Legislators call on Governor to Sign the Bills
Madison, WI – Today, the Wisconsin State Legislature acted on two Emergency Medical Services (EMS) related bills authored by Senator Howard Marklein (R-Spring Green) and Representative Tony Kurtz (R-Wonewoc). Both bills will now head to Governor Evers for final action.
“Senate Bills 182 and 183 contain a number of provisions that will positively impact EMS providers and communities across my district and Wisconsin,” said Sen. Marklein. “These bills are aimed at directly addressing the challenges facing our EMS departments by increasing access to training, providing tools for recruitment, allowing additional funding options, and supporting innovation.”
“EMS providers across Wisconsin have been facing significant issues with funding and staffing, which is leading to problems with access or lack of coverage for many communities in urban and rural areas alike,” said Rep. Kurtz. “There isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution to address these issues, instead a multifaceted approach that helps communities of all sizes is going to be key in making sure the EMS system as a whole is viable and successful for years to come.”
“We call on Governor Evers to quickly sign these bills into law,” Sen. Marklein and Rep. Kurtz continued. “Swift action on these bills is essential to ensuring our EMS providers and departments are able to take advantage of these additional tools.”
Senate Bill 182 (SB-182) establishes two programs to provide significant financial support to EMS personnel taking initial licensure classes and to the Wisconsin Technical College System (WTCS) for offering EMS classes.
The bill creates a tuition reimbursement program where an individual can be reimbursed for the cost of their initial EMS education following successful completion of the WTCS course and receiving a license from the Dept. of Health Services. This makes sure that the cost of training will not be a barrier to entry for EMS personnel.
Currently, WTCS does not receive enough funding from tuition to cover the costs of teaching EMS classes. The bill creates a grant program to send funds to WTCS institutions to ensure this critical training is funded so classes aren’t canceled because a class isn’t full or have the ability to add capacity if there are waiting lists.
Additionally, SB-182 creates a Live 911 Pilot Program. Live 911 is a new technology that allows dispatchers to send a link via text message to a caller to connect video. This allows the dispatcher to see exactly what is going on to better dispatch the appropriate response, give instructions, and share information with the first responders.
The funding for all these programs was set aside in the 2025-2027 biennial budget, 2025 Wisconsin Act 15.
Senate Bill 183 (SB-183) increases the Medicaid reimbursement rate for “treatment in place” calls. Currently, when an ambulance responds to a 911 call, but does not transport the patient to the emergency room providers receive little-to-no reimbursement for the supplies they use or the care provided on the scene. Under the bill, the “treatment in place” rate would be increased to match the reimbursement rate for services that include patient transport. This increase recognizes the important role that EMS plays in healthcare and the service they provide.
SB-183 requires an annual report to the legislature from the Wisconsin EMS Board summarizing changes to the scope of practice and describing how those changes may affect EMS training. This report will help EMS providers and legislators understand how additions to the state and national scope of practice could impact the number of required training hours for Wisconsin EMS personnel.
Finally, SB-183 creates an exemption in the calculation for eligibility for the Expenditure Restraint Incentive Program (ERIP) for joint fire districts and joint EMS districts. This will help the communities that have already formed districts not be penalized under the ERP program for using the levy exemption provided to them under current law.
