holmes 111418SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Linda Holmes (D-Aurora) ensured a series of proposals will take effect to extend the same rights granted to firefighters to paramedics who are also employed by units of local government. The measures had been vetoed by the governor, but today Holmes successfully overrode those vetoes.

“Just like firefighters, paramedics face life-threatening circumstances to save lives and serve our communities,” Holmes said. “We owe it to paramedics and their families to give them the same rights as firefighters for the dangerous sacrifices they are willing to make.”

 

Holmes’ bills include:

  • House Bill 126, which includes paramedics in the same collective bargaining unit as firefighters;
  • House Bill 127, which extends health coverage and educational benefits to paramedics and EMTs if they suffer a catastrophic injury or are killed in the line of duty;
  • House Bill 5221, which allows paramedics to continue to receive the same rate of pay if they are injured in the line of duty and are unable to continue working.

The legislation will affect the approximately sixty paramedics employed by units of local government, which includes those in Mascoutah, Menard County, Morton, Highland, Troy and Union County.

The House overrode the vetoes earlier, so the three Holmes bills on behalf of paramedics will take effect immediately.