TC Reclassification Language Removed From NDAA

NENA is disappointed to announce that the language contained in the House version of the 2020 National Defense Authorization Act to reclassify public safety telecommunicators as a "Protective Service" occupation has not been included in the reconciled bill.

However, the lessons we’ve learned from this process have given us clearer vision and better tools to continue the fight for reclassification. 911 SAVES still exists in its original forms (H.R. 1629 and S.1015) and has over 135 cosponsors; those sponsors’ support has not wavered. The Standard Occupational Classification System can still be changed through the more "traditional" regulatory methods, and NENA continues to build a case on that front. We'll also continue to pursue and support other, more creative reclassification efforts, like the ones we’ve seen in Texas, Maryland, Florida, and Ohio.

Despite today’s setback, NENA will continue to advocate for an accurate statistical classification for 9-1-1 professionals to support critical research into the mental and physical impacts of 9-1-1 jobs, which differ substantially from those encountered by other non-public-safety "dispatcher" professions.