On July 1, 2015, Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker signed an exemption from licensing requirements for out-of-state ambulance services.

Act 26 signed by the Governor states, "An ambulance service provider licensed in another state that makes 10 or fewer patient transports per year that originate and terminate within this state is not required to hold an ambulance service provider license under this section. An emergency medical technician licensed in or holding a training permit in another state who is involved in 10 or fewer patient transports per year that originate and terminate within this state is not required to hold an emergency medical technician license or training permit under this section. A first responder certified in another state who provides emergency medical care to 10 or fewer patients per year within this state is not required to hold a first responder certificate under this section."

The issue drew attention when Wisconsin EMS Office staff made comments earlier in the year, which the Office later tried to clarify by issuing two memos on licensing requirements.  The Office maintained the position Wisconsin licensure was required in order to provide ambulance or EMT service in Wisconsin as a statute requirement. 

Residents of Gratiot and South Wayne, both located in Lafayette County, Wisconsin, which borders Illinois, became very concerned when their primary ambulance service, located just a few miles away in Warren, Illinois, was informed by the Wisconsin EMS Office they could no longer respond into Wisconsin without licensure approval.  "Without a solution it might take up to 30 minutes for a Wisconsin ambulance to arrive to their homes (in that part of Lafayette County)", according to Assembly Rep. and bill sponsor Todd Novak.

In the opinion of many closely tied to EMS and fire department administration and industry associations in Wisconsin, the new Act 26 is not perfect by any means and leaves in question several items, to include operations mutual aid, documentation requirements, and self reporting of patient calls into Wisconsin. 

Areas with frequent mutual aid requests, like those between Beloit, Wisconsin and South Beloit, Illinois, will easily reach and even exceed 10 patient transports within the first month, not giving them sufficient time to file operation plans and submit qualifying personnel rosters to the Wisconsin EMS Office for licensure approval.  What complicates things further is Illinois does not follow National Registry EMT credentialing and administers their own state EMT test. 

Since Act 26 was a "quick fix" it really missed the mark.  A better, more long-term solution with clarifying legislative language is in the works with EMS and fire industry and association involvement.  For now, ambulance service is restored for those in border state areas, unless they exceed ten runs per year and don't have licensure approval.

>> Click to review Act 26 giving rights to certain out-of-state ambulance service providers.