Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. §1. That the Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security, in consultation with the Secretary of Health and Human Resources, shall convene a work group composed of the Executive Director of the Department of Fire Programs, the State Fire Marshal, the Director of the Office of Emergency Medical Services, and such other stakeholders as the Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security and Secretary of Health and Human Resources shall deem appropriate to study the recruitment and professional development of firefighters and emergency medical services personnel. The work group shall make recommendations to ensure the uniformity of training for firefighters and emergency medical services personnel, including recommendations to maximize equal access to live, in-person instruction and training and the issuance of training certifications and certificates. The work group shall also examine whether the state regulation of firefighters and emergency medical services personnel should be consolidated under a single secretariat and if a new secretariat should be created to oversee such regulation. The work group shall submit a report to the Chairmen of the House Committee on Health, Welfare and Institutions, the House Committee on Public Safety, and the Senate Committee on Education and Health by November 1, 2024.