ASSEMBLY HEALTH INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE

STATEMENT TO

ASSEMBLY, No. 476

with committee amendments

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

DATED:  OCTOBER 15, 2026

      The Assembly Health Infrastructure Committee reports favorably and with committee amendments Assembly Bill No. 476.

      This bill, as amended, establishes the EMT Workforce Development Partnership (partnership) to provide a pathway for high school students, ages 16 years and older, students of institutions of higher education, and community residents to become certified emergency medical technicians (EMTs).  The partnership would be developed by the Commissioner of Health (commissioner), in collaboration with the Commissioner of Education and the Secretary of Higher Education and subject to the availability of funds. Licensed hospitals and other Department of Health (DOH) certified EMT training agencies, secondary schools, and institutions of higher education would be eligible to participate in the partnership as well.

      The bill provides that licensed hospitals, agencies, organizations, and entities that are certified by the DOH as an EMT training agency, will provide the EMT training course and administer the standardized examination required for certification as an EMT.  An “emergency medical technician” is defined, under the bill, as a person who is trained in basic life support care, and is certified or recognized by the commissioner in accordance with the standards for EMT certification provided at N.J.A.C. 8:40A.

      In order to enroll in an EMT training course offered through the partnership, a minor must be at least 16 years of age by the first training class, and must meet other requirements in accordance with State regulations.  As provided in State regulations, a minor who successfully completes the EMT training course and passes the standardized examination for EMT certification will be granted provisional EMT certification status until their 18^th birthday.

      The bill stipulates that a hospital, agency, organization, or entity that is certified as an EMT training agency, a secondary school, or an institution of higher education that participates in the partnership may not charge a fee for either the training course or the standardized certification exam, provided an enrolled student or resident successfully completes the training course, passes the standardized certification exam, and serves, for at least two years, as either a paid or a volunteer EMT with a first aid, ambulance, or rescue squad located in the municipality or county in which the student or resident primarily resides.  The commissioner will establish a process by which a student or a resident, who does not satisfy these conditions, will reimburse the licensed hospital or the DOH-certified training agency for the cost of the EMT training course or the standardized certification exam, or both.

      The commissioner, in consultation with the Commissioner of Education and the Secretary of Higher Education and subject to the availability of funds, will additionally develop and implement an EMT recruitment campaign to inform licensed hospitals, certified EMT training agencies, secondary school educators, institutions of higher education, and the public about the critical role that EMTs have in the community and the benefits of participating in the partnership.

      This bill was pre-filed for introduction in the 2026-2027 session pending technical review.  As reported, the bill includes the changes required by technical review, which has been performed.

COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS:

      The committee amendments remove the provisions of the bill which appropriate $1.5 million to implement the EMT Workforce Development Partnership and the EMT recruitment campaign, as outlined in the bill.  Under the amendments, these initiatives would be subject to the availability of funds.