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131st MAINE LEGISLATURE
FIRST SPECIAL SESSION-2023
Legislative Document No. 1859H.P. 1189 House of Representatives, May 2, 2023
An Act to Reimburse Training Costs for Emergency Medical and
Public Safety Dispatchers
Reference to the Committee on Energy, Utilities and Technology suggested and ordered
printed.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative LIBBY of Auburn.
Cosponsored by Senator BRAKEY of Androscoggin and
Representatives: LEE of Auburn, SHAW of Auburn. Page 1 - 131LR1365(01)
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2 is enacted to read:
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5 As used in this section, unless the context otherwise indicates, the
6 following terms have the following meanings.
7 A. "Emergency medical dispatcher" has the same meaning as in Title 32, section 85-A,
8 subsection 1, paragraph D.
9 B. "Governmental entity" has the same meaning as in Title 32, section 85-A,
10 subsection 1, paragraph D-1.
11 C. "Public safety dispatcher" has the same meaning as in Title 32, section 85-A,
12 subsection 1, paragraph F-1.
13 Whenever a full-time emergency medical
14 dispatcher or public safety dispatcher, trained in accordance with rules adopted pursuant to
15 Title 32, section 85-A, subsection 2 at the expense of a particular governmental entity, is
16 subsequently hired by another governmental entity as an emergency medical dispatcher or
17 public safety dispatcher within 5 years of the first governmental entity's incurring
18 expenditures for the training, the governmental entity shall reimburse the first
19 governmental entity according to the training cost reimbursement schedule established
20 pursuant to Title 32, section 85-A, subsection 2, paragraph I, unless a mutual agreement of
21 the governmental entities is reached.
22 is enacted to read:
23 D-1. "Governmental entity" means the State or any city, town, plantation or county.
24 is enacted to read:
25 F-1. "Public safety dispatcher" means a person who works in a public safety answering
26 point or other public safety communications or dispatch center and is trained to receive,
27 evaluate and dispatch 9-1-1 calls.
28 is enacted to read:
29 H. "Training costs" means a fixed dollar amount determined by the board, in
30 consultation with the bureau, including, but not limited to:
31 (1) The full cost of the salary, including fringe benefits, paid to an emergency
32 medical dispatcher or a public safety dispatcher while in training;
33 (2) The full cost of the tuition charged by a trainer approved to provide training in
34 accordance with this section; and
35 (3) The full cost of the salary, inclusive of overtime, paid to an emergency medical
36 dispatcher or a public safety dispatcher to provide public safety answering point
37 services that would otherwise have been lost during the absence of the emergency
38 medical dispatcher or public safety dispatcher in training.
39 as amended by PL 2007, c. 42, §1, is further
40 amended to read: Page 2 - 131LR1365(01)
1 G. Require regular reporting to the board by an emergency medical dispatch center
2 with respect to the use of the Emergency Medical Dispatch Priority Reference System;
3 and
4 as amended by PL 2007, c. 42, §1, is further
5 amended to read:
6 H. Require that each emergency medical dispatch center appoint a director of
7 emergency medical dispatch services to review and ensure compliance with the
8 requirements of this section.; and
9 is enacted to read:
10 I. Establish a training cost reimbursement schedule for an emergency medical
11 dispatcher or public safety dispatcher trained at the expense of a particular
12 governmental entity when the emergency medical dispatcher or public safety
13 dispatcher is hired by another governmental entity as an emergency medical dispatcher
14 or public safety dispatcher within 5 years of the first governmental entity's incurring
15 expenditures for training the emergency medical dispatcher or public safety dispatcher.
16 is enacted to read:
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18 bureau, shall determine training costs annually, make any necessary adjustments and
19 provide that determination to all public safety answering points in the State.
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21 This bill requires the Emergency Medical Services' Board in consultation with the
22 Public Utilities Commission, Emergency Services Communication Bureau to establish a
23 reimbursement schedule for the cost of training an emergency medical dispatcher or a
24 public safety dispatcher when the dispatcher is hired by another governmental entity as an
25 emergency medical dispatcher or public safety dispatcher within 5 years of the first
26 governmental entity's incurring expenditures for the training. The bill requires a
27 governmental entity to provide reimbursement for training costs in accordance with the
28 reimbursement schedule.
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