Senate committee reports resolution urging federal reclassification of 911 dispatchers

The Senate Labor and Commerce Committee on May 4 reported House Joint Resolution 38, a measure urging Congress to reclassify public safety telecommunicators as part of the protective service occupational class.

Representative Carolyn Hall, the bill sponsor, told the committee the resolution "encourages Congress to pass the Enhancing First Response Act or similar legislation to reclassify emergency response dispatchers into the protective service class" so dispatchers can access federal training, grant opportunities and wellness resources currently available to firefighters and police officers. Hall said the U.S. Office of Management and Budget currently categorizes dispatchers as clerical workers.

The measure drew support from public safety professionals. Erin, public safety manager for the City of Juneau, told the committee: "Dispatchers from clerical workers to protective service workers will better reflect the lifesaving work that they perform each day and each night." Frances Robinson, a 19-year telecommunicator with the Anchorage Fire Department, described coordinating rescue radio channels and guiding callers through CPR and emergency childbirth, saying those duties go "beyond the scope of a typical office and administrative support staff." Robinson urged the committee to support HJR 38 and continue momentum at the state level with related legislation.

After testimony and no committee questions, a member moved to "report House Joint Resolution 38 ... from committee with individual recommendations and attached fiscal note." Chair Senator Bjorkman announced Senator Merrick had joined the committee, and, with no objection, the committee reported HJR 38 out by voice vote.

Why it matters: Reclassification at the federal level would make dispatchers eligible for certain federal programs and benefits that accompany protective-service classifications, which proponents say better reflects the job’s emergency-response responsibilities.

Next steps: The committee reported the resolution to the next stage with individual recommendations and an attached fiscal note; no formal policy change was adopted at the state level during this hearing.