A4255

An Act concerning EMTs, supplementing Title 26 of the Revised Statutes, and making an appropriation.

Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

1. As used in this act:

“Department” means the Department of Health.

“Emergency medical technician” means a person trained in basic life support care and validly certified or recognized by the Commissioner of Health in accordance with the standards for emergency medical technician certification as set forth at N.J.A.C. 8:40A.

2. a. The Commissioner of Health, in coordination with the Commissioner of Education, the Secretary of Higher Education, and hospitals licensed pursuant to P.L.1971, c.136 (C.26:2H-1 et seq.), shall establish the EMT Workforce Development Partnership, through which students in secondary schools and institutions of higher education, and residents of the communities served by the institutions of higher education, may enroll in a training course, as approved by the Department of Health, that will lead to certification as an emergency medical technician.

b. A licensed hospital, agency, organization, or entity that has been certified by the department as an emergency medical technician training agency, pursuant to N.J.A.C. 8:40A-3.1, shall conduct the training and administer the standardized examination required by the department for certification as an emergency medical technician. In the case of a course for students enrolled in secondary school, the training class shall be taught during the school day.

c. (1) In order to enroll in a training course offered through the EMT Workforce Development Partnership, a minor student shall be at least 16 years of age by the first training class, and shall meet the conditions established under N.J.A.C. 8:40A-5.2.

(2) The department shall provide provisional certification as an emergency medical technician to a minor who has successfully completed the requisite training course and has attained a passing score on the standardized examination for emergency medical technicians, in accordance with N.J.A.C. 8:40A-7.4.

d. A hospital, agency, organization, or entity that has been certified by the department as an emergency medical technician training agency, a secondary school, or an institution of higher education that participates in the EMT Workforce Development Partnership shall not assess a fee for the cost of the emergency medical technician training course or the standardized certification exam for a student of a participating secondary school or institution of higher education, or a resident of a community served by a participating institution of higher education, provided the student or resident:

(1) successfully completes the training course;

(2) attains a passing score on the standardized exam required by the department for certification as an emergency medical technician; and

(3) serves, for a period of no less than two years, as either a paid or a volunteer emergency medical technician with a first aid, ambulance, or rescue squad located in the municipality or county in which the student’s or resident’s primary residence is located.

e. The Commissioner of Health shall establish a process by which a student of a participating secondary school or institution of higher education, or a resident of a community served by a participating institution of higher education, who does not fulfill the provisions of subsection d. of section 2 of this act, shall reimburse the emergency medical technician training agency for the cost of the emergency medical technician training course or the standardized certification exam, or both.

3. The Commissioner of Health, in consultation with the Commissioner of Education and the Secretary of Higher Education, shall develop and implement an emergency medical technician recruitment campaign to inform licensed hospitals, agencies, organizations, or entities that are certified by the Department of Health as an emergency medical technician training agency, secondary school educators, institutions of higher education, and the public about the important role that emergency medical technicians play in their communities, and about the benefits of participating in the EMT Workforce Development Partnership.

4. The Commissioner of Health, the Commissioner of Education, and the Secretary of Higher Education, shall, in accordance with the "Administrative Procedure Act," P.L.1968, c.410 (C.52:14B-1 et seq.), adopt rules and regulations as necessary to implement the provisions of this act.

5. There is appropriated $1,500,000 from the General Fund to the Department of Health to implement the provisions of this act.

6. This act shall take effect immediately

STATEMENT

This bill establishes the EMT Workforce Development Partnership (partnership) to provide a pathway for high school students, ages 16 years and older, students of institutions of higher education, and community residents to become certified emergency medical technicians (EMTs). The partnership would be developed by the Commissioner of Health (commissioner), in collaboration with the Commissioner of Education and the Secretary of Higher Education; licensed hospitals and other Department of Health (DOH) certified EMT training agencies, secondary schools, and institutions of higher education would be eligible to participate in the partnership.

The bill provides that licensed hospitals, agencies, organizations, and entities that are certified by the DOH as an EMT training agency, will provide the EMT training course and administer the standardized examination required for certification as an EMT. An “emergency medical technician” is defined, under the bill, as a person who is trained in basic life support care, and is certified or recognized by the commissioner in accordance with the standards for EMT certification provided at N.J.A.C. 8:40A.

In order to enroll in an EMT training course offered through the partnership, a minor must be at least 16 years of age by the first training class, and must meet other requirements in accordance with State regulations. As provided in State regulations, a minor who successfully completes the EMT training course and passes the standardized examination for EMT certification will be granted provisional EMT certification status until their 18^th birthday.

The bill stipulates that a hospital, agency, organization, or entity that is certified as an EMT training agency, a secondary school, or an institution of higher education that participates in the partnership may not charge a fee for either the training course or the standardized certification exam, provided an enrolled student or resident successfully completes the training course, passes the standardized certification exam, and serves, for at least two years, as either a paid or a volunteer EMT with a first aid, ambulance, or rescue squad located in the municipality or county in which the student or resident primarily resides. The commissioner will establish a process by which a student or a resident, who does not satisfy these conditions, will reimburse the licensed hospital or the DOH-certified training agency for the cost of the EMT training course or the standardized certification exam, or both.

The commissioner, in consultation with the Commissioner of Education and the Secretary of Higher Education, will additionally develop and implement an EMT recruitment campaign to inform licensed hospitals, certified EMT training agencies, secondary school educators, institutions of higher education, and the public about the critical role that EMTs have in the community and the benefits of participating in the partnership.

The bill provides a $1.5 million appropriation from the General Fund to the DOH to implement this initiative.