This bill amends Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 144E.35, to modify the reimbursement requirements for ambulance attendant education costs. The changes include replacing the term "volunteer" with "licensed" in the context of ambulance services eligible for reimbursement. The bill establishes that the director must reimburse all eligible Minnesota licensed ambulance services for necessary expenses related to initial Emergency Medical Responder (EMR) and Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) education, as well as continuing education. The reimbursement amounts are specified, with $1,200 for an EMT course, $400 for an EMT education course, $600 for an initial EMR course, and $200 for an EMR continuing education course. Additionally, to qualify for reimbursement, the ambulance service must have responded to 5,000 or fewer calls in the previous calendar year.

Furthermore, the bill introduces a provision for the discontinuance of reimbursement if the state cannot meet its financial obligations. In such cases, the director is required to take necessary steps to halt reimbursements until the state can fulfill its obligations again. The bill also includes an appropriation of $100,000 for fiscal years 2026 and 2027 from the general fund to the Office of Emergency Medical Services to support the reimbursement program outlined in the amended statute.

Statutes affected:
Introduction: 144E.35