A press conference was held in Anchorage for the signing of Senate Bill 21 into law by Gov. Mike Dunleavy. The bill makes crucial changes to the paramedic licensing process and vastly improves temporary licensing laws for active-duty military members and their spouses.
Gov. Mike Dunleavy said:
“I just want to let you know, the ladies, the guys standing in the back that are part of this up front, that many of us do not take you for granted. Many of us understand what you do on our behalf on a daily basis 24/7/365. Many of us do. Many of us are very, very appreciative of what you do putting yourself at risk for us, putting yourself in harm’s way for us. You’re a different cut than everybody else. Duty is incredibly important to you and helping people is incredibly important to you and we recognize that.”
In passing Senate Bill 21, paramedics with their EMS colleagues in the Department of Health and Social Services will no longer be licensed and overseen by two separate state agencies. It reduces the burdensome red tape for Paramedics and increases the efficiency of the EMS system.
The bill’s sponsor, Sen. Josh Revak:
“This bill it’s a paramedics bill to help you guys with your licensure to make it a lot easier. It’s been a longtime coming but it’s also military spouses. They’ve had a lot of problems with their licensure. I’m very honored to be a part of this. Like I said, it makes our job meaningful when we can serve those who serve us and I think our community, our state and our country is very much a better place when we serve one another and make that a motto. So this is a huge honor.”
SB 21 says that an application must include evidence satisfactory to the department or appropriate board that the applicant is an active duty member of the armed forces or is married to and living with an armed forces member who is on active duty, holds a current license in another state, or is recognized by the U.S., including a branch of the armed forces, that is equivalent to those established under the title for that occupation.
More on SB 21 can be found here.