Gov. Christie has conditionally vetoed a bill that would require criminal background checks and licenses for all EMTs in the state.
So, it’s back to the drawing board for the bill’s proponents.
“While this legislation is well-intentioned and suggests several potential changes that seek to create a more coherent regulatory structure for the state’s EMS system, I am advised that implementation of the requirements and commitments provided for in the bill would cost the state and municipalities across the state millions of dollars,” Christie said. “While this bill is an important step in highlighting the need for certain improvements in our EMS system, the changes in this bill raise a multitude of new issues that need to be thoughtfully considered before our current system of emergency care is disturbed.”
Mount Laurel EMS Chief Fran Pagurek said the state hired TriData to evaluate the EMS system statewide and make recommendations based on the findings.
Then, a task force made up of 32 stakeholders such as trauma centers, medical transportation association and unions drafted the bill.
“Is it a perfect bill? No,” Pagurek said, noting there was a lot of compromise in it.
Herb Conaway, D-7, was a primary sponsor of the Assembly version and State Sen. Joe Vitale, D-19, supported the Senate version.
According to Pagurek, Democrats voted for the bill and Republicans voted against it.
He also said the true cost of the bill was undetermined by the office of legislative services.
“Anything that you do does have a cost,” Pagurek said. “This is a patient bill — this is a bill for the patients of New Jersey.”
He said the bill ensures every EMS agency that answers a 9–1–1 call is held accountable and held to the same standards.
Right now, no background checks, no training standards and no equipment standards are required of EMS volunteers.
Pagurek said there was a similar bill passed for firefighters and now firefighting training across state is uniform.
He said New Jersey has the fourth-fewest fire-related fatalities per population.
“We that think this bill will do the same thing for the EMS service,” Pagurek said.
Mount Laurel has a career/volunteer department, with eight full-time employees, 18 part-time employees and 130 volunteers. Mount Laurel EMTs have been voluntarily licensed by the department of health as far back as 1990.
“Everything that’s in this bill, Mount Laurel EMS has been doing since 1990,” Pagurek said, noting Mount Laurel has the busiest EMS in Burlington County.
The New Jersey State First Aid Council has come out against the bill.
“The New Jersey State First Aid Council is deeply concerned that the changes proposed in A-2095/S-818 will result in a decline in the number of volunteers in EMS services throughout the state, and an explosive financial burden to municipalities,” the council says on its website.
“This is not an anti-volunteer bill,” Pagurek stressed. “This is a pro-patient bill.”
Shamong EMS Chief David Taylor said the bill would help patients as well as EMTs. All Shamong EMTs are certified.
“I think that it proposes a lot of things that need to take place for us to move forward and prepare for the future of EMS in our immediate area as well as New Jersey,” Taylor said. “Gov. Christie’s conditional veto clearly states that the EMS delivery system in the state needs to be evaluated and looked at to find ways to improve and develop it.”
He said the concern of cost is legitimate, but that nixing the bill is throwing the baby out with the bathwater.
“To just shut the whole thing down without looking at the places that need to be improved and developed was shortsighted,” Taylor said, noting the veto sends a message to both sides.
“We need to look at ways to improve the system, but we also need to find ways to effectively pay for those costs,” he said. “The state first aid council is concerned that this is putting volunteers out of business — in my experience, there aren’t a lot of volunteers left anyway.”
The governor recommended the commissioner of health and senior services undertake a review of the state’s existing emergency-medical services, and the changes proposed in this bill — and develop findings and recommendations on how New Jersey can more efficiently and effectively upgrade its EMS delivery system and report directly to him no later than six months after the enactment of the bill.
In particular, he recommended the commissioner examine the impact of, and make recommendations on, the changes proposed by this bill as they relate to the following areas: property taxes; volunteerism; background checks; disqualifying convictions; licensure versus certification; the fiscal impact to the state budget; technology upgrades; and opportunities for regionalization or shared services.
