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JFAC adds $250,000 and 3 FTE to Military Division to support transfer of Emergency Medical Services
Summary
The committee approved trailer language funding and staff for moving the state's Emergency Medical Services program from the Department of Health and Welfare to the Military Division, adding $250,000 in personnel costs and three full-time equivalents.
The Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee approved a fiscal adjustment to support the transfer of the state's Emergency Medical Services program from the Department of Health and Welfare to the Military Division, adding $250,000 in personnel funding and three full-time equivalent positions.
Frances Lippett, a budget and policy analyst with Legislative Services, presented the item as a continuation of committee work on House Bill 206. Lippett said the committee previously acted to transfer EMS and provide funding for a part-time medical director and transition costs; the item considered added $250,000 in personnel funding to the military management program and three additional FTEs to provide support staff for EMS after the transfer.
Lippett explained the military management program performs administrative, fiscal, human-resources and procurement functions for the division and that, when compared with the Department of Health and Welfare's larger support staffing, the military division will need to add staff to fulfill procurement and general administrative tasks previously provided within Health and Welfare.
Representative Price asked why additional employees were needed after the transfer. Lippett replied that Health and Welfare has a much larger pool of support staff (she cited about 3,000 employees) while the military division has a smaller staff (she cited about 435 FTP), so duties that could be absorbed by Health and Welfare would require dedicated positions once moved to the military division.
Senator Burkey moved the personnel funding and FTEs for the military management program; Representative Galaviz seconded. Senator Bjerke spoke in support, saying the change sets a course for EMS in the state and urging colleagues to approve the fiscal note adjustment.
The committee recorded a roll-call vote of 16 ayes and 4 nays; the chair announced the motion would move forward with a do-pass recommendation. Lippett noted that, after the transfer and the additions, the military division would have one additional FTP compared with the number of positions removed from Health and Welfare as part of the transfer.
The action implements a legislative trailer to House Bill 206 that funds staff and administrative capacity to operationalize the relocation of EMS to the Military Division.
