AB 197 creates a new exemption allowing local governments (like counties or municipalities) to count certain regional emergency medical services costs toward their budget limits without triggering spending restrictions. To qualify, the service must cover at least 232 square miles or include 8 municipalities, and annual cost increases must stay below the inflation rate plus 5%. The exemption requires confirmation of a regional service area and a designated coordination entity for EMS across the area. This specifically affects jurisdictions operating joint emergency medical services districts or intergovernmental agreements for EMS, including fire department-provided services.
SB 168 modifies Wisconsin's worker's compensation law to adjust how mental injury claims (specifically PTSD) are handled for certain public safety and emergency response professionals. It directly affects emergency medical responders, emergency medical services practitioners, volunteer firefighters, correctional officers, emergency dispatchers, coroners, medical examiners, and their staff. The bill creates new statutory definitions for these roles and requires that PTSD claims for these workers meet specific conditions to be compensable, rather than automatically covering all mental injuries without physical trauma. This change clarifies the process for filing such claims under the state's worker's compensation system.
AB 198 creates two key programs: (1) grants for technical colleges offering emergency medical services (EMS) training, provided they don't give admission priority based on residency; and (2) a reimbursement program for individuals or their employers who paid tuition/materials for initial EMS certification/licensure as an emergency medical responder or practitioner. Eligible applicants must complete required courses, pass exams, and obtain their license/certification through the Department of Health Services. The bill also establishes a "live 911" pilot program allowing grants for real-time video communication during emergency calls, requiring a performance report by October 2027. This directly affects EMS students, practitioners, their employers, and public safety answering points.
SB 181 creates a levy limit exemption for local governments that fund regional emergency medical services (EMS). It allows counties or municipalities to count costs for regional EMS (via joint districts or agreements) toward their budget without triggering standard spending limits, provided the service area covers at least 232 square miles or 8+ municipalities. The bill requires that annual EMS funding increases stay within an inflation-adjusted cap (U.S. CPI plus 5%) and that the local government confirms a coordinated regional service area. This directly affects local governments operating regional EMS systems by making their funding more flexible under budget constraints. The exemption applies to costs for fire department-provided EMS and excludes these expenditures from standard spending limit calculations.
SB 182 provides tuition and materials reimbursement for emergency medical responders and practitioners enrolled in technical college emergency medical services (EMS) programs. It requires technical colleges offering EMS programs to prioritize grant funds for expanding student enrollment access - either through direct program expansion or by contracting with districts for expansion services. The bill also updates program terminology throughout (replacing "course" with "program") to clarify educational standards. This directly affects EMS students, technical colleges, and the state's EMS workforce development system.
AB 199 changes reimbursement rates for ambulance services under Wisconsin's Medical Assistance program (state Medicaid) when patients are not transported to a facility. Starting January 1, 2027, the state will increase payments for "ambulance response and treatment, no transport" (code A0998) to match the rate for transport services (code A0429), directly benefiting ambulance providers. The bill also requires the Department of Health Services to annually report by September 15 on how national changes to emergency medical responder scope of practice may affect training in Wisconsin. These provisions specifically impact ambulance service providers, state health officials, and the Medical Assistance program.
