Paramedic scholarship program made permanent, and money appropriated.

HF 1603 makes Minnesota's paramedic scholarship program permanent, providing annual funding to support students entering paramedic training. It appropriates $3.2 million each for fiscal years 2026 and 2027 - $3 million for up to 600 annual scholarships, $100,000 for promotion, and $100,000 for administration. The program directly benefits students at Minnesota postsecondary institutions pursuing paramedic careers by reducing financial barriers. The bill also requires annual reports tracking scholarship distribution, program locations, costs, and workforce demand data to the legislature.