Congress·In Committee·S. 3963

Rural EMTs: Overtime Pay Exceptions

Rural Emergency Response Support Act

Legislative Progress

Senate

House

President

Law

This bill, introduced by Sen. Curtis, would change federal labor laws to allow rural employers to skip standard overtime pay for EMTs and paramedics. It applies to local governments and private companies in areas with fewer than 100,000 residents.
Currently, most workers get 'time-and-a-half' pay after 40 hours of work in a week. This bill would create an exception for these rural emergency workers, allowing their employers to avoid these specific federal overtime requirements.
The goal is to help small-town governments and ambulance services stay in business. Supporters argue that the high cost of overtime pay makes it difficult for rural areas to afford 24-hour emergency medical services on tight budgets.
If this becomes law, EMTs and paramedics in smaller communities might earn less money for working long shifts. This could make it harder for these areas to find and keep qualified emergency workers if the pay is lower than in bigger cities.

2 milestones2 actions

Mar 3, 2026Senate

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

Mar 3, 2026

Introduced in Senate

Document Type

Congressional Bill

Official Title

Rural Emergency Response Support Act

Bill NumberS 3963

Congress119th Congress

ChamberSenate

Latest ActionRead twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

(1)

R: 1

Congress.gov

Official legislative information

Analysis generated by AI. Always verify with official sources.