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Panel advances bill to automate EMS data sharing with overdose‑mapping program; supporters cite faster response, privacy safeguards
Summary
Senate File 2499 would let the state transmit de‑identified EMS incident data, including location and naloxone usage, to the Overdose Detection Mapping Application Program to speed public‑health and law‑enforcement responses; committee adopted a technical A1 amendment and sent the bill on to the Health and Human Services Committee.
The Judiciary Committee adopted an amendment and recommended Senate File 2499 to the Health and Human Services Committee on April 4, allowing the state to share de‑identified emergency medical services (EMS) data, including incident location and naloxone administration, with the Overdose Detection Mapping Application Program (ODMAP).
Sen. Omar Mohamed described the bill as a way to automate data transfers now done manually in some jurisdictions, improving speed and accuracy for first responders and public‑health partners. "Automating data transfer improves speed and accuracy, helping first responders react faster," Mohamed said.
Dylan Ferguson, director of the Minnesota Office of Emergency Medical Services, testified that the EMS data set is currently classified as nonpublic and that the change would allow the department to transmit de‑identified, incident‑level data (including geolocation) to vetted law‑enforcement and public‑health users via ODMAP. Ferguson described ODMAP as a HIPAA‑compliant platform with audit logs and vetting for authorized users; he said access is restricted and typically limited to entities with a need to know.
Committee members asked whether the bill specified a single external partner and whether the language should instead allow transmission to any vetted mapping application to preserve future flexibility. Ferguson said the named program is the current platform in wide use and that the statute’s permissive language gives the office discretion to stop or change partners if necessary.
Sen. Eric Howe raised the same flexibility concern and suggested broader language so the department could use another mapping service if needed. Committee counsel and the testifier said the bill creates a permissive authority for the office to share data, and that no state funds would flow to the external platform under the bill.
The committee adopted the A1 technical amendment (clarifying which data fields are shared) and recommended the amended bill to the Health and Human Services Committee.
