By Van de Putte H.B. No. 2385 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to pediatric emergency medical services. 1-3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-4 SECTION 1. Chapter 773, Health and Safety Code, is amended 1-5 by adding Subchapter G to read as follows: 1-6 SUBCHAPTER G. PEDIATRIC EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES 1-7 Sec. 773.171. EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES FOR CHILDREN 1-8 PROGRAM. (a) The emergency medical services for children program 1-9 is in the bureau of emergency management. 1-10 (b) The department shall provide coordination and support 1-11 for a statewide pediatric emergency services system. 1-12 (c) The department may solicit, receive, and spend funds it 1-13 receives from the federal government and public or private sources 1-14 to carry out the purposes of this subchapter. 1-15 Sec. 773.172. PEDIATRIC EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES ADVISORY 1-16 COMMITTEE. (a) The Pediatric Emergency Medical Services Advisory 1-17 Committee is composed of seven members appointed by the 1-18 commissioner or the commissioner's designee. 1-19 (b) The members must include individuals who are clinical 1-20 management, clinical education, and administration experts in the 1-21 areas of prehospital care, emergency room care, acute care, 1-22 children's hospital care, and rehabilitation of pediatric patients. 1-23 2-1 (c) Members are appointed for staggered six-year terms, with 2-2 the terms of a portion of the members expiring August 31 of each 2-3 odd-numbered year. If a vacancy occurs on the committee, the 2-4 commissioner or the commissioner's designee shall appoint a person 2-5 to serve for the remainder of the unexpired term. 2-6 (d) The committee may adopt rules for the conduct of its 2-7 activities and may elect a presiding officer from among its 2-8 members. The committee shall meet in Austin at least quarterly. 2-9 (e) The committee shall advise the department on the 2-10 emergency medical needs of pediatric patients and shall recommend 2-11 for the board's consideration rules providing minimum standards and 2-12 objectives to implement this subchapter. Committee members serve 2-13 as pediatric experts to advise the board and to serve as liaison 2-14 members for other committees associated with the bureau, including 2-15 the Emergency Medical Services Advisory Council, the trauma 2-16 technical advisory committee, and the coordinating committee on 2-17 poison control. 2-18 Sec. 773.173. DUTIES OF BOARD; RULES. (a) On the 2-19 recommendation of the advisory committee, the board shall adopt 2-20 minimum standards and objectives to implement a pediatric emergency 2-21 services system, including rules that: 2-22 (1) provide guidelines for categorization of a 2-23 facility's pediatric capability; 2-24 (2) provide for triage, transfer, and transportation 2-25 policies for pediatric care; 3-1 (3) establish guidelines for: 3-2 (A) prehospital care management for triage and 3-3 transportation of a pediatric patient; 3-4 (B) prehospital and hospital equipment that is 3-5 necessary and appropriate for the care of a pediatric patient; 3-6 (C) necessary pediatric emergency equipment and 3-7 training in long-term care facilities; and 3-8 (D) an interhospital transfer system for a 3-9 critically ill or injured pediatric patient; and 3-10 (4) provide for data collection and analysis. 3-11 (b) The board and the advisory committee shall consider 3-12 guidelines endorsed by the American Academy of Pediatrics and the 3-13 American College of Surgeons in recommending and adopting rules 3-14 under this section. 3-15 (c) The bureau may grant an exception to a rule adopted 3-16 under this section if it finds that compliance with the rule would 3-17 not be in the best interests of persons served in the affected 3-18 local pediatric emergency medical services system. 3-19 (d) This subchapter does not prohibit a health care facility 3-20 from providing services that it is authorized to provide under a 3-21 license issued to the facility by the department. 3-22 SECTION 2. Two initial members appointed to the Pediatric 3-23 Emergency Medical Services Advisory Committee serve for terms 3-24 expiring August 31, 1995, two initial members serve for terms 3-25 expiring August 31, 1997, and three initial members serve for terms 4-1 expiring August 31, 1999. The seven initial members shall draw 4-2 lots to determine the lengths of their terms. 4-3 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the 4-4 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 4-5 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 4-6 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 4-7 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended, 4-8 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its 4-9 passage, and it is so enacted.