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A 1008

Requires municipalities to provide basic life support services; establishes basic life support services as essential.

2026-2027 Regular Session Introduced by Rosy Bagolie and 1 co-sponsor

Establishes basic life support as an essential public service and requires every New Jersey municipality to provide BLS through various arrangements, including private contracts, m

Reported and Referred to Assembly Oversight, Reform and Federal Relations Committee
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Bill Summary · A 1008

Bill Summary: Assembly No. 1008 (2026 Session, New Jersey)

Purpose and intent

  • Establishes basic life support (BLS) services as an essential public service within New Jersey.
  • Requires each municipality to provide BLS services to meet the needs of its population.
  • Allows municipalities to fulfill this duty through various arrangements, including private licensing, public/private/nonprofit contracting, mutual aid, hospital agreements, or state/regional fire department/public safety BLS operations.

Key provisions

  • Definitions
    • “Basic life support ambulance service” = entity licensed by the state Department to provide pre-hospital BLS care.
    • “Basic life support service” = basic pre-hospital care including BLS ambulance service, patient stabilization, airway clearance, CPR, hemorrhage control, initial wound care, fracture stabilization, and other commissioner-authorized techniques.
  • Essential service designation
    • BLS service is deemed essential in New Jersey.
    • Each municipal governing body must provide BLS service to meet local population needs.
  • Methods of providing BLS
    • License or franchise to a private company.
    • Contract with a public, private, or nonprofit entity.
    • Mutual aid agreement with other municipalities per existing framework (N.J.S.A. 26:2K-61) and subject to written approval by the participating volunteer BLS/first aid/ambulance/rescue squads.
    • Agreement with a hospital (per existing related statute).
    • Provision of BLS through fire department and emergency medical services or public safety structures across state, counties, districts, regional agencies, or other applicable entities.
  • Mutual aid framework (amendment to existing statute)
    • Updates the reciprocal mutual aid framework to cover BLS and related services, including:
    • Payment terms for providing or receiving BLS assistance (per-hour rates for each member and for each equipped apparatus).
    • Reimbursement for damage to equipment and other property.
    • Compensation for injuries to personnel; provision for survivors/spouses in case of death.
    • Possible joint meetings among municipalities to coordinate matters.
  • Effective date
    • Takes effect immediately upon enactment.

Who is affected

  • Municipal governments statewide (all municipalities in New Jersey) are obligated to ensure provision of BLS services.
  • Potential providers of BLS services include:
    • Private licensed BLS providers (via license/franchise or contract).
    • Public agencies, private entities, or nonprofit organizations (via contract or agreement).
    • Hospitals (via agreements).
    • Fire departments and regional/public safety service structures performing BLS.
  • Volunteer BLS/First Aid/Ambulance/Rescue squads and the municipalities engaged in mutual aid arrangements are specifically implicated, with written approval requirements for mutual aid scenarios.

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • Procedure for compliance aligns with existing statutory framework for mutual aid (P.L.1993, c.58, as amended by the bill).
  • The bill contains an immediate effective date, meaning municipalities would be required to comply starting upon enactment.
  • The mutual aid provisions contemplate formal written approvals from participating volunteer squads, reinforcing coordination and accountability in cross-municipal support.

Practical considerations and potential impacts

  • Uniform expectation that BLS services be available to all residents, potentially improving access and response times for non-advanced pre-hospital care.
  • Flexibility for municipalities to design delivery models via private partnerships, intergovernmental compacts, hospital arrangements, or leveraging existing fire/EMS structures.
  • Budget and resource implications for municipalities, including potential cost-sharing, per-hour reimbursement rates, equipment damages, and personnel compensation under mutual aid scenarios.
  • Administrative considerations to establish approvals, contracts, and joint agreements consistent with the revised mutual aid framework.

If you’d like, I can compare this bill to current New Jersey statutes on EMS and mutual aid to highlight differences and potential implementation challenges.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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