Overview

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.

ELI5 AI

The "911 SAVES Act of 2024" is a plan to give special job recognition to people who answer 911 calls in emergencies, so they feel more valued for their work. If the change isn't made, the person in charge has to tell Congress why.

Summary AI

H.R. 6319, also known as the "Supporting Accurate Views of Emergency Services Act of 2024" or the "911 SAVES Act of 2024", aims to update the Standard Occupational Classification System to better recognize public safety telecommunicators. Public safety telecommunicators, who are crucial in emergency situations, are currently misclassified. This bill instructs the Director of the Office of Management and Budget to consider creating a separate code for these professionals, acknowledging their vital role within protective service occupations. If this revision is not made, the Director is required to report to Congress explaining the decision.

Published

2024-09-19
Congress: 118
Session: 2
Chamber: HOUSE
Status: Reported in House
Date: 2024-09-19
Package ID: BILLS-118hr6319rh

Bill Statistics

Size

Sections:
3
Words:
1,606
Pages:
8
Sentences:
25

Language

Nouns: 619
Verbs: 100
Adjectives: 61
Adverbs: 11
Numbers: 38
Entities: 209

Complexity

Average Token Length:
4.13
Average Sentence Length:
64.24
Token Entropy:
4.95
Readability (ARI):
33.36

AnalysisAI

General Summary of the Bill

The proposed legislation, "Supporting Accurate Views of Emergency Services Act of 2024" or the "911 SAVES Act of 2024," presented to the 118th Congress, seeks to address the classification of public safety telecommunicators within the Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) System. The bill mandates the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to review and potentially revise the SOC System to establish a distinct occupational code for public safety telecommunicators. This aims to adequately highlight and recognize their vital role in emergency services.

Significant Issues

Several key issues arise from the bill's language and structure. One major concern is the absence of a defined timeline for the revision process of the SOC System, which could result in indefinite delays. Additionally, the bill lacks specified criteria or standards guiding the decision-making process for creating a separate code for public safety telecommunicators, which introduces ambiguity.

Moreover, the bill does not include mechanisms for obtaining input or feedback from stakeholders directly affected by these changes, such as public safety organizations and telecommunicators themselves. This omission could potentially impact the accuracy and comprehensiveness of the proposed revisions.

Another issue lies in the lack of accountability measures should the OMB fail to report to Congress within the specified timeframe after deciding against the creation of a separate code for telecommunicators. Without concrete penalties or enforcement mechanisms, compliance with this requirement may be lax.

Impact on the Public

Broadly, this bill has the potential to enhance the representation and acknowledgment of the critical role public safety telecommunicators play in emergency management. By revising their classification, it can lead to more accurate data collection, which can improve the planning and allocation of resources in emergency services nationally.

Improved acknowledgment may also elevate the public perception of the telecommunicators’ roles, aligning public understanding with the significant stress and skill involved in their functions. However, any delays or inefficiencies in implementing these changes could hinder these potential benefits.

Impact on Specific Stakeholders

For public safety telecommunicators themselves, this reclassification could positively affect their professional recognition, potentially leading to additional training opportunities, better job conditions, and improved mental health support measures, given the challenging nature of their work. However, the bill's lack of detailed provisions for emotional and physical support systems means their immediate benefits might be limited if these are not addressed in subsequent regulations or implementations.

Government agencies and organizations involved in public safety may see an administrative impact due to changes in classification, which could involve adapting existing systems and processes to align with new codes. This could initially present a logistical challenge but may lead to more effective workforce planning and resource allocation in the long term.

If and when these amendments are made, policymakers and public safety organizations must engage with the telecommunicators to ensure a well-rounded and effective implementation of the new classifications, addressing both current shortcomings and future needs.

Issues

  • The lack of a clear timeline in Section 3 for when the revision process of the Standard Occupational Classification system should begin, which may lead to indefinite delays, could significantly impact the effectiveness of the bill.

  • Section 3 does not specify criteria or standards for the decision-making process regarding the establishment of a separate code for public safety telecommunicators, which leads to potential ambiguity in implementation.

  • The absence of input or consultation from relevant stakeholders, such as public safety organizations or telecommunicators, in Section 3 may affect the thoroughness and accuracy of the revision process.

  • The lack of specific consequences or accountability measures in Section 3 if the report is not submitted to Congress within the specified timeframe, potentially undermining the bill's enforcement.

  • In Section 2, the emotional and physical impacts on public safety telecommunicators are acknowledged but without concrete solutions or support systems aside from critical incident stress debriefing (CISD), which could be seen as insufficient for addressing their needs.

  • Section 2's emphasis on the importance of reclassification lacks details on how the process would occur, including any associated costs or impacts, raising concerns about resource allocation and feasibility.

Sections

Sections are presented as they are annotated in the original legislative text. Any missing headers, numbers, or non-consecutive order is due to the original text.

1. Short title Read Opens in new tab

Summary AI

The first section of the act provides its short title, which is the “Supporting Accurate Views of Emergency Services Act of 2024” or the “911 SAVES Act of 2024”.

2. Findings Read Opens in new tab

Summary AI

Congress acknowledges the critical role played by public safety telecommunicators in emergency situations, highlighting their skills in handling traumatic events and the emotional and physical challenges they face. The bill suggests reclassifying them as Protective Service Occupations to accurately reflect their lifesaving work and to ensure alignment with other classification systems.

3. Revision of Standard Occupational Classification system Read Opens in new tab

Summary AI

The Director of the Office of Management and Budget must consider creating a specific code for public safety telecommunicators in the Standard Occupational Classification system. If the Director decides not to create this code, they must explain their decision to Congress within 60 days after the decision is announced.