LINCOLN — Last week, 43rd District Senator Al Davis saw his EMT bill pass first-round approval in the legislature.
The measure would offer a $250 credit for volunteer responders to claim on state income taxes. Davis says it’s nice to be able to monetize the service, even just a little.
“The work that they do is certainly worth more than $250-per-year,” he explains. “But this is at least a way for the state to say ‘we recognize that the work that you do is very valuable and we have to recognize that in some manner’.”
Davis drew up the bill as numbers involunteer emergency services in rural parts of the state begin to drop due to lack of funding and population decline.
Opponents argue that the money isn’t around for this program, while supporters say this is a much more pertinent use of funding compared to items in other bills.
The measure needs to pass two more rounds of approval before heading to Governor Ricketts desk.
