Community Corner

Letter: Reps Should Table Reintroduced EMS Bill

EMS bill must be reworked, local emergency responder urges

The following letter written by Manchester First Aid and Rescue Squad Publicity Officer Edward C. Lynch was sent to 10th Legislative District Assemblymen Dave Wolfe and Greg McGuckin, calling on them to take action to table a bill which revises emergency medical service delivery requirements. 

As my Assembly representative, please contact your colleagues on the Appropriations Committee and ask them to table A2463. 

I was very disappointed to see that the EMS bill (A2095) had been reintroduced as A2463 without addressing the issues raised by Gov. Christie in his conditional veto of A2095/S818 at the end of the last legislative session. It was especially disheartening to see that no impartial impact statement was prepared, as the Governor had requested. The issues raised must be reviewed and addressed and an impact statement prepared before a bill of this size and complexity is even contemplated. 

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I am especially concerned about the direct and indirect cost burden this bill will place on myself and all New Jersey taxpayers. In light of the potential budget shortfall for this fiscal year, how can your Committee forward a bill to the full Assembly whose estimated costs are $1.4 million for the background checks alone? The Legislative Budget and Finance Office was unable to estimate the total fiscal impact on municipalities, taxpayers, EMS volunteers and the state's fiscal budget due to the inability of the Office of Emergency Medical Services to provide any information upon which reliable cost information could be based.

There must be a full accounting of all costs and the bill's impacts before any action should be taken on this bill. It would be inappropriate for the Committee to forward this bill to the full Assembly without this information. Therefore I respectfully request that you ask your colleagues to table this bill when it comes before the Assembly Appropriations Committee. 

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Edward C. Lynch
Publicity Officer, Manchester First Aid and Rescue Squad 


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