SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) – Gov. Pat Quinn has signed two pieces of legislation aimed at improving emergency response in rural areas around Illinois.

One bill is sponsored by Republican state Rep. Don Moffitt and Democratic state Sen. John Sullivan. It allows ambulance providers in rural areas to be upgraded to the highest emergency medical technician license of any person staffing that ambulance. Current law restricts an ambulance to a set level of emergency care regardless of the qualifications of those staffing it. The sponsors say the change allows more kinds of life-saving procedures to be performed in an ambulance.

Another bill is sponsored by Moffitt and Republican state Sen. Chapin Rose. It allows firefighters trained as paramedics to use those skills in their roles as firefighters.

The bills are HB4523 and HB5828.

A plan that aims to make it easier for veterans with disabilities to get a handicapped parking designation is now law.

Quinn signed legislation Tuesday in the Chicago suburb of Villa Park. The law says veterans who have a permanent disability no longer have to submit documentation through a doctor each year to get a handicapped parking designation or special license plate. The law takes effect in January of next year.

Quinn says veterans with disabilities shouldn’t have to deal with unnecessary barriers to retain parking privileges each year.

The legislation is SB3255.

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