SB 655 — Authorizing tactical medical professional to carry firearm with specific training requirements

(17) Develop and promulgate rules for state, county, and municipal law-enforcement officers, law-enforcement agencies, and communications and emergency operations centers that dispatch law-enforcement officers with regard to the identification, investigation, reporting, and prosecution of suspected child abuse and neglect:

Provided, That such rules and procedures must be consistent with the priority criteria prescribed by generally applicable department procedures;

and (18) Make recommendations to the Governor’s Committee on Crime, Delinquency, and Correction for legislation related to the subcommittee’s duties and responsibilities, or for research or studies by the Division of Administrative Services on topics related to the subcommittee’s duties and responsibilities;

and (19) Promulgate standards governing the training, firearms qualification, and initial and ongoing professional certification of a tactical medical professional, as defined in §30-43-1 of this code, on or before January 1, 2023.

This training program shall include awarding a certificate upon successful completion of the program that qualifies the tactical medical professional to carry a firearm while on duty.

(b) In addition to the duties authorized and established by this section, the subcommittee may:

(1) Establish training to effectively investigate human trafficking offenses as defined in §61-2-1 et seq.

of this code for entry-level training curricula and for law-enforcement officers who have not received such training as certified by the committee as required by this section;

and (2) Establish procedures for the implementation of a course in investigation of human trafficking offenses.

The course may include methods of identifying and investigating human trafficking and methods for assisting trafficking victims.

In order to implement and carry out the intent of this subdivision, the committee may promulgate emergency rules pursuant to §29A-3-15 of this code.

(c) Notwithstanding any provision of this code to the contrary, the subcommittee may deny an application for the establishment of a new law-enforcement training academy if it is determined by the subcommittee that no actual need exists for the establishment of additional law-enforcement training academies to meet the needs of existing law-enforcement agencies in the state.

“Tactical medical professional” means a person who is an emergency medical service personnel, as defined in §16-4C-1 ofet thisseq. code, or a nurse as defined in §30-7-1 of this code, or a physician as defined in §30-3-4 of this code, who is trained and certified in a nationally recognized tactical medical training program that is equivalent to “tactical combat casualty care” (TCCC) and “tactical emergency medical support” (TEMS) and who functions in the tactical or austere environment while attached to a law-enforcement agency of either this state or a political subdivision of this state.

of this code, a nurse as licensed in §30-7-1 et seq.

of this code, a physician as licensed in §30-3-1 et seq.

or §30-14-1 et seq.

of this code, or a physician assistant license pursuant to §30-3E-1 et seq.

of this code who is trained and certified in a nationally-recognized tactical medical training program that is equivalent to tactical combat casualty care and tactical emergency medical support, and who functions in the tactical or austere environment while attached to a law-enforcement agency of either this state or a political subdivision of this state.

(a) A tactical medical professional may carry firearms while on duty in the same manner, to the same extent, and in the same areas as a law-enforcement officer of the law-enforcement agency the tactical medical professional is serving, if:

(1) The law-enforcement agency that the tactical medical professional is serving has specifically authorized the professional to carry firearms while on duty;

and (2) The tactical medical professional has been awarded a certificate by the Law-EnforcementLaw Enforcement Professional Standards Subcommittee of the Governor’s Committee on Crime, DelinquencyDelinquency, and Correction as provided for in §30-29-2§30-29-3 of this code, which certificate attests to satisfactory completion of a law-enforcement training program that qualifies the tactical medical professional to carry firearms while on duty;duty.

and (3) Prior to or during employment as a tactical medical professional and prior to the effective date of this section, the professional has successfully completed a firearms training program as required by §61-7-4 of this code.

A tactical medical professional to whom this article applies and who is carrying one or more firearms under authority of this article has protection from potential civil or criminal liability for any conduct occurring while carrying the firearm or firearms to the same extent as a law-enforcement officer of the law-enforcement agency the tactical medical professional is serving has such protection.

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The purpose of this bill is to define “Tactical medical professional“ and authorize that professional to carry a firearm with specific training requirements.

Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from a heading or the present law, and underscoring indicates new language that would be added.

Bill Status  |  Bill Tracking  |  Legacy WV Code  |  Bulletin Board  |  District Maps  |  Senate Roster  |  House Roster  |  Live  |  Blog  |  Jobs  |  Links  |  Home This Web site is maintained by the West Virginia Legislature's Office of Reference & Information.