2024 EMS Day at the Capitol
(DENVER, Colo.) February 20
By Howard M. Paul, Communications Director
This year's EMS Day at the Capitol was by all measures one of EMSAC's most successful with more than 30 members attending throughout the day. While members were able to discuss with their senators and representatives many aspects of EMS, the hot topic was House Bill 24-1218.
The event has been refined over the years and this year was expanded to include internal meetings and discussions to help ambulance services operate.
Members met in the basement dining area for a briefing for the day. There was a very large turnout from 
across the state—with members from more than 20 different agencies—the largest EMSAC has drawn to EMS Day at the Capitol. It was apparent that EMSAC has an outstanding relationship with many, if not most of, our senators and representatives.
Invited into the House and Senate
The first of the order of the day was to be invited into the Senate and House Chambers for recognition. The group split and each was able to chat with the representatives or senators, respectively.
After lunch, members reconvened in the conference room of the Colorado Department of Healthcare Policy and Finance (HCPF). For the afternoon they met to discuss various burdens facing EMS today. This included the work of the EMS Sustainability Taskforce, Medicaid, Treatment in Place (TIP) and strategy for the evening.
Evening legislators reception
At the end of the legislative day EMS leaders gathered at the University Club, hosting a legislative reception with the Colorado Nurses Association. Members met on-on-one with 17 senators and representatives to talk about EMS and how the legislator can affect both long-term agency viability and day-to-day operations. Also present this year was United States Representative Joe Neguse, from Colorado's Second Congressional District (Boulder, Weld, Clear Creek, Eagle, Gilpin, Grand, Jefferson, Larimer, Summit, Jackson, and Routt Counties). This year's attendance is better than the average association or trade group event of this sort, says EMSAC lobbyist Chris Howes of HowesWolf.
At the close of the evening, as has become a tradition, many of the group repaired to The Ship’s Tavern at the Brown Palace Hotel to top off the evening with a meal or “refreshments.”
