By Glaze H.B. No. 1603 74R5685 KLL-D A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to the certification of emergency medical dispatchers. 1-3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-4 SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 773, Health and Safety 1-5 Code, is amended by adding Section 773.0551 to read as follows: 1-6 Sec. 773.0551. CERTIFICATION OF EMERGENCY MEDICAL 1-7 DISPATCHERS. (a) The department shall provide for the voluntary 1-8 certification of emergency medical dispatchers. 1-9 (b) The board by rule shall establish minimum standards for 1-10 certification as an emergency medical dispatcher. 1-11 (c) A nonrefundable fee of $25 must accompany each 1-12 application for certification as an emergency medical dispatcher. 1-13 (d) The department shall issue a certificate to an emergency 1-14 medical dispatcher who meets the minimum standards for 1-15 certification adopted under this section. A certificate is valid 1-16 for four years after the date of issuance. 1-17 (e) The department shall charge a fee of $5 to replace a 1-18 lost or stolen certificate. 1-19 (f) This section does not require an emergency medical 1-20 dispatcher to be certified. 1-21 (g) In this section, "emergency medical dispatcher" means an 1-22 individual who: 1-23 (1) provides authorized prearrival instructions to an 1-24 emergency caller on a telecommunications system; and 2-1 (2) may dispatch emergency response personnel and 2-2 equipment. 2-3 SECTION 2. The importance of this legislation and the 2-4 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 2-5 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 2-6 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 2-7 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended, 2-8 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its 2-9 passage, and it is so enacted.