This bill expands Minnesota's assault laws to protect firefighters, emergency medical personnel, and hospital emergency department staff from physical attacks. Under the new provisions, physically assaulting these workers while they are performing their duties would be classified as a gross misdemeanor, while assaults causing demonstrable bodily harm would be elevated to a felony punishable by up to three years in prison or a fine of $6,000. The changes apply to municipal and volunteer firefighters, emergency medical services personnel, and physicians, nurses, or other healthcare workers working in hospital emergency departments. The legislation takes effect on August 1, 2026, and applies only to crimes committed on or after that date.
This bill extends continued health insurance coverage to injured paramedics and emergency medical technicians in Minnesota who are disabled in the line of duty. It amends existing state statutes to include these first responders alongside police officers and firefighters in eligibility for ongoing employer-paid health benefits after a work-related injury. The legislation requires employers to maintain coverage for injured workers and their dependents for up to 60 months or until age 65, depending on the specific disability classification and approval timeline. Determinations of eligibility are made by retirement system officials, with provisions for administrative review if disputes arise over disability status.
This bill expands Minnesota's public safety officer death benefit program by broadening the definition of "killed in the line of duty" to include deaths from heart attacks, strokes, or vascular ruptures caused by on-duty stress (e.g., during emergency response or training), PTSD-related suicide within 45 days of a traumatic event, and complications from specific infectious diseases (like COVID-19 or tuberculosis) contracted during duty. It also clarifies that more public safety roles qualify for benefits, including volunteer firefighters, good Samaritans assisting officers, and certain medical responders. The changes apply retroactively from February 1, 2020, allowing families to file claims for past deaths that now meet the expanded criteria, with a filing deadline of July 1, 2027, for retroactive cases. This directly affects the families of qualifying public safety officers who died under these new circumstances.
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Public Safety
HF 33 establishes two new grant programs to support Minnesota's ambulance and emergency medical services (EMS). The ambulance service cost of readiness grant helps licensed ambulance providers cover operational and capital expenses, while the emergency medical services improvement grant assists counties, cities, and townships in modernizing local EMS systems. The bill also creates two new fees - a monthly emergency medical services telecommunications fee and a prepaid wireless emergency medical services fee - to fund these programs. These changes directly affect ambulance services, rural EMS providers, and local governments responsible for emergency response systems across Minnesota.
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Public Safety
This bill establishes a new public safety aid program for Minnesota counties, cities, and tribal governments, appropriating $300 million in fiscal year 2026. Aid amounts are calculated based on population using three allowances: county basic (70% of funds), county additional (30% of funds), and local unit allowance (100% for cities/towns). Funds must be used for public safety services like community violence prevention, mental health crisis response, first responder equipment, and training - but cannot cover armored vehicles, police station construction, or misconduct costs. The commissioner will certify payments by September 2025, with full disbursement by December 2025 for 2025 aid.
HF 810 increases criminal penalties for assaulting firefighters, EMS personnel, and healthcare workers in hospital emergency departments. It amends Minnesota law to upgrade assaults causing demonstrable bodily harm from a gross misdemeanor (max 2 years jail/$4,000 fine) to a felony (max 3 years jail/$6,000 fine). The bill directly affects individuals who assault these emergency responders during their duties or hospital emergency staff providing care. The changes take effect August 1, 2025, applying to crimes committed on or after that date.
This bill amends Minnesota law to make it a crime for someone to approach or remain within 25 feet of a firefighter, emergency medical services (EMS) personnel, or certain healthcare providers who are providing emergency care, after being verbally warned not to do so and with the intent to interfere. It directly affects first responders and healthcare providers working in emergency situations, as well as individuals who violate this restriction. The key provision requires that the person must know the responder's status, have received a warning, and intend to impede their duties. The law becomes effective August 1, 2025.
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Public Safety
HF 1163 clarifies how grant funds for Minnesota's hometown heroes assistance program must be used to support firefighters. The bill directs the Minnesota Firefighter Initiative to provide monetary support for firefighters diagnosed with critical illnesses (like cancer) after August 1, 2021, and to develop a mental health program offering up to five annual therapy sessions with peer support. It also requires annual training for all firefighters on occupational health risks (including cancer, heart disease, and emotional trauma), evidence-based suicide prevention, and wellness strategies. The program directly affects all Minnesota firefighters through these health support services and training.
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Public Safety
HF 491 appropriates $250,000 for fiscal year 2026 and $250,000 for fiscal year 2027 from the general fund to provide grants to Hometown Hero Outdoors, a Stillwater-based nonprofit. The funding supports mental health services and outdoor recreational activities for current and former law enforcement officers, firefighters, and emergency medical services personnel. The bill directs these services to promote positive mental health, longevity, quality of life, and interactions with mental health professionals through organized outdoor programs. It does not create new policy but allocates specific funds to an existing nonprofit for targeted support of first responders.
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Public Safety
HF 93 establishes a state grant program to help ambulance services train and hire emergency medical technicians (EMTs). Licensed ambulance services that had at least 50% of their staff as EMTs in the prior year can apply for grants to cover specific costs, including EMT program tuition, certification fees, background checks, and up to $26 per hour in wages during training. The program appropriates $750,000 for fiscal year 2026 and $750,000 for fiscal year 2027 from the general fund. Grants must be used solely for these defined training and staffing expenses, with applicants required to detail planned hires and training hours. This directly supports ambulance services in addressing staffing shortages by reducing training costs.
