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Committee adds 911 officers as first responders; bill sent to consent calendar
Summary
A committee approved Senate Bill 22‑96 to add 9‑1‑1 officers to the roster of law enforcement/first responder recognition; the bill passed unanimously and the chair directed it to the consent calendar.
The committee approved a bill that recognizes 9‑1‑1 communications personnel as first responders for naming purposes.
Senate Bill 22‑96 would add 9‑1‑1 officers to a statutory list recognizing certain public employees; the bill’s sponsor said no fiscal effect was expected in the text under consideration and that a related fiscal impact was addressed in a separate House bill. Representative Figley moved a do‑pass recommendation and the committee voted unanimously to advance the bill. The committee chair asked to place the bill on the consent calendar for floor action.
Why it matters: Classifying emergency communications personnel as first responders is primarily an honorary/recognition change but can carry implications for benefits, internal policy and public messaging; committee members said the change aligns statutory language with current views of emergency communications work.
Votes and next steps: The committee recorded the bill's passage 10 yeas, 0 nays, 3 absent/not voting and designated Representative Figley to carry the bill. The chair indicated the bill would be placed on the consent calendar.
