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HB234

HB234: Classifying Emergency Dispatchers as Peace Officers for Retirement

Last scannedSep 8, 2026, 12:47 AM

In one sentence

This bill classifies emergency medical dispatchers in police departments, fire departments, and state trooper offices as peace officers under the Public Employees' Retirement System.

What it does

  • Updates the definition of an 'emergency medical dispatcher' to include training as a public safety telecommunicator with additional emergency medical knowledge for managing communications.
  • Adds dispatchers from police departments, fire departments, and state trooper offices to the list of jobs classified as peace officers or firefighters under retirement rules.
  • Excludes village public safety officers and their dispatchers from this new classification.
  • Sets a start date of July 1, 2026, for these changes.

Who it affects

  • Emergency medical dispatchers working in police departments
  • Emergency medical dispatchers working in fire departments
  • Dispatchers employed by state trooper offices

Limits and unknowns

  • The bill does not change rules for village public safety officers or their dispatchers.
  • The text defines who is included but does not list the specific dollar amounts of retirement benefits these workers will receive.

Plain language

Terms to know

Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS)
The retirement system for public employees that uses job classifications to determine benefits.
Peace Officer
A specific job category in the law that includes police, firefighters, and now certain dispatchers, which affects how their pensions are calculated.

Official record

Sources

Validated
Official bill pageIntroduced textCurrent bill text

Official summary

PERS: EMERGENCY DISPATCHERS An Act relating to emergency medical dispatchers; classifying dispatchers in police or fire departments and in state trooper offices as peace officers under the public employees' retirement system; and providing for an effective date.

Official activity

Bill history

  1. (H) Heard & Held -- Delayed to 5 min. Following Session --Text
  2. (H) LABOR & COMMERCE at 03:15 PM BARNES 124Text
  3. (H) <Bill Hearing Canceled>Text
  4. (H) LABOR & COMMERCE at 03:15 PM BARNES 124Text
  5. (H) <Bill Hearing Canceled>Text
  6. (H) LABOR & COMMERCE at 03:15 PM BARNES 124Text
  7. (H) Heard & Held -- Meeting Postponed from 3:15 pm 4/13/2026--Text
  8. (H) LABOR & COMMERCE at 08:00 AM BARNES 124Text
  9. (H) -- Testimony <Invitation Only> -- -- Meeting Postponed to 8:00 am 4/15/2026--Text
  10. (H) LABOR & COMMERCE at 03:15 PM BARNES 124Text
  11. (H) REFERRED TO LABOR & COMMERCE2048
  12. (H) FN2: ZERO(ADM)2048
  13. (H) FN1: ZERO(DPS)2048
  14. (H) AM: ST. CLAIR2048
  15. (H) NR: G.NELSON2048
  16. (H) DP: HOLLAND, PRAX, HALL, MEARS, HIMSCHOOT2048
  17. (H) CRA RPT 5DP 1NR 1AM2048
  18. (H) Moved SSHB 234 Out of CommitteeText
  19. (H) COMMUNITY & REGIONAL AFFAIRS at 08:00 AM BARNES 124Text
  20. (H) Heard & HeldText