An Act to Reimburse Training Costs for Emergency Medical and Public Safety Dispatchers
Maine Legislature, Session 131, LD 1859
Committee: Energy, Utilities and Technology
Sponsors: LIBBY, BRAKEY, LEE, SHAW
Amends: 25 MRSA §2923-B, 32 MRSA §85-A

Legislative Document
No. 1859
H.P. 1189
House of Representatives, May 2, 2023
An Act to Reimburse Training Costs for Emergency Medical and 
Public Safety Dispatchers
Reference to the Committee on Energy, Utilities and Technology suggested and ordered 
printed.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative LIBBY of Auburn.
Cosponsored by Senator BRAKEY of Androscoggin and
Representatives: LEE of Auburn, SHAW of Auburn.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  25 MRSA §2923-B is enacted to read:
§2923-B.  Sharing of training costs for emergency medical dispatchers and public 
safety dispatchers
1.  Definitions.  As used in this section, unless the context otherwise indicates, the 
following terms have the following meanings.
A.  "Emergency medical dispatcher" has the same meaning as in Title 32, section 85-A, 
subsection 1, paragraph D.
B.  "Governmental entity" has the same meaning as in Title 32, section 85-A, 
subsection 1, paragraph D-1.
C.  "Public safety dispatcher" has the same meaning as in Title 32, section 85-A, 
subsection 1, paragraph F-1.
2.  Reimbursement for training costs.  Whenever a full-time emergency medical 
dispatcher or public safety dispatcher, trained in accordance with rules adopted pursuant to 
Title 32, section 85-A, subsection 2 at the expense of a particular governmental entity, is 
subsequently hired by another governmental entity as an emergency medical dispatcher or 
public safety dispatcher within 5 years of the first governmental entity's incurring 
expenditures for the training, the governmental entity shall reimburse the first 
governmental entity according to the training cost reimbursement schedule established 
pursuant to Title 32, section 85-A, subsection 2, paragraph I, unless a mutual agreement of 
the governmental entities is reached.
Sec. 2.  32 MRSA §85-A, sub-§1, ¶D-1 is enacted to read:
D-1.  "Governmental entity" means the State or any city, town, plantation or county.
Sec. 3.  32 MRSA §85-A, sub-§1, ¶F-1 is enacted to read:
F-1.  "Public safety dispatcher" means a person who works in a public safety answering 
point or other public safety communications or dispatch center and is trained to receive, 
evaluate and dispatch 9-1-1 calls.
Sec. 4.  32 MRSA §85-A, sub-§1, ¶H is enacted to read:
H.  "Training costs" means a fixed dollar amount determined by the board, in 
consultation with the bureau, including, but not limited to:
(1)  The full cost of the salary, including fringe benefits, paid to an emergency 
medical dispatcher or a public safety dispatcher while in training;
(2)  The full cost of the tuition charged by a trainer approved to provide training in 
accordance with this section; and
(3)  The full cost of the salary, inclusive of overtime, paid to an emergency medical 
dispatcher or a public safety dispatcher to provide public safety answering point 
services that would otherwise have been lost during the absence of the emergency 
medical dispatcher or public safety dispatcher in training.
Sec. 5.  32 MRSA §85-A, sub-§2, ¶G, as amended by PL 2007, c. 42, §1, is further 
amended to read:
G.  Require regular reporting to the board by an emergency medical dispatch center 
with respect to the use of the Emergency Medical Dispatch Priority Reference System; 
and
Sec. 6.  32 MRSA §85-A, sub-§2, ¶H, as amended by PL 2007, c. 42, §1, is further 
amended to read:
H.  Require that each emergency medical dispatch center appoint a director of 
emergency medical dispatch services to review and ensure compliance with the 
requirements of this section.; and
Sec. 7.  32 MRSA §85-A, sub-§2, ¶I is enacted to read:
I.  Establish a training cost reimbursement schedule for an emergency medical 
dispatcher or public safety dispatcher trained at the expense of a particular 
governmental entity when the emergency medical dispatcher or public safety 
dispatcher is hired by another governmental entity as an emergency medical dispatcher 
or public safety dispatcher within 5 years of the first governmental entity's incurring 
expenditures for training the emergency medical dispatcher or public safety dispatcher.
Sec. 8.  32 MRSA §85-A, sub-§6 is enacted to read:
6.  Annual determination of training costs.  The board, in consultation with the 
bureau, shall determine training costs annually, make any necessary adjustments and 
provide that determination to all public safety answering points in the State.
SUMMARY
This bill requires the Emergency Medical Services' Board in consultation with the 
Public Utilities Commission, Emergency Services Communication Bureau to establish a 
reimbursement schedule for the cost of training an emergency medical dispatcher or a 
public safety dispatcher when the dispatcher is hired by another governmental entity as an 
emergency medical dispatcher or public safety dispatcher within 5 years of the first 
governmental entity's incurring expenditures for the training.  The bill requires a 
governmental entity to provide reimbursement for training costs in accordance with the 
reimbursement schedule.