Bill Text: MO HB1977 | 2010 | Regular Session | Enrolled
Bill Title: Changes the laws regarding emergency services and emergency medical technicians-intermediate
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Passed) 2010-07-13 - Delivered to Secretary of State (G) [HB1977 Detail]
Download: Missouri-2010-HB1977-Enrolled.html
SECOND REGULAR SESSION
[TRULY AGREED TO AND FINALLY PASSED]
HOUSE COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR
95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
AN ACT
To repeal sections 190.060, 190.092, 190.133, 190.143, 190.196, 190.528, and 191.630, RSMo, and to enact in lieu thereof seven new sections relating to emergency medical technicians.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the state of Missouri, as follows:
Section A. Sections 190.060, 190.092, 190.133, 190.143, 190.196, 190.528, and 191.630, RSMo, are repealed and seven new sections enacted in lieu thereof, to be known as sections 190.060, 190.092, 190.133, 190.143, 190.196, 190.528, and 191.630, to read as follows:
190.060. 1. An ambulance district shall have the following governmental powers, and all other powers incidental, necessary, convenient or desirable to carry out and effectuate the express powers:
(1) To establish and maintain an ambulance service within its corporate limits, and to acquire for, develop, expand, extend and improve such service;
(2) To acquire land in fee simple, rights in land and easements upon, over or across land and leasehold interests in land and tangible and intangible personal property used or useful for the location, establishment, maintenance, development, expansion, extension or improvement of an ambulance service. The acquisition may be by dedication, purchase, gift, agreement, lease, use or adverse possession;
(3) To operate, maintain and manage the ambulance service, and to make and enter into contracts for the use, operation or management of and to provide rules and regulations for the operation, management or use of the ambulance service;
(4) To fix, charge and collect reasonable fees and compensation for the use of the ambulance service according to the rules and regulations prescribed by the board from time to time;
(5) To borrow money and to issue bonds, notes, certificates, or other evidences of indebtedness for the purpose of accomplishing any of its corporate purposes, subject to compliance with any condition or limitation set forth in sections 190.001 to 190.090 or otherwise provided by the Constitution of the state of Missouri;
(6) To employ or enter into contracts for the employment of any person, firm, or corporation, and for professional services, necessary or desirable for the accomplishment of the objects of the district or the proper administration, management, protection or control of its property;
(7) To maintain the ambulance service for the benefit of the inhabitants of the area comprising the district regardless of race, creed or color, and to adopt such reasonable rules and regulations as may be necessary to render the highest quality of emergency medical care; to exclude from the use of the ambulance service all persons who willfully disregard any of the rules and regulations so established; to extend the privileges and use of the ambulance service to persons residing outside the area of the district upon such terms and conditions as the board of directors prescribes by its rules and regulations;
(8) To provide for health, accident, disability and pension benefits for the salaried members of its organized ambulance district and such other benefits for the members' spouses and minor children, through either, or both, a contributory or noncontributory plan. The type and amount of such benefits shall be determined by the board of directors of the ambulance district within the level of available revenue of the pension program and other available revenue of the district. If an employee contributory plan is adopted, then at least one voting member of the board of trustees shall be a member of the ambulance district elected by the contributing members. The board of trustees shall not be the same as the board of directors;
(9) To purchase insurance indemnifying the district and its employees, officers, volunteers and directors against liability in rendering services incidental to the furnishing of ambulance services. Purchase of insurance pursuant to this section is not intended to waive sovereign immunity, official immunity or the Missouri public duty doctrine defenses; and
(10) To provide for life insurance, accident, sickness, health, disability, annuity, length of service, pension, retirement and other employee-type fringe benefits, subject to the provisions of section 70.615, RSMo, for the volunteer members of any organized ambulance district and such other benefits for their spouses and eligible unemancipated children, either through a contributory or noncontributory plan, or both. For purposes of this section, "eligible unemancipated child" means a natural or adopted child of an insured, or a stepchild of an insured who is domiciled with the insured, who is less than twenty-three years of age, who is not married, not employed on a full-time basis, not maintaining a separate residence except for full-time students in an accredited school or institution of higher learning, and who is dependent on parents or guardians for at least fifty percent of his or her support. The type and amount of such benefits shall be determined by the board of directors of the ambulance district within available revenues of the district, including the pension program of the district. The provision and receipt of such benefits shall not make the recipient an employee of the district. Directors who are also volunteer members may receive such benefits while serving as a director of the district.
2. The use of any ambulance service of a district shall be subject to the reasonable regulation and control of the district and upon such reasonable terms and conditions as shall be established by its board of directors.
3. A regulatory ordinance of a district adopted pursuant to any provision of this section may provide for a suspension or revocation of any rights or privileges within the control of the district for a violation of any regulatory ordinance.
4. Nothing in this section or in other provisions of sections 190.001 to 190.245 shall be construed to authorize the district or board to establish or enforce any regulation or rule in respect to the operation or maintenance of the ambulance service within its jurisdiction which is in conflict with any federal or state law or regulation applicable to the same subject matter.
5. After August 28, 1998, the board of directors of an ambulance district that proposes to contract for the total management and operation of the ambulance service, when that ambulance district has not previously contracted out for said service, shall hold a public hearing within a thirty-day period and shall make a finding that the proposed contract to manage and operate the ambulance service will:
(1) Provide benefits to the public health that outweigh the associated costs;
(2) Maintain or enhance public access to ambulance service;
(3) Maintain or improve the public health and promote the continued development of the regional emergency medical services system.
6. (1) Upon a satisfactory finding following the public hearing in subsection 5 of this section and after a sixty-day period, the ambulance district may enter into the proposed contract, however said contract shall not be implemented for at least thirty days.
(2) The provisions of subsection 5 of this section shall not apply to contracts which were executed prior to August 28, 1998, or to the renewal or modification of such contracts or to the signing of a new contract with an ambulance service provider for services that were previously contracted out.
7. All ambulance districts authorized to adopt laws, ordinances, or regulations regarding basic life support ambulances shall require such ambulances to be equipped with an automated external defibrillator and be staffed by at least one individual trained in the use of an automated external defibrillator.
190.092. 1. This section shall be known and may be cited as the "Public Access to Automated External Defibrillator Act".
2. A person or entity who acquires an automated external defibrillator shall ensure that:
(1) Expected defibrillator users receive training by the American Red Cross or American Heart Association in cardiopulmonary resuscitation and the use of automated external defibrillators, or an equivalent nationally recognized course in defibrillator use and cardiopulmonary resuscitation;
(2) The defibrillator is maintained and tested according to the manufacturer's operational guidelines;
(3) Any person who renders emergency care or treatment on a person in cardiac arrest by using an automated external defibrillator activates the emergency medical services system as soon as possible; and
(4) Any person or entity that owns an automated external defibrillator that is for use outside of a health care facility shall have a physician review and approve the clinical protocol for the use of the defibrillator, review and advise regarding the training and skill maintenance of the intended users of the defibrillator and assure proper review of all situations when the defibrillator is used to render emergency care.
3. Any person or entity who acquires an automated external defibrillator shall notify the emergency communications district or the ambulance dispatch center of the primary provider of emergency medical services where the automated external defibrillator is to be located.
4. Any person who gratuitously and in good faith renders emergency care by use of or provision of an automated external defibrillator shall not be held liable for any civil damages as a result of such care or treatment, unless the person acts in a willful and wanton or reckless manner in providing the care, advice, or assistance. The person or entity who provides appropriate training to the person using an automated external defibrillator, the person or entity responsible for the site where the automated external defibrillator is located, the person or entity that owns the automated external defibrillator, the person or entity that provided clinical protocol for automated external defibrillator sites or programs, and the licensed physician who reviews and approves the clinical protocol shall likewise not be held liable for civil damages resulting from the use of an automated external defibrillator. Nothing in this section shall affect any claims brought pursuant to chapter 537 or 538, RSMo.
5. All basic life support ambulances and stretcher vans operated in the state of Missouri shall be equipped with an automated external defibrillator and be staffed by at least one individual trained in the use of an automated external defibrillator.
6. The provisions of this section shall apply in all counties within the state and any city not within a county.
190.133. 1. The department shall, within a reasonable time after receipt of an application, cause such investigation as the department deems necessary to be made of the applicant for an emergency medical response agency license.
2. The department shall issue a license to any emergency medical response agency which provides advanced life support if the applicant meets the requirements established pursuant to sections 190.001 to 190.245, and the rules adopted by the department pursuant to sections 190.001 to 190.245. The department may promulgate rules relating to the requirements for an emergency medical response agency including, but not limited to:
(1) A licensure period of five years;
(2) Medical direction;
(3) Records and forms; and
(4) Memorandum of understanding with local ambulance services.
3. Application for an emergency medical response agency license shall be made upon such forms as prescribed by the department in rules adopted pursuant to sections 190.001 to 190.245. The application form shall contain such information as the department deems necessary to make a determination as to whether the emergency medical response agency meets all the requirements of sections 190.001 to 190.245 and rules promulgated pursuant to sections 190.001 to 190.245.
4. No person or entity shall hold itself out as an emergency medical response agency that provides advanced life support or provide the services of an emergency medical response agency that provides advanced life support unless such person or entity is licensed by the department. [5. Only emergency medical response agencies, fire departments, and fire protection districts may provide certain ALS services with the services of EMT-Is.
6. Emergency medical response agencies functioning with the services of EMT-Is must work in collaboration with an ambulance service providing advanced life support with personnel trained to the emergency medical technician-paramedic level.]
190.143. 1. Notwithstanding any other provisions of law, the department may grant a ninety-day temporary emergency medical technician license to all levels of emergency medical technicians who meet the following:
(1) Can demonstrate that they have, or will have, employment requiring an emergency medical technician license;
(2) Are not currently licensed as an emergency medical technician in Missouri or have been licensed as an emergency medical technician in Missouri and fingerprints need to be submitted to the Federal Bureau of Investigation to verify the existence or absence of a criminal history, or they are currently licensed and the license will expire before a verification can be completed of the existence or absence of a criminal history;
(3) Have submitted a complete application upon such forms as prescribed by the department in rules adopted pursuant to sections 190.001 to 190.245;
(4) Have not been disciplined pursuant to sections 190.001 to 190.245 and rules promulgated pursuant to sections 190.001 to 190.245;
(5) Meet all the requirements of rules promulgated pursuant to sections 190.001 to 190.245.
2. A temporary emergency medical technician license shall only authorize the license to practice while under the immediate supervision of a licensed emergency medical technician-basic, emergency medical technician-intermediate, emergency medical technician-paramedic, registered nurse or physician who is currently licensed, without restrictions, to practice in Missouri.
3. A temporary emergency medical technician license shall automatically expire either ninety days from the date of issuance or upon the issuance of a five-year emergency medical technician license.
190.196. 1. No employer shall knowingly employ or permit any employee to perform any services for which a license, certificate or other authorization is required by sections 190.001 to 190.245, or by rules adopted pursuant to sections 190.001 to 190.245, unless and until the person so employed possesses all licenses, certificates or authorizations that are required.
2. Any person or entity that employs or supervises a person's activities as a first responder, emergency medical dispatcher, emergency medical technician-basic, emergency medical technician-intermediate, emergency medical technician-paramedic, registered nurse or physician shall cooperate with the department's efforts to monitor and enforce compliance by those individuals subject to the requirements of sections 190.001 to 190.245.
3. Any person or entity who employs individuals licensed by the department pursuant to sections 190.001 to 190.245 shall report to the department within seventy-two hours of their having knowledge of any charges filed against a licensee in their employ for possible criminal action involving the following felony offenses:
(1) Child abuse or sexual abuse of a child;
(2) Crimes of violence; or
(3) Rape or sexual abuse.
4. Any licensee who has charges filed against him or her for the felony offenses in subsection 3 of this section shall report such an occurrence to the department within seventy-two hours of the charges being filed.
5. The department will monitor these reports for possible licensure action authorized pursuant to section 190.165.
190.528. 1. No person, either as owner, agent or otherwise, shall furnish, operate, conduct, maintain, advertise, or otherwise be engaged in or profess to be engaged in the business or service of the transportation of passengers by stretcher van upon the streets, alleys, or any public way or place of the state of Missouri unless such person holds a currently valid license from the department for a stretcher van service issued pursuant to the provisions of sections 190.525 to 190.537 notwithstanding any provisions of chapter 390 or 622, RSMo, to the contrary.
2. Subsection 1 of this section shall not preclude any political subdivision that is authorized to operate a licensed ambulance service from adopting any law, ordinance or regulation governing the operation of stretcher vans that is at least as strict as the minimum state standards, and no such regulations or ordinances shall prohibit stretcher van services that were legally picking up passengers within a political subdivision prior to January 1, 2002, from continuing to operate within that political subdivision and no political subdivision which did not regulate or prohibit stretcher van services as of January 1, 2002, shall implement unreasonable regulations or ordinances to prevent the establishment and operation of such services.
3. In any county with a charter form of government and with more than one million inhabitants, the governing body of the county shall set reasonable standards for all stretcher van services which shall comply with subsection 2 of this section. All such stretcher van services must be licensed by the department. The governing body of such county shall not prohibit a licensed stretcher van service from operating in the county, as long as the stretcher van service meets county standards.
4. Nothing shall preclude the enforcement of any laws, ordinances or regulations of any political subdivision authorized to operate a licensed ambulance service that were in effect prior to August 28, 2001.
5. Stretcher van services may transport passengers.
6. (1) A stretcher van shall be staffed by at least two individuals when transporting passengers.
(2) All stretcher vans shall be equipped with an automated external defibrillator and shall be staffed by at least one individual who is trained in the use of an automated external defibrillator.
(3) Any political subdivision that is authorized to operate a licensed ambulance service shall adopt a law, ordinance or regulation for stretcher vans that is at least as strict as the minimum requirements in subdivision (2) of this subsection regarding automated external defibrillators.
7. The crew of the stretcher van is required to immediately contact the appropriate ground ambulance service if a passenger's condition deteriorates.
8. Stretcher van services shall not transport patients, persons currently admitted to a hospital or persons being transported to a hospital for admission or emergency treatment.
9. The department of health and senior services shall promulgate regulations, including but not limited to adequate insurance, on-board equipment, vehicle staffing, vehicle maintenance, vehicle specifications, vehicle communications, passenger safety and records and reports.
10. The department of health and senior services shall issue service licenses for a period of no more than five years for each service meeting the established rules.
11. Application for a stretcher van license shall be made upon such forms as prescribed by the department in rules adopted pursuant to sections 190.525 to 190.537. The application form shall contain such information as the department deems necessary to make a determination as to whether the stretcher van agency meets all the requirements of sections 190.525 to 190.537 and rules promulgated pursuant to sections 190.525 to 190.537. The department shall conduct an inspection of the stretcher van service to verify compliance with the licensure standards of sections 190.525 to 190.537.
12. Upon the sale or transfer of any stretcher van service ownership, the owner of the stretcher van service shall notify the department of the change in ownership within thirty days prior to the sale or transfer. The department shall conduct an inspection of the stretcher van service to verify compliance with the licensure standards of sections 190.525 to 190.537.
13. Ambulance services licensed pursuant to this chapter or any rules promulgated by the department of health and senior services pursuant to this chapter may provide stretcher van and wheelchair transportation services pursuant to sections 190.525 to 190.537.
14. Any rule or portion of a rule, as that term is defined in section 536.010, RSMo, that is created under the authority delegated in this section shall become effective only if it complies with and is subject to all of the provisions of chapter 536, RSMo, and, if applicable, section 536.028, RSMo. This section and chapter 536, RSMo, are nonseverable and if any of the powers vested with the general assembly pursuant to chapter 536, RSMo, to review, to delay the effective date or to disapprove and annul a rule are subsequently held unconstitutional, then the grant of rulemaking authority and any rule proposed or adopted after August 28, 2002, shall be invalid and void.
191.630. As used in sections 191.630 and 191.631, the following terms mean:
(1) "Care provider", a person who is employed as an emergency medical care provider, firefighter, or police officer;
(2) "Contagious or infectious disease", hepatitis in any form and any other communicable disease as defined in section 192.800, RSMo, except AIDS or HIV infection as defined in section 191.650, determined to be life-threatening to a person exposed to the disease as established by rules adopted by the department, in accordance with guidelines of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of the Department of Health and Human Services;
(3) "Department", the Missouri department of health and senior services;
(4) "Emergency medical care provider", a licensed or certified person trained to provide emergency and nonemergency medical care as a first responder, EMT-B, EMT-I, or EMT-P as defined in section 190.100, RSMo, or other certification or licensure levels adopted by rule of the department;
(5) "Exposure", a specific eye, mouth, other mucous membrane, nonintact skin, or parenteral contact with blood or other potentially infectious materials that results from the performance of an employee's duties;
(6) "HIV", the same meaning as defined in section 191.650;
(7) "Hospital", the same meaning as defined in section 197.020, RSMo.
•
