On December 21, A-3772/S-2223, a bill revising the eligibility criteria for reimbursements from the Emergency Medical Technician Training Fund, received favorable reporting from the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee. This proposed revision to the current law would allow entities to receive reimbursements for the costs of training and certifying volunteer EMTs, regardless of whether these entities charge for emergency medical services.
The priority for reimbursement is for initial emergency medical technician certification and emergency medical technician refresher classes. All reimbursements must be paid promptly. The head of the ambulance, first aid and rescue squad employing or using the services of EMT who received reimbursed training must determine that the EMT is a volunteer in good standing that works at least one service call per month during the initial three-year certification period as a volunteer EMT. If the volunteer EMT stops volunteering within the initial three-year certification period they must reimburse for the training paid on their behalf.
The bill provides the Commissioner of Health with rulemaking authority. The bill would take effect 180 days after enactment.
The League fully supports this legislation because it addresses the ongoing issue of recruitment and retention for volunteer Emergency Medical Technicians by removing a financial barrier to volunteerism.
The bill was unanimously approved in Assembly and now awaits consideration by the full Senate.
Contact: Andrew LaFevre, Legislative Analyst, alafevre@njlm.org, 609-695-3481, x116.