Legislative bill seeks to boost funding to support Nebraska volunteer emergency medical services

BEATRICE – A program in Nebraska called Fifty Cents for Life….could become a Dollar for Life, if a Nebraska lawmaker has his way.

The program….funded by a fee on motor vehicle registrations, would be increased under LB 1108….the money continuing to go to the Nebraska Emergency Medical System Operation Fund.

Bill sponsor, Senator Myron Dorn of Adams says it would continue a concept originated by his predecessor, the late Senator Dennis Byars….back in 2001. "It became law, but it's never been raised, never had any adjustments to it. What that 50-cents for life does is it helps with training, education, getting new EMTs to go through the class...15-hundred to two-thousand dollars at least to go through the class....paying for those types of things. It also goes for licensing, paying for all of that."

Dorn is a volunteer firefighter and EMT with Adams Fire and Rescue. The 50 cents that helps support emergency medical services raises about $1.27 million annually. Raising it would provide more support for volunteer units critical to many areas of Nebraska.

"Hopefully we can increase membership, we can increase EMTs...particularly in the rural areas. There's getting to be a real concern, a real need....three to five years from now... we know we're having issues now with staffing and having even the people there, at certain times of the day. This would hopefully help with that."

Dorn’s bill was heard in the Legislature’s Transportation and Telecommunications Committee Tuesday. Nine persons testified in support, including a representative from an advisory body which oversees emergency medical services in Nebraska. The boost in the fee was brought forward by Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen, as an alternative to simply requesting a budget allocation to boost the program.

"This was his concept....why hasn't that been increased, or why is that still at fifty cents? We can increase that hopefully to a dollar and get some more funding for the rural squads, the volunteers, the EMTs."

The fund supports the Statewide Trauma System Act and the Emergency Medical Services Practice Act.