 |
|
||||||||||||
| |
KAPA urges restraint in SB 349 process during negotiations By
JOHN HULTGREN LOUISVILLE — The Kentucky Ambulance Providers Association is again pleading with EMS workers to exercise restraint contacting legislators over Senate Bill 349 concerns for the next 48 hours. "People have been contacting their legislators over SB 349, and their concerns have been heard," said Bob Gainer, president of KAPA. Gainer said that Senate members are willing to negotiate with the EMS lobby, "but they want some breathing room." Gainer said they have been overwhelmed with phone calls and e-mails. SB 349 would limit state hazardous duty retirement to police, firefighters, and corrections officers, effectively excluding emergency medical technicians from that benefit immediately, and would reduce retirement and insurance benefits in the future. The bill passed the Senate 22-12 on Mar. 16 and is currently in the House where the EMS lobby has experienced a greater success this session. Gainer said that KAPA wants to assure EMS providers that they are taking SB 349 very seriously and has members in Frankfort today addressing the issue. "This has to be done by negotiation. This is a very sensitive process," Gainer said. "I am asking all EMS providers to hold off contacting any legislators about SB 349 for the next 48 hours," Gainer said, "while our negotiations continue." Gainer said he was unable to provide specific details today while negotiations were underway.
|
![[Kentucky EMS Connection]](../../images/logo2.gif){kind=logo}
![[Kentucky EMS Connection]](../../images/KEC_log3.gif){kind=small}