Committee hears calls to add 9‑1‑1 telecommunicators and EMS staff to public safety plan

House Bill 1419, heard by the State and Local Government Committee, would expand eligibility for the Public Safety Retirement Plan to include public safety telecommunicators (9‑1‑1 dispatchers) and emergency medical services (EMS) personnel. Sponsors and witnesses described dispatchers and EMS staff as critical public safety personnel who face significant mental and physical stress and argued inclusion would help recruitment and retention.

Representative Todd Porter described the role of public safety telecommunicators as "the first lifeline to the first responders on every single call that comes through the 911 system," and said the bill's fiscal note covers state radio dispatchers who are state employees; political subdivisions would need to opt in for their local dispatch centers.

Miranda Jangula, deputy director for State Radio and a 21‑year telecommunicator, said telecommunicators routinely manage life‑and‑death calls, do not have time to decompress between events and increasingly receive video and live feeds that expose them to traumatic events. "Even though public safety telecommunicators may not be physically on scene, they are there mentally and emotionally," she said.

Sarah Miller, public safety telecommunications director and president of the 9‑1‑1 Association of North Dakota, played a recorded 9‑1‑1 call during testimony and described the emotional and cognitive demands dispatchers face; she said retirement benefits were a major retention factor for hires in her center.

PERS staff noted the actuary estimated 33 state radio dispatchers would move under the bill; that change would cause an immaterial 0.01% contribution impact to the actuarially determined employer contribution (ADEC). PERS cautioned that if a much larger number of political subdivisions (an estimate of up to 460 was discussed) opted in, the fiscal effect could be larger and might affect contributions in future biennia. Employee Benefits gave the bill an unfavorable recommendation in interim committee proceedings, primarily over classification and whether dispatchers meet the IRS definition of a qualified public safety officer (PERS noted dispatchers would be subject to a 10% early distribution penalty if they do not meet IRS criteria for qualified public safety officers when taking distributions before age 55).

Local EMS and fire representatives testified in favor, citing physical demands and recruitment pressures for ambulance services. Witnesses emphasized the bill provides an opt‑in path for political subdivisions rather than a mandate.