SEARCH SITE

VIRGINIA LAW PORTAL

SEARCHABLE DATABASES

ACROSS SESSIONS

Developed and maintained by the Division of Legislative Automated Systems.

2023 SESSION


CHAPTER 87
An Act to amend and reenact § 9.1-201 of the Code of Virginia and to amend the Code of Virginia by adding in Article 1 of Chapter 2 of Title 27 a section numbered 27-23.11, relating to firefighters; training; electric vehicle fires.
[H 2451]
Approved March 21, 2023

 

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That § 9.1-201 of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted and that the Code of Virginia is amended by adding in Article 1 of Chapter 2 of Title 27 a section numbered 27-23.11 as follows:

§ 9.1-201. Powers of Executive Director.

The Executive Director shall have the following powers to:

1. Supervise the administration of the Department;

2. Prepare, approve, and submit all requests for appropriations and be responsible for all expenditures pursuant to appropriations;

3. Employ such staff as is necessary to carry out the powers and duties of this chapter, within the limits of available appropriations;

4. Accept on behalf of the Department grants from the United States government and agencies and instrumentalities thereof and any other sources. To these ends, the Executive Director shall have the power to execute such agreements in accordance with any policies of the Virginia Fire Services Board;

5. Do all acts necessary or convenient to carry out the purpose of this chapter and to assist the Board in carrying out its responsibilities and duties;

6. Make and enter into all contracts and agreements necessary or incidental to the performance of its duties and the execution of its powers under this chapter, including, but not limited to, contracts with the United States, other states, and agencies and governmental subdivisions of the Commonwealth;

7. Appoint a director of fire services training;

8. Receive funds as appropriated by the General Assembly collected pursuant to § 38.2-401, on an annual basis to be used as provided in subsection C of § 38.2-401;

9. Administer the Thermal Imaging Camera Grant Funds established pursuant to § 9.1-205; and

10. Administer the provisions of the Statewide Fire Prevention Code (§ 27-94 et seq.); and

11. Develop a training program on the risks of fires in electric vehicles and how to safely and effectively manage such fires to be completed by all firefighters, including volunteer firefighters as defined in § 27-42, as required by § 27-23.11.

§ 27-23.11. Firefighter electric vehicles fire training.

All firefighters, including volunteer firefighters as defined in § 27-42, shall complete a training program developed by the Executive Director of the Department of Fire Programs pursuant to § 9.1-201 on the risks of fires in electric vehicles and how to safely and effectively manage such fires.

2. That the Executive Director of the Department of Fire Programs shall develop and make available the training program required pursuant to the provisions of § 9.1-201 of the Code of Virginia, as amended by this act, by July 1, 2024.

3. That the provisions of this act amending the Code of Virginia by adding § 27-23.11 shall become effective on July 1, 2024.

4. That every person engaged in firefighting activities, including volunteer firefighters, on July 1, 2024, shall complete the training program required pursuant to the provisions of § 27-23.11 of the Code of Virginia, as created by this act, by December 1, 2025.