SB 1021 — Funding certain first responders

(a)(1) For the purpose of providing additional revenue for volunteer fire departments, part- volunteer fire departments and certain retired teachers and the Teachers Retirement Reserve Fund, there is hereby authorized and imposed on and after July 1, 1992, on the policyholder of any fire insurance policy or casualty insurance policy issued by any insurer, authorized or unauthorized, or by any risk retention group, a policy surcharge equal to one percent of the taxable premium for each such policy.

After June 30, 2005, the surcharge shall be imposed as specified in subdivisions (2) and (3) of this subsection.

(2) After June 30, 2005, through December 31, 2005, for the purpose of providing additional revenue for volunteer fire departments, part-volunteer fire departments and to provide additional revenue to the Public Employees Insurance Agency and municipal pension plans, there is hereby authorized and imposed on and after July 1, 2005, on the policyholder of any fire insurance policy or casualty insurance policy issued by any insurer, authorized or unauthorized, or by any risk retention group, a policy surcharge equal to one percent of the taxable premium for each such policy.

(3) After December 31, 2005, for the purpose of providing additional revenue for volunteer fire departments and part-volunteer fire departments, there is hereby authorized and imposed on the policyholder of any fire insurance policy or casualty insurance policy issued by any insurer, authorized or unauthorized, or by any risk retention group, a policy surcharge equal to fifty-five one hundredths of one percent of the taxable premium for each such policy.

4 Enr SB 1021 (4) For purposes of this section, casualty insurance may not include insurance on the life of a debtor pursuant to or in connection with a specific loan or other credit transaction or insurance on a debtor to provide indemnity for payments becoming due on a specific loan or other credit transaction while the debtor is disabled as defined in the policy.

The policy surcharge may not be subject to premium taxes, agent commissions, or any other assessment against premiums.

(b) The policy surcharge shall be collected and remitted to the commissioner by the insurer, or in the case of surplus lines coverage, by the surplus lines licensee, or if the policy is issued by a risk retention group, by the risk retention group.

The amount required to be collected under this section shall be remitted to the commissioner on a quarterly basis on or before the twenty-fifth day of the month succeeding the end of the quarter in which they are collected, except for the fourth quarter for which the surcharge shall be remitted on or before March 1 of the succeeding year.

(c) Any person failing or refusing to collect and remit to the commissioner any policy surcharge and whose surcharge payments are not postmarked by the due dates for quarterly filing is liable for a civil penalty of up to $100 for each day of delinquency, to be assessed by the commissioner.

The commissioner may suspend the insurer, broker, or risk retention group until all surcharge payments and penalties are remitted in full to the commissioner.

(d)(1) All money from the policy surcharge shall be collected by the Commissioner who shall disburse the money received from the surcharge into a special account in the State Treasury, designated the Fire Protection Fund.

The net proceeds of this portion of the tax and the interest thereon, after appropriation by the Legislature, shall be distributed quarterly on the first day of the months of January, April, July, and October to each volunteer fire company or department on an equal share basis by the State Treasurer.

After June 30, 2005, the money received from the surcharge shall be distributed as specified in subdivisions (2) and (3) of this subsection.

5 Enr SB 1021 (2)(A) After June 30, 2005, through December 31, 2005, all money from the policy surcharge shall be collected by the commissioner who shall disburse one half of the money received from the surcharge into the Fire Protection Fund for distribution as provided in subdivision (1) of this subsection.

(B) The remaining portion of moneys collected shall be transferred into the fund in the State Treasury of the Public Employees Insurance Agency into which are deposited the proportionate shares made by agencies of this state of the Public Employees Insurance Agency costs of those agencies, until November 1, 2005.

After October 31, 2005, through December 31, 2005, the remain portion shall be transferred to the special account in the state Treasury, known as the Municipal Pensions and Protection Fund.

(3) After December 31, 2005, all money from the policy surcharge shall be collected by the commissioner who shall disburse all of the money received from the surcharge into the Fire Protection Fund for distribution as provided in subdivision (1) of this subsection.

(4) Before each distribution date to volunteer fire companies or departments, the State Fire Marshal shall report to the state Treasurer:

(A) The names and addresses of all volunteer and part-volunteer fire companies and departments within the state which meet the eligibility requirements established in §8-15-8a of this code during the preceding quarter;

(B) The number of volunteer firefighters and the number of full-time paid members providing services to each volunteer and part-volunteer fire company and department during the preceding quarter;

(C) A full accounting of each volunteer and part-volunteer fire company and department eligible to receive a distribution under this section’s revenues and expenditures for the last two calendar years;

and 6 Enr SB 1021 (D) A list of each volunteer and part-volunteer fire company and department has implemented the State Auditor’s West Virginia Checkbook fiscal reporting system on or before January 1, 2026.

(e) Notwithstanding any other provision of this subsection, each volunteer and part- volunteer fire company and department shall implement the State Auditor’s West Virginia Checkbook fiscal reporting system on or before January 1, 2026, in order to remain eligible to receive any funds pursuant to this section.

(f) The allocation, distribution, and use of revenues provided in the Fire Protection Fund are subject to the provisions of §8-15-8a and §8-15-8b of this code.