, or any state, county or municipal officer or person then under the charge and direction of some officer or member of the department of public safety while on duty, or who knowingly gives false or misleading information to a member of the department, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and, upon conviction thereof, shall be fined not less than twenty-five dollars nor more than two hundred dollars, or imprisoned in the county jail for not more than sixty days, or both fined and imprisoned.
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Every person who is not a member of the department is hereby forbidden to wear, use, order to be used or worn, copy or imitate in any respect or manner the uniform prescribed for members of the department of public safety, and any person who shall violate the provisions of this article, for which no other penalty is expressly provided, and any person who shall falsely represent himself to be an officer or member of the department of public safety, or to be under the order or direction of any officer or member of said department, or who shall, unless an officer or member thereof, wear the uniform prescribed for members of said department, or the badge or other insignia adopted or used by said department, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and, upon conviction thereof, shall be fined not more than two hundred dollars, or imprisoned in the county jail for not more than six months, or both fined and imprisoned.
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§15-2-18. Officers or members performing duties for private persons; general penalty; providing extraordinary police or security services by contract.
(a) Any officer or member of the department of public safety who hires himself or herself to any person, firm or corporation to guard private property, or who demands or receives from any person, firm or corporation any money or other thing of value as a consideration for the performance of, or the failure to perform, his or her duties under the regulations of the superintendent and the provisions of this article, shall be guilty of a felony, and, upon conviction thereof, shall be confined in the penitentiary for not less than one nor more than five years, and any such officer or member of the department of public safety who violates any other provisions of this article, for which no other penalty is expressly provided, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and, upon conviction thereof, shall be fined not less than twenty-five dollars nor more than two hundred dollars, or imprisoned in the county jail for not more than four months, or both fined and imprisoned.
(b) Notwithstanding any other provision of this article, the superintendent may contract with public, quasi-public, military or private entities to provide extraordinary police or security services by the department when it is determined by the superintendent to be in the public interest. The superintendent shall assign such personnel, equipment or facilities as is deemed necessary and the department shall be reimbursed for the wages, overtime wages, benefits and costs of providing the contract services as negotiated between the parties. The compensation paid to public safety personnel by virtue of contracts provided for in this section shall be paid from a special account and shall be excluded from any formulation used to calculate an employee's benefits. All requests for obtaining extraordinary police or security services shall be made to the superintendent in writing and shall explain the funding source and the authority for making such a request. No officer or member of the department shall be required to accept any assignment made pursuant to this subsection. Every officer or member assigned to duty hereunder shall be paid according to the hours and overtime hours actually worked notwithstanding that officer's or member's status as exempt personnel under the Federal Labor Standards Act or applicable state statutes. Every contract entered into under this subsection shall contain the provision that in the event of public disaster or emergency where the reassignment to official duty of all officers and members is required, neither the department nor any of its officers or members shall be liable for any damages incurred as the result of the reassignment. Further, any entity contracting with the department of public safety under this section shall also agree as part of that contract to hold harmless and indemnify the state, department of public safety and its personnel from any liability arising out of employment under the contract. The superintendent is authorized to promulgate legislative rules and regulations in accordance with chapter twenty-nine-a of this code relating to the implementation of any contracts made under this subsection: Provided, That said regulations shall expressly prohibit private employment of officers or members in circumstances involving labor disputes.
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§15-2-19. Bribing, etc., officers or members; penalty.
If any person, firm or corporation shall give or offer to give any money or other thing of value to any officer or member of the department of public safety as a consideration for the performance of, or the failure to perform, any duty of such officer or member of the department of public safety under the rules and regulations of the superintendent and the provisions of this article, he or it shall be guilty of a felony, and if a person, upon conviction thereof, shall be confined in the penitentiary for a term of not less than one year nor more than five years, and if a firm or corporation, shall be fined not less than three thousand dollars nor more than ten thousand dollars.
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§15-2-20. Transfer authorized; use for disciplinary purposes prohibited; notice required under certain circumstances; relocation expense; regulation of member's residence.
The superintendent may transfer members to meet the operational needs of the department. A transfer may not be made as a disciplinary measure.
Whenever any member of the department is to be transferred from one station to another station, for a period of time in excess of sixty days, the superintendent shall give written notice of such proposed transfer to such member at least fifteen days in advance of such transfer. The superintendent shall not, however, be required to give such notice in the event the transfer is at the request of the member who is to be transferred. In the event that a member appeals a transfer in accordance with section six of this article, the transfer shall not take effect pending the appeal before the board. If the board upholds the transfer, such transfer shall be effective upon the issuance of the board's decision and shall remain in effect pending any appeal of such decision by the member.
Whenever any member of the department is transferred from one station to another station, for a period of time in excess of sixty days, all reasonable and necessary transportation expenses actually incurred in moving the household furniture and effects of such member and of his immediate family from his former station to his new station shall be paid by the department: Provided, That if any such member owns and resides in a mobile home, the department shall pay all reasonable and necessary transportation expenses actually incurred in moving such mobile home from such member's former station to his new station, but the department may not pay transportation expenses for moving such mobile home in excess of the amount which would have been paid for moving an equivalent amount of household furniture and effects had such member not owned such mobile home.
A member transferred shall also be given a relocation expense of three hundred dollars if the transfer necessitated relocation of the member's family.
The superintendent shall not restrict a member from residing in a county other than that in which the member is stationed, except that the superintendent may promulgate by appropriate written regulation to be applied uniformly throughout the department a restriction as to either: (1) The number of miles distant from his station which a member may reside, or (2) the time necessary under ordinary traffic conditions for a member to travel between his residence and station.
The member may appeal the superintendent's order of transfer to the board of appeals created for such purpose or to the circuit court of Kanawha County in accordance with the provisions of section six of this article and all of the original papers in such cases shall be delivered to the appeals board or the circuit court, as the case may be. The right of a member to appeal a transfer shall not apply until the member has completed the eighteen-month probationary period with the department.
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§15-2-21. Suspension, demotion or discharge of members; right of appeal.
The superintendent may suspend, demote in rank or discharge from the service any member of the department of public safety for any of the following causes: Refusing to obey the lawful orders of his superior officer, neglect of duty, drunkenness, immorality, inefficiency, abuse of his authority, interference with the lawful right of any person, participation in political activities, primaries, conventions or elections, conviction for a crime or any action proscribed under this article. The superintendent shall cause an investigation to be made when notice of any one or more of such causes is brought to his attention and shall determine whether or not the member should be suspended, demoted in rank or discharged. If the superintendent orders the member suspended, demoted in rank or discharged, a written statement of the charges and a written order of suspension, demotion in rank or discharge shall be delivered personally to the member by his commanding officer, or next in command in the absence of his commanding officer. The superintendent shall explicitly set forth in any such written statement of charges the details giving rise to the cause or causes upon which he ordered such suspension, demotion in rank or discharge. The member may appeal the superintendent's order to the board of appeals created for such purpose or to the circuit court of Kanawha County in accordance with the provisions of section six of this article and all of the original papers in such cases shall be delivered to the appeals board or the circuit court, as the case may be.
The right to appeal a suspension or discharge shall not apply to members until they have completed their probationary period with the department, which shall be for a period of eighteen months.
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§15-2-22. Assignment of assistant attorney general; employment of legal counsel.
(a) The attorney general may, upon request of the superintendent, assign an assistant attorney general to the department.
(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of section one, article three, chapter five of this code, the superintendent may authorize any member of the department to employ an attorney of such member's choice to act in proceedings wherein criminal charges are brought against such member because of action in line of duty. For such attorney's services an amount determined by the judge in whose court the action is pending, not to exceed one thousand dollars, may be expended in any one case.
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§15-2-23. Duties of superintendent as to statistics, aliens and labor conditions.
The superintendent of the department of public safety is authorized from time to time to collect statistics and distribute information throughout the state, and in this to cooperate with the state superintendent of public schools and other educational agencies of the state, to secure the naturalization and Americanization of all foreign-born inhabitants; to employ all agencies in his power to secure a harmonious feeling and understanding between the employers of labor and their employees; and to secure this end he may call upon the educational and other state institutions for public speakers, and is authorized to hold public meetings at any point in the state where, in his judgment, such meetings will be of advantage to carry out the spirit of this law.
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(d) The Criminal Identification Bureau may furnish, with the approval of the superintendent, fingerprints, photographs, records or other information to any private or public agency, person, firm, association, corporation or other organization, other than a law- enforcement or governmental agency as to which the provisions of subsection (c) of this section shall govern and control, but all requests under the provisions of this subsection for such fingerprints, photographs, records or other information must be accompanied by a written authorization signed and acknowledged by the person whose fingerprints, photographs, records or other information is to be released.
(g) Members of the Department of Public Safety, and all other state law-enforcement officials, sheriffs, deputy sheriffs and each and every peace officer in this state, shall take or cause to be taken the fingerprints and description of all persons arrested or detained by them, charged with any crime or offense in this state, in which the penalty provided therefor is confinement in any penal or correctional institution, or of any person who they have reason to believe is a fugitive from justice or a habitual criminal, and furnish the same in duplicate to the Criminal Identification Bureau of the Department of Public Safety on forms approved by the superintendent of said department. All such officials as herein named may, when possible to do so, furnish to the Criminal Identification Bureau, photographs of such persons so fingerprinted. For the purpose of obtaining data for the preparation and submission to the Governor and the Legislature by the Department of Public Safety of an annual statistical report on crime conditions in the state, the clerk of any court of record, the magistrate of any magistrate court and the mayor or clerk of any municipal court before which a person appears on any criminal charge shall report to the Criminal Identification Bureau the sentence of the court or other disposition of the charge and the prosecuting attorney of every county shall report to the Criminal Identification Bureau such additional information as the bureau may require for such purpose, and all such reports shall be on forms prepared and distributed by the Department of Public Safety, shall be submitted monthly and shall cover the period of the preceding month.
(i) All state, county and municipal law-enforcement agencies shall submit to the bureau uniform crime reports setting forth their activities in connection with law enforcement. It shall be the duty of the bureau to adopt and promulgate rules and regulations prescribing the form, general content, time and manner of submission of such uniform crime reports. Willful or repeated failure by any state, county or municipal law- enforcement official to submit the uniform crime reports required by this article shall constitute neglect of duty in public office. The bureau shall correlate the reports submitted to it and shall compile and submit to the Governor and the Legislature semiannual reports based on such reports. A copy of such reports shall be furnished to all prosecuting attorneys and law- enforcement agencies.
(j) Neglect or refusal of any person mentioned in this section to make the report required herein, or to do or perform any act on his or her part to be done or performed in connection with the operation of this section, shall constitute a misdemeanor and, such person shall, upon conviction thereof, be punished by a fine of not less than $25 nor more than $200, or by imprisonment in the county jail for a period of not more than sixty days, or both. Such neglect shall constitute misfeasance in office and subject such persons to removal from office. Any person who willfully removes, destroys or mutilates any of the fingerprints, photographs, records or other information of the Department of Public Safety shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and such person shall, upon conviction thereof, be punished by a fine of not more than $100, or by imprisonment in the county jail for a period of not more than six months, or both.
(l) The State Police may assess a fee to applicants, covered providers or covered contractors for conducting the criminal background check and for collecting and retaining fingerprints for Rap Back as authorized under article forty-six, chapter sixteen of this code. The assessment shall be deposited into a nonappropriated special revenue account within the State Treasurer's office to be known as the WVSP Criminal History Account. Expenditures from this account shall be made by the superintendent for purposes set forth in this article and are authorized from collections. The account shall be administered by the superintendent and may not be deemed a part of the general revenue of the state.
National Crime Prevention and Privacy Compact, 42 U.S.C. §14616, as it existed on the first day of January, two thousand six, and the compact shall remain in effect in this state until the Legislature renounces the compact by statute. The Superintendent of the West Virginia State Police shall execute, administer, and implement the compact on behalf of the state, and may adopt necessary rules, regulations, and procedures for the national exchange of criminal history records for noncriminal records purposes. Ratification of the compact does not affect the obligations and responsibilities of the State Police criminal records section regarding the dissemination of criminal history records within West Virginia.
§15-2-24c. Relationship with Marshall University Forensic Science Center.
(a) The Forensic DNA Analysis Laboratory of the Marshall University Forensic Science Center is hereby declared to be engaged in the administration of criminal justice as that term is defined in 28 C. F. R. 20.3(b).
(b) The Marshall University Forensic Science Center and the West Virginia State Police shall confer with each other as to available grants or similar possible funding sources and applications therefor.
(c) To avoid duplicative and wasteful use of limited resources and to ensure maximum utilization of available funds, the West Virginia State Police shall have primacy of decisionmaking over the Marshall University Forensic Science Center with regard to applications for particular grants or funding in which both entities may have an interest to which the Marshall University Forensic Science Center shall accede.
(d) The West Virginia State Police and the Marshall University Forensic Science Center shall execute a written agreement to ensure compliance with the provisions of subsection (c) of this section.
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Any term used in this article relating to the Death, Disability and Retirement Fund has the same meaning as when used in a comparable context of the laws of the United States, unless a different meaning is clearly required. Any reference in this article to the Internal Revenue Code means the Internal Revenue Code, as it has been amended.
(a) "Actuarially equivalent" or "of equal actuarial value" means a benefit of equal value computed upon the basis of the mortality table and interest rates as set and adopted by the retirement board in accordance with the provisions of this article: Provided, That when used in the context of compliance with the federal maximum benefit requirements of Section 415 of the Internal Revenue Code, "actuarially equivalent" shall be computed using the mortality tables and interest rates required to comply with those requirements.
(b) "Agency" means the West Virginia State Police.
(c) "Beneficiary" means a surviving spouse or other surviving beneficiary who is entitled to, or will be entitled to, an annuity or other benefit payable by the fund.
(d) "Board" means the West Virginia Consolidated Public Retirement Board created pursuant to article ten-d, chapter five of this code.
(e) "Dependent child" means any unmarried child or children born to or adopted by a member of the fund who is:
(2) After reaching eighteen years of age, continues as a full-time student in an accredited high school, college, university, business or trade school, until the child or children reaches the age of twenty-three years; or
(3) Is financially dependent on the member by virtue of a permanent mental or physical disability upon evidence satisfactory to the board.
(f) "Dependent parent" means the member's parent or stepparent claimed as a dependent by the member for federal income tax purposes at the time of the member's death.
(g) "Employee" means any person regularly employed in the service of the agency as a law-enforcement officer before March 12, 1994, and who is eligible to participate in the fund.
(h) "Fund", "plan" or "system" means the West Virginia State Police Death, Disability and Retirement Fund.
(i) "Law-enforcement officer" means an individual employed or otherwise engaged in either a public or private position which involves the rendition of services relating to enforcement of federal, state or local laws for the protection of public or private safety, including, but not limited to, positions as deputy sheriffs, police officers, marshals, bailiffs, court security officers or any other law-enforcement position which requires certification, but excluding positions held by elected sheriffs or appointed chiefs of police whose duties are determined by the board to be purely administrative in nature.
(j) "Member" means any person who has contributions standing to his or her credit in the fund and who has not yet entered into retirement status.
(k) "Partially disabled" means an employee's inability, on a probable permanent basis, to perform the essential duties of a law-enforcement officer by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment which has lasted or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than twelve months, but which impairment does not preclude the employee from engaging in other types of nonlaw-enforcement employment.
(l) "Physical or mental impairment" means an impairment that results from an anatomical, physiological or psychological abnormality that is demonstrated by medically accepted clinical and laboratory diagnostic techniques.
(m) "Plan year" means the twelve-month period commencing on July 1 of any designated year and ending the following June 30.
(n) "Qualified public safety employee" means any employee of a participating state or political subdivision who provides police protection, fire-fighting services or emergency medical services for any area within the jurisdiction of the state or political subdivision, or such other meaning given to the term by Section 72(t)(10)(B) of the Internal Revenue Code or by Treasury Regulation §1.401(a)-1(b)(2)(v) as they may be amended from time to time.
(o) "Retirant" or "retiree" means any former member who is receiving an annuity payable by the fund.
(p) "Surviving spouse" means the person to whom the member was legally married at the time of the member's death and who survived the member.
(q) "Totally disabled" means an employee's probable permanent inability to engage in substantial gainful activity by reason of any medically determined physical or mental impairment that can be expected to result in death or that has lasted or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than twelve months. For purposes of this subsection, an employee is totally disabled only if his or her physical or mental impairments are so severe that he or she is not only unable to perform his or her previous work as an employee of the agency but also cannot, considering his or her age, education and work experience, engage in any other kind of substantial gainful employment which exists in the state regardless of whether: (1) The work exists in the immediate area in which the employee lives; (2) a specific job vacancy exists; or (3) the employee would be hired if he or she applied for work.
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§15-2-26. Continuation of Death, Disability and Retirement Fund;
designating the Consolidated Public Retirement Board as administrator of fund.
(a) There is continued the Death, Disability and Retirement Fund created for the benefit of members, retirants and any dependents of retirants or deceased members of the fund. It is contemplated that substantially all of the members of the retirement system shall be qualified public safety employees as defined in section twenty-five-b of this article.
(b) There shall be deducted from the monthly payroll of each employee and paid into the fund six percent of the amount of his or her salary: Provided, That beginning on July 1, 1994, there shall be deducted from the monthly payroll of each employee and paid into the fund seven and one-half percent of the amount of his or her salary: Provided, however, That on and after July 1, 1995, there shall be deducted from the monthly payroll of each employee and paid into the fund nine percent of the amount of his or her salary. An additional twelve percent of the monthly salary of each employee shall be paid by the State of West Virginia monthly into the fund out of the annual appropriation for the agency: Provided further, That beginning on July 1, 1995, the agency shall pay thirteen percent of the monthly salary of each employee into the fund: And provided further, That beginning on July 1, 1996, the agency shall pay fourteen percent of the monthly salary of each employee into the fund: And provided further, That on and after July 1, 1997, the agency shall pay fifteen percent of the monthly salary of each employee into the fund. There shall also be paid into the fund amounts that have previously been collected by the superintendent of the agency on account of payments to employees for court attendance and mileage, rewards for apprehending wanted persons, fees for traffic accident reports and photographs, fees for criminal investigation reports and photographs, fees for criminal history record checks, fees for criminal history record reviews and challenges or from any other sources designated by the superintendent. All moneys payable into the fund shall be deposited in the State Treasury and the board shall keep a separate account thereof.
(d) The moneys in this fund, and the right of a member to a retirement allowance, to the return of contributions, or to any benefit under the provisions of this article, are exempt from any state or municipal tax; are not subject to execution, garnishment, attachment or any other process whatsoever, with the exception that the benefits or contributions under the fund are subject to "qualified domestic relations orders" as that term is defined in Section 414(p) of the Internal Revenue Code with respect to governmental plans; and are unassignable except as is provided in this article. The fund shall be administered by the board created pursuant to article ten-d, chapter five of this code.
(e) All moneys paid into and accumulated in the fund, except amounts designated or set aside by the awards, shall be invested by the West Virginia Investment Management Board as provided by law.
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(a) Every retirant of the fund who is fifty-five years of age or older and who is retired by the board under the provisions of section twenty-seven of this article; every retirant of the fund who is retired by the board under the provisions of section twenty-nine or thirty of this article; and every beneficiary receiving a benefit pursuant to section thirty-three or thirty-four of this article is eligible to receive an annual retirement annuity adjustment equal to three and seventy-five hundredths percent of his or her retirement award or beneficiary award. The adjustments may not be retroactive. Yearly adjustments shall begin upon the first day of July of each year. The annuity adjustments shall be paid to the retirants or beneficiaries from the fund in equal monthly installments while in status of retirement or payment of beneficiary award. The annuity adjustments shall supplement the retirement awards and benefits as provided in this article.
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(c) The amount of retirement pay to which any member is entitled shall be calculated and determined as if he or she had been receiving for the period of his or her active military duty a monthly salary from the agency equal to the average monthly salary which he or she actually received from the agency for his or her total service with the agency exclusive of the active military duty. The superintendent shall transfer and pay into the fund from moneys appropriated for the agency, a sum equal to eighteen percent of the aggregate of the salaries on which the retirement pay of all members has been calculated and determined for their periods of active military duty. In addition, any person who, while an employee of the agency was commissioned, enlisted or inducted into the armed forces of the United States or, being a member of the reserve officers' corps, was called to active duty in the armed forces between the first day of September, one thousand nine hundred forty, and the close of hostilities in World War II, or between the twenty-seventh day of June, one thousand nine hundred fifty, and the close of the armed conflict in Korea on the twenty-seventh day of July, one thousand nine hundred fifty-three, between the first day of August, one thousand nine hundred sixty-four, and the close of the armed conflict in Vietnam, or during any other period of armed conflict by the United States whether sanctioned by a declaration of war by the Congress or by executive or other order of the President, is entitled to and shall receive credit on the minimum period of service required by law for retirement pay from the service of the West Virginia State Police for a period equal to the full time he or she has or shall, pursuant to the commission, enlistment, induction or call, have served with the Armed Forces subject to the following:
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(c) If any member not yet in retirement status on the basis of age and service is found by the board to be permanently and totally disabled as the result of a physical or mental impairment resulting from any occupational risk or hazard inherent in or peculiar to the services required of employees of the agency or incurred pursuant to or while the member was engaged in the performance of his or her duties as an employee of the agency, the member is entitled to receive annually and there shall be paid from the fund in equal monthly installments during his or her lifetime or until the disability eligibility sooner terminates, an amount equal to eight and one-half percent of the total salary which would have been earned by the employee during twenty-five years, or during actual service if more than twenty-five years of service in the fund, based on the average earnings of the retirant while employed as an employee of the agency: Provided, That in no event may the amount be less than fifteen thousand dollars per annum, unless otherwise required by this article.
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WVC 15 - 2 - 31
WVC 15 - 2 - 31 A
(a) Application for a disability benefit may be made by a member under the provisions of section twenty-nine of this article, by an employee under the provisions of section thirty of this article or, if the member or employee is under an incapacity, by a person acting with legal authority on the member's or the employee's behalf. After receiving an application for a disability benefit, the board shall notify the superintendent of the agency that an application has been filed: Provided, That when, in the judgment of the superintendent, an employee is no longer physically or mentally fit for continued duty as an employee of the West Virginia State Police and the employee has failed or refused to make application for disability benefits under this article, the superintendent may petition the board to retire the employee on the basis of disability pursuant to rules which may be established by the board. Within thirty days of the superintendent's receipt of the notice from the board or the filing of the superintendent's petition with the board, the superintendent shall forward to the board a statement certifying the duties of the employee's employment, information relating to the superintendent's position on the work relatedness of the employee's alleged disability, complete copies of the employee's medical file and any other information requested by the board in its processing of the application, if this information is requested timely.
(b) The board shall propose legislative rules in accordance with the provisions of article three, chapter twenty-nine-a of this code relating to the processing of applications and petitions for disability retirement under this article.
(c) The board shall notify the member and the superintendent of its final action on the disability application or petition within ten days of the board's final action. The notice shall be sent by certified mail, return receipt requested. If either the member or the superintendent is aggrieved by the decision of the board and intends to pursue judicial review of the board's decision as provided in section four, article five, chapter twenty-nine-a of this code, the party so aggrieved shall notify the board within twenty days of the member's or superintendent's receipt of the board's notice that they intend to pursue judicial review of the board's decision.
(d)(1) The board shall require each disability benefit recipient to file an annual certified statement of earnings, to include the amount and source of earnings and any other information required in legislative rules which may be proposed by the board. The board may waive or modify the requirement that a recipient of total disability benefits file the annual statement of earnings if the board's physician certifies that the recipient's disability is ongoing. The board shall annually examine the information submitted by each recipient. If a disability retirant refuses to file a statement and other information required by the board, the disability benefit shall be suspended, after notice and opportunity to be heard, until the statement and information are filed.
(2) The board shall annually examine any information available from the State Tax Commissioner on all recipients of disability benefits pursuant to article ten, chapter eleven of this code.
(e)(1) A nonblind recipient earning annual income exceeding the equivalent of eight hundred sixty dollars per month in the year two thousand six, after impairment-related work expenses are subtracted from earnings, has engaged in substantial gainful activity. A statutorily blind recipient has engaged in substantial gainful activity in the year two thousand six if the recipient has earned annual income exceeding the equivalent of one thousand four hundred fifty dollars per month after impairment-related work expenses are subtracted from earnings.
(2) The substantial gainful activity dollar limit shall be automatically adjusted annually to correspond to the dollar limit as established and published by the United States Social Security Administration for each year in accordance with methods published in the Federal Register (FR6582905 December 29, 2000) and similar methods used by the Social Security Administration applying the average annual wage index.
(3) If after review of a disability retirant's annual statement of earnings, tax records or other financial information, as required or otherwise obtained by the board, the board determines that earnings of the recipient of total disability benefits in the preceding year are sufficient to show that the recipient engaged in substantial gainful activity, the disability retirant's disability annuity shall be terminated by the board, upon recommendation of the board's disability review committee and after notice and opportunity to be heard, on the first day of the month following the board's action.
(4) If the board obtains information that a recipient of partial disability benefits is employed as a law-enforcement officer, upon recommendation of the board's disability review committee and after notice and an opportunity to be heard, the board shall terminate the recipient's disability benefits on the first day of the month following the board's action.
(f) Any person who wishes to reapply for disability retirement and whose disability retirement has been terminated by the board pursuant to this section may do so within ninety days of the effective date of termination: Provided, That any person reapplying for disability benefits shall undergo an examination at the applicant's expense by an appropriate medical professional selected by the board as part of the reapplication process.
(g) Notwithstanding other provisions in this section, any person whose disability retirement has been terminated by the board pursuant to this section may apply for regular retirement benefits upon meeting the eligibility requirements of age and years of service.
Not later than the first day of January, two thousand six, and each first day of January thereafter, the board shall prepare a report for the preceding fiscal year of the disability retirement experience of the West Virginia State Police Death, Disability and Retirement Fund. The report shall specify the total number of disability applications submitted, the status of each application as of the last day of the fiscal year, total applications granted or denied, and the percentage of disability benefit recipients to the total number of West Virginia State Police employees who are members of the fund. The report shall be submitted to the Governor and the chairpersons of the standing committees of the Senate and House of Delegates with primary responsibility for retirement legislation.
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§15-2-32. Retirant not to exercise police authority; retention of group insurance.
A retirant may not exercise any of the powers conferred upon active employees by section twelve of this article; but is entitled to receive free of cost to the retirant and retain as his or her separate property one complete standard uniform prescribed by section ten of this article: Provided, That the uniform may be worn by a retirant on occasions prescribed by the superintendent. The superintendent shall maintain at public expense for the benefit of all retirants that group life insurance mentioned in section ten of this article. The superintendent, when he or she is of opinion that the public safety shall require, may recall to active duty during any period determined by the superintendent, any retiree who is retired under the provisions of section twenty-seven of this article, provided the consent of the retiree to reassume duties of active membership shall first be obtained. Any retirant who resumes status of active membership is not entitled to receive retirement pay or benefits, but in lieu thereof, is entitled to receive that rate of salary and allowance pertinent to the rank or grade previously held by the retirant. When the former retirant is released from active duty, he or she shall reassume the status of retirement and shall be entitled to receive appropriate benefits as provided by this article: Provided, That the amount of the benefits shall in no event be less than the amount determined by the order of the board previously made in his or her behalf.
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§15-2-33a. Awards and benefits to dependents of member -- Termination.
When any surviving spouse of a member shall die or remarry while receiving or being entitled to receive any benefits under any section except section thirty-three of this article, the surviving spouse may not from the date of his or her remarriage, nor may the deceased member's estate from the date of death of the surviving spouse, be entitled to receive any benefits hereunder whatsoever: Provided, That in any case where under the terms of this article benefits are provided for a child or children surviving the death or remarriage of the surviving spouse, payment of benefits to that child or children shall be calculated for payment from the date the surviving spouse dies or remarries.
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WVC 15 - 2 - 35
§15-2-35. Awards and benefits to dependents of retirant or after an employee serves twenty years.
(a) When any employee of the agency has completed twenty years of service or longer as an employee of the agency and has died or dies from any cause or causes other than those specified in this article before having been retired by the board, and when a retirant has died or dies after having been retired by the board under the provisions of this article, there shall be paid annually in equal monthly installments from the fund to the surviving spouse of the employee or retirant during the lifetime or until remarriage of the surviving spouse, an amount equal to three-fourths the retirement benefits the deceased retirant was receiving or would have been entitled to receive while in status of retirement, or would have been entitled to receive to the same effect as if the employee had been retired under the provisions of this article immediately prior to the time of his or her death and in no event to be less than five thousand dollars, unless otherwise required under this article, and in addition the surviving spouse shall be entitled to receive and shall be paid from the fund the sum of one hundred dollars monthly for each dependent child or children. If the surviving spouse dies or remarries or if there is no surviving spouse, there shall be paid monthly from the fund to each dependent child or children of the deceased employee or retirant a sum equal to twenty-five percent of the surviving spouse's entitlement. If there is no surviving spouse or no surviving spouse eligible to receive benefits and no dependent child or children, there shall be paid annually in equal monthly installments from the fund to the dependent parents of the deceased employee or retirant during their joint lifetimes a sum equal to the amount which a surviving spouse without children would have been entitled to receive: Provided, That when there is only one dependent parent surviving, the parent shall be entitled to receive during his or her lifetime one-half the amount which both parents, if living, would have been entitled to receive.
(b) A surviving spouse or dependent of an employee meeting the requirements of this section is entitled to receive beneficiary payments on the first day following the date the deceased employee is removed from payroll by the agency. A surviving spouse or dependent of a retirant meeting the requirements of this section is entitled to receive beneficiary payments on the first day of the month following the date of the deceased retirant's death. Upon receipt of properly executed forms from the agency and the surviving spouse or dependent, the board shall process the surviving spouse or dependent benefit as soon as administratively feasible.
The board may continue payments of a surviving spouse's entitlement in full to any dependent children who continue to be dependent by reason of mental or physical incapacity as determined by the board notwithstanding the age of the dependent child or other provisions of this article.
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§15-2-36. Awards and benefits to dependents of member -- Termination.
When any surviving spouse of a member shall die or remarry while receiving or being entitled to receive any benefits under any section except section thirty-three of this article, such surviving spouse shall not from the date of such remarriage, nor shall the estate from the date of death of such surviving spouse be entitled to receive any benefits hereunder whatsoever: Provided, That in any case where under the terms of this article benefits are provided for a child or children surviving the death or remarriage of such surviving spouse, payment of such benefits to such child or children shall be calculated for payment from the date such surviving spouse shall die or remarry.
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WVC 15 - 2 - 38
§15-2-38. Refund to dependents upon death of member not eligible for benefits.
If any member dies and the board is of the opinion after hearing that the dependent or dependents of the member are ineligible under the provisions of this article to receive any of the benefits provided herein, the board shall refund to the spouse, if surviving, but if not surviving, to the children of the member, and if there is no surviving spouse or children, to the dependent parents, a sum equal to the aggregate of the principal amount of all moneys deducted from the salary of the member and paid into the fund. If there is no surviving spouse or children or dependent parent or parents, then a sum equal to the aggregate of the principal amount of all moneys deducted from the salary of the member and paid into the fund will be paid to the member's estate. Whenever a refund is made to the surviving spouse or other dependents of the deceased member, the surviving spouse or other dependents shall not be entitled to any other rights or benefits from the fund.
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§15-2-39. Dependent child or children.
In any case where under the terms of this article benefits are provided for dependent child or children, the benefits shall be paid for so long as they continue to meet the qualifications provided under the provisions of this article.
(d) The provisions of this section terminate effective the first day of July, two thousand twenty-five: Provided, That if bonds are issued pursuant to article eight, chapter twelve of this code, the provisions of this section shall not terminate while any of the bonds are outstanding.
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§15-2-40. Commission on drunk driving prevention created; members; quorum; meetings.
There is hereby created within the department of public safety the commission on drunk driving prevention which shall consist of eight members as follows: The superintendent of the department of public safety; the commissioner of the department of motor vehicles; the alcohol beverage control commissioner; the governor's representative for highway safety; a prosecuting attorney appointed by the governor from a list of three prosecuting attorneys submitted by the prosecuting attorney's association; a county sheriff appointed by the governor from a list of three county sheriffs submitted by the county sheriff's association; a municipal police officer appointed by the governor from a list of three officers submitted by the state fraternal order of police; a lay citizen of the state appointed by the governor, who has demonstrated an interest in the prevention of drunk driving.
The superintendent of the department of public safety shall be the chairman, ex officio, of the commission and shall provide the necessary staff and meeting facilities to the commission. The appointed members shall serve for a term of two years and may be reappointed. Any appointed member who ceases to occupy the position which qualifies him for the appointment shall immediately vacate his membership on the commission. Each member shall serve until the appointment of his successor.
No member shall receive any compensation, but shall be reimbursed for actual and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of his duties.
A majority of the members of the commission shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. Meetings shall be held at the call of the chairman or of a majority of its members.
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§15-2-42. Drunk driving enforcement program established; purpose.
The superintendent of the department shall establish and maintain a drunk driving enforcement program for the purpose of enforcing drunk driving laws in the state, especially the investigation and apprehension of persons driving illegally on previously revoked or suspended operators' licenses for drunk driving related offenses. The superintendent shall develop a program in cooperation with local law-enforcement agencies to accomplish this purpose.
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§15-2-43. Awarding service revolver upon retirement and disposal of service weapon when replaced due to routine wear.
(a) Upon the retirement of a member of the West Virginia state police, the superintendent shall award to the retiring member his or her service revolver, without charge, upon determining:
(2) Such retiring member is retiring with less than twenty years of service based upon a determination that such member is totally physically disabled as a result of his or her service with the West Virginia state police.
(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a) of this section, the superintendent may not award his or her service revolver to any member whom the superintendent finds to be mentally incapacitated or who constitutes a danger to any person or the community.
(c) The disposal of state police service weapons, when replaced due to routine wear, shall not fall under the jurisdiction of the agency for surplus property, within the purchasing division of the department of administration. The superintendent may offer these surplus weapons for sale to any active or retired member of the state police, at fair market value, with the proceeds from any sales used to offset the cost of the new weapons.
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§15-2-44. Federal law maximum benefit limitations.
Notwithstanding any other provision of this article or state law, the board shall administer the fund in compliance with the limitations of Section 415 of the Internal Revenue Code and regulations under that section to the extent applicable to governmental plans so that no annuity or other benefit provided under this fund shall exceed those limitations. The extent to which any annuity or other benefit payable under this fund shall be reduced as compared with the extent to which an annuity, contributions or other benefits under any other defined benefit plans or defined contribution plans required to be taken into consideration under Section 415 of the Internal Revenue Code shall be determined by the board in a manner that shall maximize the aggregate benefits payable to the member. If the reduction is under this fund, the board shall advise affected members or retirants of any additional limitation on the annuities required by this section.
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The requirements of this section apply to any distribution of a member's or beneficiary's interest and take precedence over any inconsistent provisions of this code. This section applies to plan years beginning after December 31, 1998. Notwithstanding anything in the retirement system to the contrary, the payment of benefits under this article shall be determined and made in accordance with Section 401(a)(9) of the Internal Revenue Code and the regulations thereunder. For this purpose, the following provisions apply:
(a) The payment of benefits under the fund to any member shall be distributed to him or her not later than the required beginning date, or be distributed to him or her commencing not later than the required beginning date, in accordance with regulations prescribed under Section 401(a)(9) of the Internal Revenue Code, over the life of the member or over the lives of the member and his or her beneficiary, or over a period not extending beyond the life expectancy of the member and his or her beneficiary. For purposes of this section, the term "required beginning date" means April 1 of the calendar year following the later of: (i) The calendar year in which the member attains age seventy and one-half; or (ii) the calendar year in which the member retires or otherwise ceases providing covered service under this fund. Benefit payments under this section shall not be delayed pending, or contingent upon, receipt of an application for retirement from the member.
(c) If a member dies before distribution to him or her has commenced, then his or her entire interest in the fund shall be distributed by December 31 of the calendar year containing the fifth anniversary of the member's death, except as follows:
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WVC 15 - 2 - 47
§15-2-47. Federal qualification requirements.
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§15-2-48. Specification of actuarial assumptions.
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§15-2-49. Benefits not forfeited if system terminates.
If the fund is terminated or contributions are completely discontinued, the rights of all members to benefits accrued or contributions made to the date of such termination or discontinuance, to the extent then funded, are not forfeited.
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§15-2-50.
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(b) Notwithstanding any provision of this code to the contrary, any member of the West Virginia state police honorably retired pursuant to the provisions of section twenty-seven of this article between the first day of December, one thousand nine hundred ninety-seven and the first day of December, two thousand two, may, at the discretion of the superintendent and subject to executive order of the governor specifying circumstances warranting such reemployment and establishing beginning and end dates for such reemployment, be reemployed subject to the provisions of this section.
(m) The provisions of this section shall terminate on the first day of April, two thousand four.
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§15-2-52. Termination of benefits; procedures.
(a) Whenever the board determines that a person seeking benefits under the provisions of this article has made false representation of a material fact in support of applying for or retaining benefits or has falsified or permitted to be falsified any record or records of the retirement system in support of benefits, the board shall terminate any present benefit approved as a result of the false statement or record. In addition, the board shall initiate appropriate action to recover any benefits paid by virtue of the false representation.
(b) Any termination of benefits pursuant to this section may be appealed pursuant to the state administrative procedures act in chapter twenty-nine-a of this code. The board may promulgate rules in accordance with the provisions of article three of said chapter regarding the procedure for termination of benefits and any repayment of benefits.
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§15-2-53. State law-enforcement association members annual leave program.
(a) Notwithstanding any provision of this code to the contrary, members of the largest statewide professional law-enforcement association representing members of the West Virginia State Police may donate annual leave time to the president of the association. The president may designate the vice president of the association or the chairman of the association's board of directors to act on his or her behalf. The West Virginia State Police will calculate the dollar value of the donated leave based on the hourly rate of the donor multiplied by the number of hours of annual leave to be donated and the donee will use the annual leave at the present dollar value of the donee's hourly rate. The donated annual leave may be used by the president or designee in the performance of his or her duties including: (1) Assistance to members; and (2) the legislative session and legislative meetings.
used his or her regularly accrued annual leave. All donated leave that is not used by July 1 of every year will be forfeited to the state and no unused donated leave may be used to add to the president's or his or her designee's retirement.
(c) No member of the association shall be considered absent from service as a member of the West Virginia State Police while serving as president of the association, or as his or her designee in that capacity: Provided, That the period of service credit granted for that service shall not exceed ten years: Provided, however, That a member of the West Virginia State Police Retirement System who is serving or has served as president of the association, or as his or her designee, shall make deposits to the West Virginia State Police Retirement Fund, for the time of any absence, in an amount equal to the sum of the amount which both the employer and the employee would have contributed in his or her regular assignment for a like period of time: Provided further, That if the president of the association, or his or her designee, is a member of the West Virginia State Police Death, Disability and Retirement Fund, he or she may not receive service credit for time spent serving as president or the president's designee.
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