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Bill

HB 1253

TO ADOPT THE EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES PERSONNEL LICENSURE INTERSTATE COMPACT IN ARKANSAS.

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Justin Boyd and 1 co-sponsor

Arkansas adopts interstate EMS licensure compact enabling paramedics and EMTs licensed in member states to work across state lines without separate state licensure requirements.

Notification that HB1253 is now Act 384
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Bill Summary · HB 1253

Legislative bill overview

HB 1253 adopts the Emergency Medical Services Personnel Licensure Interstate Compact in Arkansas, allowing EMS professionals licensed in one member state to practice in other member states without obtaining separate licenses. The compact creates a streamlined reciprocal agreement among participating states to recognize EMS certifications across state lines.

Why is this important

This legislation addresses workforce mobility and emergency response capacity by reducing barriers for EMS personnel to work across state boundaries. It facilitates faster emergency response in border regions and allows states to share EMS resources during disasters or critical incidents, potentially improving public health emergency preparedness and reducing gaps in rural emergency medical services.

Potential points of contention

  • License standardization concerns: States maintain different certification and training standards; reciprocal recognition may raise quality control questions about whether all member states' requirements are equally rigorous
  • Regulatory oversight: The compact creates interstate governance structures that could complicate state-level regulatory authority and disciplinary processes for EMS providers
  • Rural implementation challenges: Smaller states or those with resource constraints may face administrative burdens in managing multi-state licensure tracking and compliance verification

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

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