DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part of the
legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute part of the law
or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
HB 320 Original 2025 Regular Session Bagley
Abstract: Authorizes payment of state supplements to the salaries of certain emergency medical
services practitioners.
Present law provides for state supplemental pay of $600 per month for any regularly employed
firefighter who is paid not less than $300 per month by any municipality, parish, fire protection
district, or other political subdivision maintaining a fire department, by the Chitimacha Tribe of La.
or Coushatta Tribe of La., or by any nonprofit corporation contracting with any political subdivision
to provide fire protection services and who completes one year of service. Proposed law retains
present law.
Beginning July 1, 2027, proposed law authorizes state supplemental pay of $600 per month for any
regularly employed emergency medical services practitioner employed by a political subdivision of
the state who completes one year of service. Defines "emergency medical services practitioner" for
the purposes of proposed law to mean a person employed as a licensed emergency medical
technician, a licensed advanced emergency medical technician, or a licensed paramedic. Further
provides the term does not include a part-time employee or volunteer who is carried on the payroll
of a political subdivision.
Present law provides that the term "employee" for purposes of present law expressly excludes any
person hired primarily to perform secretarial and clerical duties, switchboard operators, secretaries,
record clerks, maintenance personnel, and mechanics. Proposed law retains present law. Present
law further provides that the term "employee" expressly excludes employees hired after March 31,
1986, who have not completed and passed a certified fireman's training program equal to National
Fire Protection Association Standard 1001 Firefighter I Certification or a firefighter's training
program as approved by the office of state fire marshal Fire and Emergency Training Academy in
accordance with present law
and excludes part-time employees and volunteers of municipal, parish, tribe, or fire protection
district fire departments. Proposed law limits these exclusions to individuals employed to provide
fire protection services.
Present law limits application of salary supplements for tribal officers of the Chitimacha Tribe of La.
and the Coushatta Tribe of La. to no more than 10 firemen. Proposed law specifies that this
limitation applies to the compensation provided pursuant to present law.
Present law establishes procedures for warrants drawn to pay the monthly supplement authorized by
present law. Proposed law retains present law procedures for the payment of supplements to firemen as provided in present law. Further provides procedures for warrants drawn to pay the monthly
supplement authorized in proposed law public emergency medical services practitioners. Requires
the head of the political subdivision employing the eligible practitioner to submit the approved and
certified warrant for payment and requires inclusion of the same information as required for
firemen's warrants in present law. Provides for payment of the warrants by the Dept. of Public
Safety and Corrections. Also requires the head of the political subdivision employing the eligible
practitioner to calculate and deduct from such pay the required state and federal withholdings.
Requires the compensation paid pursuant to proposed law to be included in the calculation and
computation of total wages paid in the determination of employer contributions to any retirement
system or pension fund that the recipient is a member of as well as in the determination of retirement
eligibility and benefits in such system.
Effective if and when the proposed amendment of Article VII of the Constitution of La. contained
in the Act which originated as House Bill No. __ of this 2025 R.S. of the Legislature is adopted at
a statewide election and becomes effective.
(Amends R.S. 40:1666.1(A)(1) and (2) and (C); Adds R.S. 40:1666.3.1)