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1
SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION

  
 





  
2    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL 
3ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE HOUSE OF 
4REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING HEREIN, that the Recruiting & 
5Retaining Public Employee Firefighters and Paramedics Task 
6Force is created to identify solutions to the shortage of 
7eligible applicants for the position of firefighter and/or 
8paramedic and is charged with examining the following:
9        (1) The barriers to the recruitment and retention of 
10    public employee firefighters and paramedics;
11        (2) The steps that the State of Illinois can take to 
12    assist local governments to recruit and retain public 
13    employee firefighters and paramedics;
14        (3) What community colleges, the Illinois Fire Service 
15    Institute, the Illinois Department of Public Health, and 
16    the Office of the State Fire Marshal can do to assist local 
17    governments to recruit and retain public employee 
18    firefighters and paramedics;
19        (4) How Monetary Award Program (MAP) grants can be 
20    utilized to recruit and retain public employee 
21    firefighters and paramedics;
22        (5) How paramedic licensure and testing/certification 
23    requirements affect the recruitment and retainment of  
24    public employee firefighters and paramedics;
25        (6) The statewide hiring provisions currently in 
 
 
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1    statute as an alternative method of selecting and hiring 
2    firefighters;
3        (7) How apprenticeship Programs (local, regional, 
4    statewide) can be utilized to recruit and retain public 
5    employee firefighters and paramedics;
6        (8) How the minimum requirements to apply to an 
7    Illinois local government fire department affect the 
8    recruitment and retention of public employee firefighters 
9    and paramedics;
10        (9) The requirement for fire department sponsorship in 
11    order to attend an Illinois fire academy;
12        (10) How well the State of Illinois provides a pathway 
13    for qualified individuals to obtain the necessary skills 
14    to seek employment as a firefighter and paramedic as a 
15    public employee in the State of Illinois; and
16        (11) All other areas that the Task Force deems 
17    necessary to examine to assist in the recruitment and 
18    retention of public employee firefighters and paramedics; 
19    and be it further
 
20    RESOLVED, That the Task Force will be comprised of the 
21following 19 members, who shall serve without compensation:
22        (1) 4 members of the Illinois General Assembly, one 
23    each appointed by the Senate President, the Speaker of the 
24    House, the Senate Minority Leader, and the House Minority 
25    Leader; the General Assembly members appointed by the 
 
 
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1    Senate President and Speaker of the House shall serve as 
2    Co-Chairs;
3        (2) 3 members representing the Associated Fire 
4    Fighters of Illinois
and 3 members representing the 
5    Illinois Fire Chiefs Association, all appointed by the 
6    Senate President;
7        (3) 3 members representing a statewide organization of 
8    municipalities as authorized by Section 1-8-1 of the 
9    Illinois Municipal Code, all appointed by the Speaker of 
10    the House;
11        (4) 1 member representing the Northern Illinois 
12    Alliance of Fire Protection Districts
and 1 member 
13    representing the Illinois Fire Service Institute, both  
14    appointed by the Minority Leader of the Senate;
15        (5) 1 member representing the Illinois Association of 
16    Fire Protection Districts
and 1 member representing the 
17    Illinois Community College Systems, both appointed by the 
18    Minority Leader of the House; and
19        (6) 1 member representing the Office of the State Fire 
20    Marshal
and 1 member representing the Illinois Department 
21    of Public Health, both appointed by the Governor; and be 
22    it further
 
23    RESOLVED, That the Task Force shall convene at the call of 
24the Co-Chairs and shall hold at least five meetings; and be it 
25further
 
 
 
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1    RESOLVED, That the Office of the State Fire Marshal shall 
2provide administrative support for the Task
Force; and be it 
3further
 
4    RESOLVED, That the Task Force shall submit its final 
5report to the General Assembly and the Governor no later than 
6January 1, 2024, and upon the filing of its final report, the 
7Task Force is dissolved.