Amendment ASA1-SB143

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2015 - 2016 LEGISLATURE

ASSEMBLY SUBSTITUTE AMENDMENT 1, TO SENATE BILL 143

September 15, 2015 - Offered by Committee on Health.

SB143-ASA1,1,4 An Act to amend 256.01 (9), 256.15 (4) (a) (intro.) and 1., 256.15 (4) (a) 2. and 256.15 (4) (c); and to create 256.15 (4) (a) 3. and 256.15 (4) (e) and (f) of the statutes; relating to: ambulance staffing by emergency medical technicians, certified respiratory care practitioners, and first responders.

The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:

SB143-ASA1,1 Section 1. 256.01 (9) of the statutes, as affected by 2015 Wisconsin Act 26, is amended to read:

SB143-ASA1,1,12 256.01 (9) "First responder" means a person who is certified by the department as a first responder under s. 256.15 (8) (a) or is exempt under s. 256.15 (2) (b) and who, as a condition of employment or as a member of an organization that provides emergency medical care before hospitalization, provides emergency medical care to a sick, disabled or injured individual before the arrival of an ambulance, but who does not provide transportation for a patient.

SB143-ASA1,2 Section 2. 256.15 (4) (a) (intro.) and 1. of the statutes are amended to read:

SB143-ASA1,2,4 256.15 (4) (a) (intro.) If a sick, disabled or injured individual is transported by ambulance, any of the following combinations of other individuals shall be present in the ambulance:

SB143-ASA1,2,6 1. Any 2 emergency medical technicians, licensed registered nurses, licensed physician assistants or physicians, or any combination thereof; or.

SB143-ASA1,3 Section 3. 256.15 (4) (a) 2. of the statutes is amended to read:

SB143-ASA1,2,10 256.15 (4) (a) 2. One emergency medical technician plus one individual with a training permit issued under sub. (5) (b) or plus one first responder, subject to par. (e).

SB143-ASA1,4 Section 4. 256.15 (4) (a) 3. of the statutes is created to read:

SB143-ASA1,2,15 256.15 (4) (a) 3. If the ambulance is a fixed-wing airplane and the sick, disabled, or injured individual is a pediatric patient who is being transferred from one hospital to another hospital, one individual specified in subd. 1. plus one respiratory care practitioner certified under subch. II of ch. 448.

SB143-ASA1,5 Section 5. 256.15 (4) (c) of the statutes, as affected by 2015 Wisconsin Act 55, is amended to read:

SB143-ASA1,2,22 256.15 (4) (c) Notwithstanding par. (a) 1. and 2. and subject to par. pars. (d) and (e), the department may promulgate rules that establish standards for staffing of ambulances in which the primary services provided are those which an emergency medical technician — intermediate is authorized to provide or those which an emergency medical technician — paramedic is authorized to provide.

SB143-ASA1,6 Section 6. 256.15 (4) (e) and (f) of the statutes are created to read:

SB143-ASA1,3,6 256.15 (4) (e) 1. The department shall allow an ambulance service provider providing services at the emergency medical technician — basic level to staff an ambulance with at least one emergency medical technician — basic and one individual who is an emergency medical technician — basic, an individual with an emergency medical technician — basic training permit, or a first responder. An ambulance service provider providing services at the emergency medical technician — basic level shall require an emergency medical technician — basic to be in the patient compartment of the ambulance during transport.

SB143-ASA1,3,16 2. The department shall allow an ambulance service provider providing services at the emergency medical technician — intermediate or emergency medical technician — intermediate technician level to staff an ambulance with one emergency medical technician at the level of the ambulance service and one individual who holds a credential at the first responder level or higher. An ambulance service provider providing services at the emergency medical technician — intermediate or emergency medical technician — intermediate technician level shall require the individual who holds the same level credential as the ambulance service to remain with the patient at all times during care and transport of the patient, if the patient requires that level of care.

SB143-ASA1,3,23 3. This paragraph applies to ambulance service providers for which the population of the largest single municipality, as defined in s. 5.02 (11), in the ambulance service provider's service area is less than 10,000 and to ambulance service providers with a staffing waiver under par. (f). This paragraph does not apply to ambulance service providers for which the population of the largest single municipality, as defined in s. 5.02 (11), in the ambulance service provider's service area is more than 20,000.

SB143-ASA1,4,3 (f) 1. An ambulance service provider for which the population of the largest single municipality, as defined in s. 5.02 (11), in the ambulance service provider's service area is 10,000 or more but not more than 20,000 may apply to the department for a waiver of any existing staffing plan in order to staff an ambulance with the personnel described in par. (e).

SB143-ASA1,4,5 2. The department may approve a waiver under subd. 1. for an ambulance service provider that demonstrates all of the following:

SB143-ASA1,4,7 a. The ambulance service provider has undertaken efforts to recruit and train emergency medical technicians capable of being licensed under this section.

SB143-ASA1,4,9 b. Despite efforts under subd. 2. a., licensed emergency medical technicians are not available in sufficient numbers for staffing for the ambulance services provider.

SB143-ASA1,4,12 c. Without a waiver under subd. 1., the municipality that the ambulance service provider serves is unable to meet staffing requirements for ambulances that require 2 emergency medical technicians on every service call.

SB143-ASA1,4,14 3. The department shall provide a written staffing waiver to any ambulance service provider it approves under subd. 2.

SB143-ASA1,4,16 4. A waiver under subd. 1. is valid for 48 months after the date of issuance, and an ambulance service provider may apply to renew the waiver.

SB143-ASA1,4,19 5. An ambulance service provider with a waiver under subd. 1. shall attempt to staff an ambulance with 2 licensed emergency medical technicians whenever possible.

SB143-ASA1,4,20 (End)