ST. PAUL, Minn. — The Emergency Medical Services Task Force met Thursday, July 25, for the first time since passing significant legislation that addressed stakeholder feedback collected at field hearings across the state in late 2023 and early 2024. In May, the Minnesota Legislature passed HF 4738, authored by Senator Judy Seeberger (DFL-Afton) and Representative John Huot (DFL-Rosemount), which established Minnesota’s new Office of Emergency Medical Services, created a “Sprint Medic” pilot program in Otter Tail County and Saint Louis County, and appropriated $24 million in aid to struggling EMS providers in the state.
In their latest convening, the Task Force heard testimony from Dylan Ferguson, Executive Director of Minnesota’s Emergency Medical Services Regulatory Board (EMSRB). Director Ferguson gave updates pertaining to the enactment of 2024’s EMS legislation.
Following the conclusion of today’s EMS Task Force’s meeting, the Chairs, Senator Seeberger and Representative Huot, released the following statement:
“On behalf of our Task Force and its members, we want to sincerely thank all of the hardworking EMS professionals who came to share their stories during our field hearings. Because of them, we were able to make informed and pointed policy decisions that will bolster Minnesota’s emergency medical services. In the coming months, there will be several things to consider, including the recruitment and retention of EMS personnel, increased funding for state and federal reimbursement, and the possibility of expanding our pilot programs. Though there are still more challenges ahead, our Task Force is committed to doing good, bipartisan work to ensure that all Minnesotans have access to reliable and timely emergency care, regardless of their ZIP code.”
The Emergency Medical Services Task Force will release their final report to the Legislature on August 15, in accordance with state statute.
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