Sponsors (2)
The bill strengthens recognition and data about public-safety telecommunicators—potentially improving mental-health support, recruitment, and workforce planning—but does so at the cost of added administrative burdens and possible taxpayer/local-government expenses, with actual gains depending on OMB action.
Public-safety telecommunicators (911 dispatchers) would be formally recognized as performing lifesaving protective services, which raises occupational status and is likely to improve recruitment and retention—strengthening emergency response for communities.
Acknowledging duty-related trauma for telecommunicators would encourage expanded mental-health support (e.g., CISD), improving psychological recovery and job performance for these workers.
Aligning or creating a distinct SOC code for telecommunicators would produce clearer workforce data across federal, state, and local systems, enabling better workforce planning and more targeted training, recruitment, and pay policies.
Expanding or formalizing duty-related mental-health programs without dedicated funding could raise costs for local governments and taxpayers if agencies absorb new service expenses.
Reclassifying occupations or creating a new SOC code will impose administrative and reporting burdens on federal, state, and local agencies that use SOC classifications.
If OMB declines to create a separate code, telecommunicators may receive only an explanatory report with no immediate change in classification, pay, or program eligibility—limiting near-term benefits for workers.
Based on analysis of 3 sections of legislative text.
Requires OMB to consider creating a separate SOC code for public safety telecommunicators during the next SOC revision and to report to Congress if it declines.
Official title: To require the Director of the Office of Management and Budget to review and make certain revisions to the Standard Occupational Classification System, and for other purposes.
Introduced January 16, 2025 by Norma Judith Torres · Last progress January 16, 2025
Directs the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to consider creating a distinct Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code that identifies public safety telecommunicators (911/dispatch personnel) as a subset of protective service occupations at the next SOC revision. If OMB declines to create that separate SOC code, the Director must explain the decision in a report to relevant congressional committees within 60 days of announcing the final SOC revision decision.