HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 109

(By Delegates Riley, Statler, Rohrbach, and Ellington)

[March 12, 2022]

Requesting the Joint Committee on Education and the Joint Committee on Health to study the cause and possible solutions to the issues surrounding the supply of current and demand for future emergency service personnel, including emergency medical technicians and paramedics in West Virginia.

Whereas, The Legislature recognizes that there is a current workforce shortage of emergency medical technicians and paramedics in West Virginia during the COVID-19 pandemic; and

Whereas, The best way to plan initiatives to meet future workforce needs is to determine the actual state of the workforce through a comprehensive study of current supply and future demand of emergency service personnel; therefore, be it

Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia:

That the Joint Committee on Education and the Joint Committee on Health study the cause and possible solutions to the issues surrounding the supply of current and demand for future emergency service personnel, including emergency medical technicians and paramedics, in West Virginia; and, be it

Further Resolved, That this study include requesting the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission, the West Virginia Community and Technical College System, the West Virginia Department of Education, and the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources’ Division of Emergency Services to study the current workforce supply, future demand, current in-state opportunities for training, current enrollees, anticipated graduates, and barriers to expansion of education programs, as well as industry conditions for employment, including cost and availability of initial and ongoing training, salaries, and other barriers to workforce adequacy in West Virginia, and recommend how workforce demand can be met; and, be it

Further Resolved, That the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission/Community and Technical College System compile the agencies’ findings and provide the committees with their findings and possible solutions to increase the number of emergency service personnel, including emergency medical technicians and paramedics; and, be it

Further Resolved, That the Joint Committee on Education, in consultation with the Joint Committee on Health report to the regular session of the Legislature, 2023, on its findings, conclusions, and recommendations, together with drafts of any legislation necessary to effectuate its recommendations; and, be it

Further Resolved, That the expenses necessary to conduct this study, to prepare a report and to draft necessary legislation be paid from legislative appropriations to the Joint Committee on Government and Finance; and, be it

Further Resolved, That the Clerk of the House forward a copy of this resolution to the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission, the West Virginia Department of Education, and the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources’ Division of Emergency Services.