HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2765        FILED ON: 1/16/2025

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No.         

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Marjorie C. Decker

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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act establishing a commission on municipal emergency medical service staffing levels and workforce development.

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PETITION OF:

HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2765        FILED ON: 1/16/2025

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No.         

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
(2025-2026)

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An Act establishing a commission on municipal emergency medical service staffing levels and workforce development.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

SECTION 1. (a) Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, there shall be a commission to study municipal emergency medical service staffing levels and workforce development.

(b) The commission shall consist of 15 members: the chairs of the joint committee on public safety and homeland security or their designees, who shall serve as co-chairs; the chairs of the joint committee on public service or their designees; the state fire marshal or a designee; the director of the office of emergency medical services or a designee; 2 members appointed by the Professional Fire Fighters of Massachusetts; 2 members appointed by the Fire Chiefs Association of Massachusetts; 2 members appointed by the Massachusetts Health and Hospital Association, Inc; 1 member representing the Massachusetts Health Care Workforce Center; 1 member representing the State Office of Rural Health; and 1 member appointed by the Massachusetts Municipal Association.

(c) The commission shall: (i) evaluate the current effectiveness and efficiency of municipal-based emergency medical service staffing, including an assessment of call volume, response times, ambulance transport times, turnaround times for ambulances at hospitals, and wait times for ambulances at hospitals; (ii) explore the current challenges facing the emergency medical service workforce, including operational inefficiencies, staffing shortages, training needs, and retention; (iii) review current emergency medical service and fire service workforce development programs; and (iv) recommend changes to streamline the workforce, enhance service delivery, and set standard staffing levels for services, as well as identify best practices in workforce development to promote new member engagement, retention, and training.

(d) The commission shall submit a report of its study and recommendations, together with any proposed legislation, to the chairs of the joint committee on public safety and homeland security and the clerks of the house of representatives and senate no later than March 1, 2026.