House Bill 1013

(As Passed the House)

AN ACT TO CREATE THE PARAMEDICS RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM; TO PROVIDE THAT THE PROGRAM SHALL BE USED BY THE OFFICE OF WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, WITH THE MISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT OF EMPLOYMENT SECURITY ACTING AS THE FISCAL AGENT, FOR THE PURPOSE OF PROVIDING FUNDING FOR GRANTS TO COVER THE FULL COST OF TUITION, FEES, BOOKS AND ANY REQUIRED UNIFORMS FOR QUALIFIED APPLICANTS TO ATTEND AN ACCREDITED PARAMEDIC PROGRAM AND TO REIMBURSE THE COST OF A QUALIFIED APPLICANT'S FEE FOR THE SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF THE NATIONAL REGISTRY PARAMEDIC COGNITIVE AND PSYCHOMOTOR EXAMINATIONS; TO PROVIDE HOW AN APPLICANT MAY QUALIFY FOR A GRANT; TO PROVIDE THAT THE RECIPIENT OF A GRANT SHALL COMMIT TO SERVING AS A PARAMEDIC FOR THREE CONTINUOUS YEARS IN THE STATE; TO PROVIDE THE REPORTING REQUIREMENTS; TO AUTHORIZE THE OFFICE OF WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT TO ENTER INTO MOAS WITH LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS FOR THE PURPOSE OF ALLOWING CERTAIN HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS TO ENROLL IN ACCREDITED PARAMEDIC TRAINING PROGRAMS THROUGH DUAL-CREDIT OR DUAL-ENROLLMENT; TO PROVIDE THAT SUCH STUDENT CANNOT TAKE THE CERTIFICATION EXAM UNTIL HE OR SHE ATTAINS 18 YEARS OF AGE; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

SECTION 1. This act shall be known and cited as the "Paramedics Recruitment and Retention Scholarship Program Act."

SECTION 2. (1) The Legislature finds the following:

(a) The public health crisis related to COVID-19 resulted in a general disruption in the Mississippi economy and workforce, particularly in the healthcare industry.

(b) COVID-19 and the closing of or reduction in services at rural hospitals created an unprecedented demand on emergency medical response providers.

(c) Consequently, the number of paramedics decreased in the State of Mississippi by approximately nineteen percent (19%).

(d) The lack of paramedics directly impacts all Mississippians ability to rely on quality emergency care.

(2) Therefore, the intent of the Legislature is:

(a) To provide funding to the Office of Workforce Development to establish a scholarship program for the purposes outlined herein.

(b) To provide funding for grants to cover the full cost of tuition, fees, books and any required uniforms for qualified applicants to attend an accredited paramedic program.

(c) To provide funding for grants to reimburse the cost of a qualified applicant's fee for the successful completion of the National Registry Paramedic cognitive and psychomotor examinations.

(d) To gauge the effectiveness of this program by gathering data related to the participation and employment outcomes in order to replicate successful efforts in future

workforce development programs.

SECTION 3. (1) There is established the Paramedics Recruitment and Retention Scholarship Program ("the program"). The scholarship program shall be used by the Office of Workforce Development, with the Mississippi Department of Employment Security acting as the fiscal agent, for the purpose of providing funding for grants to cover the full cost of tuition, fees, books and any required uniforms for qualified applicants to attend an accredited paramedic program and to reimburse the cost of a qualified applicant's fee for the successful completion of the National Registry Paramedic cognitive and psychomotor examinations. The scholarship program shall be funded from monies appropriated by the Legislature for that purpose.

(2) For the purposes of this act, a "paramedic" means a certified healthcare professional who specializes in providing emergency medical treatment to people who are injured or ill, typically in a setting outside of a hospital.

(3) The Office of Workforce Development shall prescribe the terms and conditions of grants awarded under the program. To qualify for a grant under this program, an applicant must:

(a) Be a certified Emergency Medical Technician (EMT);

(b) Have the necessary requisites for an accredited paramedic program;

(d) Meet any other conditions for receipt as prescribed by the Office of Workforce Development.

(4) The Office of Workforce Development may use a maximum of five percent (5%) of funds appropriated for the program for the administration of the program.

SECTION 4. The office shall enter into a grant contract agreement with each recipient of a grant under the program that incorporates the following obligations and conditions:

(a) The recipient of a grant shall commit to serving as a paramedic for three (3) continuous years in the State of Mississippi;

(b) If any recipient of a grant under the program does not engage in serving as a paramedic in accordance with the terms of this act, the recipient shall be obligated to repay the grant amounts received, together with interest thereon at the maximum rate allowed by Mississippi law or the federal discount rate plus five percent (5%) per year, whichever is less, the interest to accrue from the date that each payment of funds was received by the recipient;

(c) No interest shall accrue and there shall be no obligation to repay the principal sums accrued during any one (1) period of time that the recipient involuntarily serves on active duty in the United States Armed Forces; and

(d) Repayment of the principal with interest shall be due and payable in full immediately on the occurrence of either of the following events:

(i) Failure to remain in the State of Mississippi for three (3) continuous years for any reason other than temporary personal illness; or

(ii) Failure to serve as a paramedic on a regularly sustained basis as provided in the eligibility requirements of Section 3 of this act.

SECTION 5. (1) The Office of Workforce Development shall submit an annual report on the grant program to the Governor, the Lieutenant Governor, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Chair of the House Workforce Development Committee and the Chair of the Senate Economic and Workforce Development Committee. The report shall contain a detailed explanation of how the funds appropriated for the program were awarded and how many paramedics have participated in the grant program and their employment outcomes.

(2) The Office of Workforce Development is authorized to enter into a memorandum of agreement with any public or nonpublic school which provides secondary education to students enrolled therein, for the purpose of allowing students who are at least seventeen (17) years of age to be eligible for enrollment in any accredited paramedic training program without any cost to the students, through dual-credit or dual-enrollment class offerings through an accredited entity authorized by the office to provide such trainings for purposes of the program. However, such students shall not be eligible to take any examination for certification as a paramedic until the time that he or she attains the age of eighteen (18), at which time he or she would be allowed to take the certification examination to become a certified Emergency Medical Technician (EMT).

SECTION 6. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2024.