Senate panel advances bill to count EMT, paramedic certifications toward MVC ID requirements
TRENTON, N.J. — The Senate Transportation Committee has advanced legislation that would allow certified emergency medical technicians and paramedics to use their state-issued certification cards toward identification requirements at the Motor Vehicle Commission.
The bill, sponsored by Sen. Joe Pennacchio, R-Morris, Passaic, would permit valid EMT and paramedic certification cards issued by the state Department of Health to count as two of the six points required under New Jersey’s MVC identification verification system.
Under current rules, applicants must present documents totaling six points of identification to obtain an examination permit and certain driver licenses.
“EMTs and paramedics complete rigorous training, pass certification exams, and carry state-issued credentials to serve our communities,” said Sen. Pennacchio. “It makes sense to recognize these credentials as valid documentation for the purposes of obtaining a driver’s license or ID under New Jersey’s six-point system.”
Pennacchio’s bill, S-1312, would expand the list of acceptable identification documents to include Department of Health-issued certification cards for EMTs and paramedics.
