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WI AB970

WI AB970
Grants for community emergency medical services, grants for falls prevention awareness and initiatives, and making an appropriation. (FE)


summary

Introduced
01/30/2026
In Committee
02/20/2026
Crossed Over
02/18/2026
Passed
Dead

Introduced Session

Potential new amendment
2025-2026 Regular Session

Bill Summary

Community emergency medical services grants This bill requires the Department of Health Services to award grants to six emergency medical services (EMS) programs that are conducted by a county, city, village, or town, or any combination thereof, to provide community EMS and hire a full-time community paramedic or community EMS practitioner. DHS must prioritize awarding the grants to two rural, two suburban, and two urban EMS programs. The bill provides $600,000 for the grants. If funding is available after DHS awards the grants to six EMS programs, the bill allows DHS to award a grant to a seventh EMS program. The bill prohibits DHS from awarding a grant to an EMS program that already employs a community paramedic or community EMS practitioner. Within one year after receiving a grant, the bill requires grant recipients to submit a report to DHS and the legislature detailing the effectiveness of the grant. Under current law, community paramedics and community EMS practitioners are licensed paramedics or EMS practitioners who have two years of experience, have completed a DHS-approved training program, have obtained DHS approval to provide services, and provide services in affiliation with a community EMS provider, hospital, clinic, or physician that are not duplicative of services already being provided to a patient. Grants for falls prevention awareness and initiatives The bill also directs DHS to award a grant in the amount of $200,000 in both fiscal years 2025-26 and 2026-27 to the Wisconsin Institute for Healthy Aging for the purpose of statewide falls prevention awareness and initiatives and appropriates $200,000 in both fiscal years 2025-26 and 2026-27 for that purpose. For further information see the state fiscal estimate, which will be printed as an appendix to this bill.

AI Summary

This bill allocates funding for two main purposes: community emergency medical services (EMS) and falls prevention. For community EMS, the Department of Health Services (DHS) will award grants totaling $600,000 to six local EMS programs (conducted by counties, cities, villages, or towns) to hire a full-time community paramedic or community EMS practitioner, who are licensed medical professionals with specialized training and experience in providing non-emergency medical services. The bill prioritizes grants for two rural, two suburban, and two urban EMS programs, and prohibits grants to programs that already employ such practitioners. Grant recipients must report on the effectiveness of their programs within a year. Additionally, if funds remain, a seventh grant may be awarded. For falls prevention, the bill directs DHS to grant $200,000 in both fiscal years 2025-26 and 2026-27 to the Wisconsin Institute for Healthy Aging for statewide awareness and initiatives.

Committee Categories

Health and Social Services, Transportation and Infrastructure

Sponsors (15)

Last Action

Senate Transportation and Local Government Executive Session (14:00:00 3/12/2026 310 South) (on 03/12/2026)

bill text


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