House Approves Permanent EMS Funding 

Lawmakers have taken an important step to funding the state’s Emergency Medical Services (EMS). 

The state’s EMS have been struggling for years with dozens of services closing in recent years. Several bills passed by the West Virginia Legislature in 2024 addressed some issues but did not provide stable funding.

House Bill 5168 allocates $12 million from the State Lottery Fund towards supplementing the salaries of, and providing crisis response for, county emergency medical service personnel.

Del. Joe Statler, R-Monongalia, called the bill historic for allocating the first permanent state funding to support EMS workers.

“We’ve had it in there before, under other ways, but this is identified in a permanent manner,” he said. “I think we’re telling our first responders out there that we care. We know that they do a job for us every day they’re out there working, and that we’re willing to reach out to help them, to try and keep them going.”

Several other delegates stood to support the bill, including Del. Hollis Lewis, D-Kanawha, who pointed out that in some parts of West Virginia, EMS is the only medical service available to the community.

“It’s long overdue. We have provided zero state appropriations for this service, which it should be provided for fully,” he said. “So this is a good first step, but it also is insufficient. So moving forward, we need to dedicate more funding, more resources to this essential service.”

Del. Rolland Jennings, R-Preston, said he has been trying to get permanent EMS funding passed since he was first elected eight years ago. He used the example of Secretary of State Kris Warner’s recent car crash to exemplify the need for a robust EMS program in a rural state.

“You don’t really realize how important they are till you dial 911, and then you wonder where they’re at,” he said. “Ask our Secretary of State about it. I asked him about it this morning. Took 12 minutes for them. He was upside down in his seat belt, and it took 12 minutes for them to get there and get him down, take care of him.”  

HB 5168 passed with unanimous support of the 96 delegates present, and now goes to the Senate for its consideration.