H.B. No. 241
    1-1                                AN ACT
    1-2  relating to standards for continuing education and recertification
    1-3  of emergency medical services personnel.
    1-4        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-5        SECTION 1.  Section 773.050(b), Health and Safety Code, is
    1-6  amended to read as follows:
    1-7        (b)  The board by rule shall establish minimum standards for:
    1-8              (1)  staffing an advanced life-support emergency
    1-9  medical services vehicle, a mobile intensive-care unit, or a
   1-10  specialized emergency medical services vehicle;
   1-11              (2)  emergency medical services personnel certification
   1-12  and performance, including certification, decertification,
   1-13  recertification, suspension, emergency suspension, and probation;
   1-14              (3)  the approval of courses and training programs, the
   1-15  certification of program instructors, examiners, and course
   1-16  coordinators for emergency medical services personnel training, and
   1-17  the revocation and probation of an approval or certification;
   1-18              (4)  continuing education programs and examinations of
   1-19  emergency medical services personnel;
   1-20              (5)  medical supervision of advanced life-support
   1-21  systems;
   1-22              (6) <(5)>  granting, suspending, and revoking a license
   1-23  for emergency medical services providers; and
   1-24              (7) <(6)>  emergency medical services vehicles.
    2-1        SECTION 2.  Sections 773.055(a), (b), and (d), Health and
    2-2  Safety Code, are amended to read as follows:
    2-3        (a)  A nonrefundable fee must accompany each application <for
    2-4  examination> for emergency medical services personnel
    2-5  certification.  The fee may not exceed:
    2-6              (1)  $75 for examination for certification <or
    2-7  recertification> of an emergency medical technician-paramedic or
    2-8  emergency medical technician-intermediate; <or>
    2-9              (2)  $50 for examination for certification <or
   2-10  recertification> of an emergency medical technician or emergency
   2-11  care attendant;
   2-12              (3)  $75 for recertification of an emergency medical
   2-13  technician-paramedic or emergency medical technician-intermediate;
   2-14  or
   2-15              (4)  $50 for recertification of an emergency medical
   2-16  technician or emergency care attendant.
   2-17        (b)  Except as provided by Subsection (c), the department
   2-18  shall notify each examinee of the results of an examination for
   2-19  certification <or recertification> not later than the 30th day
   2-20  after the date on which the examination is administered.
   2-21        (d)  The department shall furnish a person who fails an
   2-22  examination for certification <or recertification> with an analysis
   2-23  of the person's performance on the examination if requested in
   2-24  writing by that person.  The board may adopt rules to allow a
   2-25  person who fails the examination to retake all or part of the
   2-26  examination.  A fee of $25 must accompany each application for
   2-27  reexamination.
    3-1        SECTION 3.  Section 773.059(a), Health and Safety Code, is
    3-2  amended to read as follows:
    3-3        (a)  Except as provided by Subsection (b), a person applying
    3-4  for recertification whose application is received after the
    3-5  expiration date of the person's certificate must pay a late fee of
    3-6  $25 <in addition to the examination fee>.
    3-7        SECTION 4.  The importance of this legislation and the
    3-8  crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
    3-9  emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
   3-10  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
   3-11  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
   3-12  and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
   3-13  passage, and it is so enacted.