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House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
House of Representatives
Session of 2019 - 2020
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | September 20, 2019 11:00 AM |
|---|---|
| From: | Representative Clint Owlett |
| To: | All House members |
| Subject: | Ambulance Staffing Waiver – BLS Legislation |
| In the very near future, I plan to introduce legislation that will assist many rural EMS agencies who are experiencing staffing difficulties for Basic Life Support Services (BLS). Specifically, my legislation will amend the Emergency Medical Services provisions under Title 35 (Health and Safety), by providing an exemption to the staffing requirements on a BLS ambulance for 6th through 8th class counties. Current law requires that a BLS ambulance be staffed at a minimum with at least one individual who is certified as an emergency medical responder (EMR) or higher and one who is licensed as an EMT. In addition, my proposal provides the Bureau of EMS in the Department of Health with the ability to review and decide on a case-by-case basis each waiver that is submitted to the bureau from an EMS agency located in one of the classes of counties listed. In my rural county and the surrounding rural areas, EMS agencies are struggling to maintain these kinds of staffing levels 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for BLS services. My proposal will help address one of the issues contained in Recommendation #8 in the SR 6 Report from November 2018. Please join me in sponsoring this important EMS proposal. *** Please be advised that this legislation will be introduced on Monday, September 23rd. |
Introduced as HB1869