Requires issuance of temporary emergency medical services certifications.

S3660

SENATE, No. 3660

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

222nd LEGISLATURE

�

INTRODUCED FEBRUARY 24, 2026

Sponsored by:

Senator� ANTHONY M. BUCCO

District 25 (Morris and Passaic)

SYNOPSIS

���� Requires issuance of temporary emergency medical
services certifications.�

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

���� As introduced.

��

An Act
concerning emergency medical services and amending
P.L.2020, c.18.

����
Be It
Enacted
by the Senate and General Assembly of
the State of New Jersey:

���� 1.��� Section 3 of P.L.2020,
c.18 is amended to read as follows:

���� 3.��� a.�� Notwithstanding any
other provision of law to the contrary, for the duration of the state of
emergency or the public health emergency declared in response to the COVID-19
pandemic, whichever period of declared emergency is longer, the Commissioner of
Health shall
[
be
authorized to
]
:

���� (1)�� issue a provisional
certification to any emergency medical technician whose professional
certification has expired, regardless of whether the emergency medical
technician has satisfied the requirements for reinstatement of an expired
certification, provided that the emergency medical technician submits an
application for provisional certification that includes such information or
attestations as may be required by the commissioner, and the commissioner
determines that the application should be granted.� The commissioner may
require additional showings, such as a demonstration of proficiency, prior to
granting such application.� A provisional certification issued under this
paragraph shall be valid for
six months from the date of
issuance, unless otherwise determined by the commissioner
;

���� (2)�� issue a provisional
certification to any paramedic whose professional certification has expired
within the last five years, regardless of whether the paramedic has satisfied
the requirements for reinstatement of an expired certification, provided that
the paramedic submits an application for provisional certification that
includes such information or attestations as may be required by the
commissioner, and the commissioner determines that the application should be
granted.� The commissioner may require additional showings, such as a
demonstration of proficiency, prior to granting such application.� A
provisional certification issued under this paragraph shall be valid for six
months from the date of issuance, unless otherwise determined by the
commissioner;

���� (3)�� temporarily reactivate
the certification of any paramedic whose certification is currently on inactive
status, regardless of whether the paramedic has satisfied the requirements for
reactivation of an inactive certification, provided that the paramedic submits
an application for reactivation that includes such information or attestations
as may be required by the commissioner, and the commissioner determines that
the application should be granted.� The commissioner may require additional
showings, such as a demonstration of proficiency, prior to granting such
application.� A temporary reactivation issued under this paragraph shall be
valid for six months from the date of issuance, unless otherwise determined by
the commissioner; and

���� (4)�� grant temporary
reciprocity to any paramedic who is not certified to practice in New Jersey but
is either provisionally certified as a paramedic by the National Registry of
Emergency Medical Technicians or is certified as a paramedic in any other state
or the District of Columbia, provided that the paramedic has not had a
paramedic certification revoked by the Department of Health, does not currently
have a paramedic certification under suspension by the Department of Health,
and satisfies all other requirements as may be provided by the commissioner.� A
grant of temporary reciprocity issued under this paragraph shall be valid for
six months from the date of issuance, unless otherwise determined by the
commissioner.

���� b.��� To facilitate the
provisional certification of emergency medical technicians and paramedics, the
temporary reactivation of inactive paramedic certifications, and the grant of
temporary reciprocity to out-of-State paramedics pursuant to subsection a. of this
section, the commissioner is authorized to waive any fees, continuing education
requirements, refresher course requirements, periods of provisional
certification, required demonstrations of proficiency, endorsement
requirements, clinical training requirements, examination requirements, and
other requirements that would otherwise apply to recertification of an
emergency medical technician or a paramedic whose certification has expired,
reactivation of a paramedic certification that has been placed on inactive
status, or a grant of reciprocity to an out-of-State paramedic.� Waivers of
regulations issued pursuant to this subsection shall be valid for six months
from the date of issuance, unless otherwise determined by the commissioner.

(cf: P.L.2020, c.18, s.3)

���� 2.��� This act shall take
effect immediately.

STATEMENT

���� This bill requires the
issuance of temporary emergency medical services certifications.

���� P.L.2020, c.18 authorized the
Commissioner of Health (commissioner) to grant:� provisional certifications to
emergency medical technicians and paramedics, temporary reactivation of
inactive paramedic certifications, and temporary reciprocity to out-of-State
paramedics.� This bill requires the commissioner to grant:� provisional
certifications to emergency medical technicians and paramedics, temporary
reactivation of inactive paramedic certifications, and temporary reciprocity to
out-of-State paramedics.