Bill Text: IL SJR0007 | 2023-2024 | 103rd General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Creates the Recruiting & Retaining Public Employee Firefighters and Paramedics Task Force to study the recruitment and retainment of firefighters and paramedics throughout the State and suggest possible policies and legislation to aid local governments.

Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 5-2)

Status: (Passed) 2023-05-18 - Adopted Both Houses [SJR0007 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2023-SJR0007-Introduced.html

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SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION
RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL
ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING HEREIN, that the Recruiting &
Retaining Public Employee Firefighters and Paramedics Task
Force is created to identify solutions to the shortage of
eligible applicants for the position of firefighter and/or
paramedic and is charged with examining the following:
(1) The barriers to the recruitment and retention of
public employee firefighters and paramedics;
(2) The steps that the State of Illinois can take to
assist local governments to recruit and retain public
employee firefighters and paramedics;
(3) What community colleges, the Illinois Fire Service
Institute, the Illinois Department of Public Health, and
the Office of the State Fire Marshal can do to assist local
governments to recruit and retain public employee
firefighters and paramedics;
(4) How Monetary Award Program (MAP) grants can be
utilized to recruit and retain public employee
firefighters and paramedics;
(5) How paramedic licensure and testing/certification
requirements affect the recruitment and retainment of
public employee firefighters and paramedics;
(6) The statewide hiring provisions currently in

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statute as an alternative method of selecting and hiring
firefighters;
(7) How apprenticeship Programs (local, regional,
statewide) can be utilized to recruit and retain public
employee firefighters and paramedics;
(8) How the minimum requirements to apply to an
Illinois local government fire department affect the
recruitment and retention of public employee firefighters
and paramedics;
(9) The requirement for fire department sponsorship in
order to attend an Illinois fire academy;
(10) How well the State of Illinois provides a pathway
for qualified individuals to obtain the necessary skills
to seek employment as a firefighter and paramedic as a
public employee in the State of Illinois; and
(11) All other areas that the Task Force deems
necessary to examine to assist in the recruitment and
retention of public employee firefighters and paramedics;
and be it further
RESOLVED, That the Task Force will be comprised of the
following 19 members, who shall serve without compensation:
(1) 4 members of the Illinois General Assembly, one
each appointed by the Senate President, the Speaker of the
House, the Senate Minority Leader, and the House Minority
Leader; the General Assembly members appointed by the

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Senate President and Speaker of the House shall serve as
Co-Chairs;
(2) 3 members representing the Associated Fire
Fighters of Illinois and 3 members representing the
Illinois Fire Chiefs Association, all appointed by the
Senate President;
(3) 3 members representing a statewide organization of
municipalities as authorized by Section 1-8-1 of the
Illinois Municipal Code, all appointed by the Speaker of
the House;
(4) 1 member representing the Northern Illinois
Alliance of Fire Protection Districts and 1 member
representing the Illinois Fire Service Institute, both
appointed by the Minority Leader of the Senate;
(5) 1 member representing the Illinois Association of
Fire Protection Districts and 1 member representing the
Illinois Community College Systems, both appointed by the
Minority Leader of the House; and
(6) 1 member representing the Office of the State Fire
Marshal and 1 member representing the Illinois Department
of Public Health, both appointed by the Governor; and be
it further
RESOLVED, That the Task Force shall convene at the call of
the Co-Chairs and shall hold at least five meetings; and be it
further

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RESOLVED, That the Office of the State Fire Marshal shall
provide administrative support for the Task Force; and be it
further
RESOLVED, That the Task Force shall submit its final
report to the General Assembly and the Governor no later than
January 1, 2024, and upon the filing of its final report, the
Task Force is dissolved.