The General Assembly has worked hard in recent years to sustain and strengthen EMS across the state.  We’ve made important strides, but more works remains.
 
We believe one idea is to promote local control while regionalizing services, like what was found in Senate Bill 501 from last Session.  This idea stems from the Senate Resolution 6 Commission’s Final Report issued in 2018, by allowing for the creation of county-wide Public Safety Authorities for EMS.

The legislation was developed through many rounds of stakeholder engagement.  Local government associations, EMS organizations, state agencies, and others have provided invaluable guidance, and we deeply value their perspectives.
 
With this legislation, the General Assembly is acting on a recommendation from SR 6 to simplify the process of regionalizing EMS services.  Regionalization most importantly ensures EMS services will remain viable and provides an opportunity to provide better services moving forward.
 
In Pennsylvania, oftentimes one-size solutions do not fit all. An authority may not be necessary for every county or community.  Our bill would give counties the option to create Public Safety Authorities to support EMS.  Individual municipalities would be able to join, or not join if they so choose.  Rather than replacing our incredible volunteer and career EMS companies, authorities would exist to support them and their work.
 
By giving counties and municipalities the tools to organize regionally, we allow for innovative service models—from centralized administrative support to higher levels of coordination—that can best fit the needs of our diverse communities.

Please join us in cosponsoring legislation that would address this urgent need and improve upon the work that has already been done to ensure the safety of our communities throughout the Commonwealth.

Statutes/Laws affected:
Printer's No. 758 (May 07, 2025): 53-5602