House Bill No. [insert number] proposes to amend existing law to provide state supplemental pay to public emergency medical services (EMS) practitioners. Specifically, beginning July 1, 2027, the bill authorizes a monthly state supplement of $600 for each regularly employed EMS practitioner who has completed one year of service. The term "emergency medical services practitioner" is defined to include licensed emergency medical technicians, advanced emergency medical technicians, and paramedics, explicitly excluding part-time employees and volunteers. The bill also retains existing provisions regarding supplemental pay for firefighters while establishing new procedures for disbursing payments to EMS practitioners.

Additionally, the bill outlines the process for issuing warrants for the supplemental payments, requiring the head of the political subdivision employing the EMS practitioners to submit approved and certified warrants to the Department of Public Safety and Corrections. These warrants must include detailed information about the employees and their years of service. The bill ensures that the supplemental pay is included in the calculation of total wages for retirement system contributions and benefits. The effective date of the bill is contingent upon the adoption of a proposed amendment to Article VII of the Louisiana Constitution at a statewide election.

Statutes affected:
HB320 Original: 40:1(A)(1)