After watching bills fail year after year in Richmond, Northumberland County Board of Supervisors Chairman James Brann is hoping a local effort can help build momentum to support emergency dispatchers across Virginia.

During a recent board discussion, Brann said legislation aimed at recognizing dispatchers as first responders and expanding their retirement options routinely fails in the General Assembly. This year was no different, with several bills failing to advance.

One proposal, Senate Bill 304, proposed allowing local governments to offer enhanced retirement benefits for full-time salaried 911 dispatchers through the Virginia Retirement System. The bill would have given localities the option — but not the requirement — to provide hazardous-duty style retirement benefits to dispatchers beginning July 1, 2027.

While the decision would have been left to individual localities, the legislation also required system updates and administrative changes estimated to cost roughly $159,700 for implementation.

Another measure, House Bill 1269, would have expanded membership in the Virginia Law Officers’ Retirement System (VaLORS) to include emergency dispatchers working for agencies such as the Virginia State Police and the Virginia Capitol Police, as well as other agencies whose law enforcement officers already qualify for the system.

The bill never made it out of committee. If passed, it would have allowed eligible dispatchers to begin earning VaLORS retirement credit starting July 1, 2027. State estimates projected about $1.1 million in employer costs beginning in fiscal year 2028 to cover the higher contribution rates associated with the law-enforcement retirement plan.

Despite repeated attempts to pass similar legislation in recent years, none have cleared the General Assembly.

Such continued failures prompted Brann to propose a local step that could help build broader support.

“I would like to see the county adopt a resolution recognizing our dispatchers as first responders in hopes that other counties will adopt the same resolution,” Brann said. “Maybe next year when the bill is presented, it will pass.”

County administrator Luttrell Tadlock told the board, he aims to have staff prepare a draft resolution for consideration at an upcoming meeting, and supervisors indicated support for the idea.