Rep. Norm Thurston — Voting Record

Bill

Number

H.B. 298 (2025GS)

Sponsor

Rep. Welton, Douglas R.

Final action

Governor Signed 3/25/2025

Outcome

Became law — signed by Gov. Spencer J. Cox

Summary

What it does

• This bill:
• allows additional municipalities to participate in the Volunteer Emergency Medical Service Personnel Insurance Program.

Every vote on this bill

Bill text

3
53-2d-703
53-2d-703
0
Volunteer Emergency Medical Service Personnel Insurance Program Amendments
2025 GENERAL SESSION
STATE OF UTAH
Chief Sponsor: Douglas R. Welton
Senate Sponsor: Michael K. McKell
LONG TITLE
General Description:
This bill amends provisions regarding the Volunteer Emergency Medical Service Personnel 
Insurance Program.
Highlighted Provisions:
This bill:
allows additional municipalities to participate in the Volunteer Emergency Medical 
Service Personnel Insurance Program.
Money Appropriated in this Bill:
None
Other Special Clauses:
None
Utah Code Sections Affected:
AMENDS:
53-2d-703
, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2024, Chapters 138, 240
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
Section 1, Section 
53-2d-703
 is amended to read:
53-2d-703
. Volunteer Emergency Medical Service Personnel Insurance Program 
-- Creation -- Administration -- Eligibility -- Benefits -- Rulemaking -- Advisory board.
(1)
As used in this section:
(a)
"Basic life insurance benefit" means the standard group life insurance benefit offered 
by PEHP that combines basic life, line-of-duty, accidental death and disability, and 
dependent coverage into one benefit package.
(b)
"Basic long-term disability benefit" means a $1,000 monthly benefit arising from a 
disability determined in accordance with Title 49, Chapter 21, Public 
Employee's 
Long-term
Employees' Long-Term
 Disability Act
,
 and excluding any coverage 
offered on a pilot basis.
(c)
"Dental plan" means the same as that term is defined in Section 
31A-22-646
.
(d)
"Health benefit plan" means the same as that term is defined in Section 
31A-1-301
.
(e)
"Local government entity" means a political subdivision that:
(i)
is licensed as a ground ambulance provider under Part 5, Ambulance and 
Paramedic Providers
 or a quick response provider as designated under 
53-2d-403
; 
and
(ii)
does not offer health insurance benefits to volunteer emergency medical service 
personnel.
(f)
"PEHP" means the Public Employees' Benefit and Insurance Program created in 
Section 
49-20-103
.
(g)
"Political subdivision" means a county, a municipality, a limited purpose government 
entity described in Title 17B, Limited Purpose Local Government Entities - Special 
Districts, or Title 17D, Limited Purpose Local Government Entities - Other Entities, 
or an entity created by an interlocal agreement under Title 11, Chapter 13, Interlocal 
Cooperation Act.
(h)
"Qualifying association" means an association that represents two or more political 
subdivisions in the state.
(i)
"Qualifying community" means a city or community that:
(i)
has a population less than or equal to 3,000; and
(ii)
is located within a county of the second class.
(i)
"Qualifying community" means any of the following located in a county of the 
second class:
(i)
a city of the fifth class; or
(ii)
a town.
(2)
The Volunteer Emergency Medical Service Personnel Insurance Program shall promote 
recruitment and retention of volunteer emergency medical service personnel by making 
insurance available to volunteer emergency medical service personnel in accordance 
with this section.
(3)
(a)
The bureau shall contract with a qualifying association to create, implement, and 
administer the Volunteer Emergency Medical Service Personnel Insurance Program 
described in this section.
(b)
The qualifying association will create promotional campaigns for the Volunteer 
Emergency Medical Service Personnel Insurance Program and volunteer emergency 
medical service recruitment and retention including outreach to local government 
entities through social media, video production, and other media platforms.
(4)
Participation in the program is limited to any individual who:
(a)
is licensed under Section 
53-2d-402
 as an emergency medical technician, an 
advanced emergency medical technician, or a paramedic;
(b)
is able to perform all necessary functions associated with the license;
(c)
provides emergency medical services under the direction of a local governmental 
entity:
(i)
by responding to 20% of calls for emergency medical services in a rolling 
twelve-month period; and
(ii)
within a qualifying community or a county of the third, fourth, fifth, or sixth class 
by responding to the number of calls described in Subsection (4)(c)(i); and
(iii)
(A)
as a volunteer under the Fair Labor Standards Act, in accordance with 29 
C.F.R. Sec. 553.106; or
(B)
as a part-time unbenefited employee, as classified by the employing local 
government entity;
(d)
if seeking health insurance:
(i)
(A)
is not eligible for a health benefit plan through an employer or a spouse's 
employer; and
(B)
is not eligible for medical coverage under a government sponsored healthcare 
program; or
(ii)
the individual's premium cost for individual, double, or family coverage through 
another source exceeds 20% or greater of the premium cost of the program created 
by this section;
(e)
if seeking dental insurance:
(i)
(A)
is not eligible for a dental plan through an employer or a spouse's employer; 
and
(B)
is not eligible for dental coverage under a government sponsored healthcare 
program; or
(ii)
the individual's premium cost for individual, double, or family coverage exceeds 
20% or greater of the premium cost of the program created by this section; and
(f)
resides in the state.
(5)
(a)
A participant in the program is eligible to participate in PEHP in accordance with 
Subsection (5)(b) and Subsection 
49-20-201
(3).
(b)
Health and dental benefits available to program participants under PEHP are limited 
to health insurance and dental insurance that:
(i)
covers the program participant and the program participant's eligible dependents 
on a July 1 plan year;
(ii)
accepts enrollment during an open enrollment period or for a special enrollment 
event, including the initial eligibility of a program participant;
(iii)
if the program participant is no longer eligible for benefits, terminates on the last 
day of the last month for which the individual is a participant in the Volunteer 
Emergency Medical Service Personnel Insurance Program; and
(iv)
is not subject to continuation rights under state or federal law.
(c)
Within existing appropriations, the Volunteer Emergency Medical Service Personnel 
Insurance Program may offer basic life insurance and long-term disability insurance 
to participants to enhance recruitment and retention efforts.
(6)
(a)
The bureau may make rules in accordance with Title 63G, Chapter 3, Utah 
Administrative Rulemaking Act, to define additional criteria regarding benefit 
design, eligibility for the program, and to implement this section.
(b)
The bureau shall convene an advisory board:
(i)
to advise the bureau on making rules under Subsection (6)(a); and
(ii)
that includes representation from at least the following entities:
(A)
the qualifying association that receives the contract under Subsection (3); and
(B)
PEHP.
(7)
For purposes of this section, the qualifying association that receives the contract under 
Subsection (3) shall be considered the public agency for whom the program participant 
is volunteering under 29 C.F.R. Sec. 553.101.
Section 2. 
Effective Date.
This bill takes effect on 
May 7, 2025
.
3-6-25 2:31 PM