HB 2033 -- Ambulance Services

Sponsor:  Hoppe

This bill contains provisions relating to ambulance services.
The bill:

(1)  Allows ambulance districts with boards of directors
numbering 6, with voter approval, to increase to 7 members or
decrease to 5 or 3 members;

(2)  Contains ballot language pertaining to these elections and
provisions regarding subdistricts and length of terms;

(3)  Allows board members to be recalled.  Recalls may not be
commenced against members who have not held office for 180 days,
have less than 180 days left in their term, or have had a recall
election determined in their favor.  Signatures needed to have a
recall election must equal at least 25% of the number of votes
in the most recent gubernatorial election in the subdistrict.
If the election authority determines the signatures are
insufficient, the petition may be supplemented within 10 days of
the certificate by filing additional petitions.  At any time
prior to 42 days before the election, members being sought to be
recalled may resign.

(4)  Includes in the definition section of emergency services,
"proof of financial responsibility";

(5)  Allows the Director of the Department of Health to
recognize regional emergency medical services committees in lieu
of creating a new committee;

(6)  Requires ground ambulances to be staffed by at least 2
licensed individuals when transporting a patient;

(7)  Requires an owner to notify the Department of Health within
30 days of a sale or transfer of an ambulance service license;

(8)  Requires letters of endorsement adopted by political
subdivisions to state that proposed ambulance services will
provide benefits that outweigh the associated costs, that the
political subdivision will maintain or enhance the public's
access to ambulance services and promote the continued
development of regional emergency services, and that the service
has demonstrated appropriate expertise in the operation of
ambulance services and has the financial resources necessary for
the operation of the proposed ambulance service;

(9)  Requires ambulance service providers to provide proof of
financial responsibility with adequate reserves maintained
before being granted a license;

(10)  Expands the causes for which complaints may be filed
against licensees with the Administrative Hearing Commission to
include the refusal of licensees to cooperate with
investigations, conduct or practice which could be considered
dangerous to the mental or physical health of a patient or the
public, and gross or repeated negligence in the performance of
their duties;

(11)  Makes persons having their licenses revoked twice within a
10-year period ineligible for relicensure;

(12)  Requires written or electronic patient care documents to
be given to the ambulance service personnel by the health care
facility when a patient is transferred between health care
facilities; and

(13)  Requires employers to report to the department any
knowledge of charges of felony offences by their employees
within 72 hours.