AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

 

The Department of State Health Services (DSHS) has moved from providing its own test for certifying and licensing emergency medical services (EMS) personnel to a national test administered by the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians (NREMT).  Recently, NREMT began requiring that all paramedic programs begin the process of becoming nationally accredited by January 1, 2013, in order for their students to sit for the paramedic examination.  Meeting national accreditation requires additional funding, facilities, equipment, faculty with higher education, and affiliation with an institution of higher education.  Private programs, many who train paramedics intending to serve their local communities, are struggling to meet these accreditation requirements.  Many programs will be unable to acquire the necessary resources to begin accreditation by the 2013 deadline.

 

S.B. 1265 provides additional time for paramedic training programs to achieve national accreditation, by extending the mandatory accreditation deadline to January 1, 2018.  S.B. 1265 also requires DSHS to partner with a testing entity that administers an examination that qualifies the examinee for licensure as a paramedic.

 

As proposed, S.B. 1265 amends current law relating to the accreditation of training programs and examinations for certain emergency medical services personnel.

 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

 

Rulemaking authority previously granted to the executive commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission is modified in SECTION 1 (Section 773.050, Health and Safety Code) of this bill.

 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

 

SECTION 1.  Amends Section 773.050, Health and Safety Code, by adding Subsections (b-1) and (b-2), as follows:

 

(b-1)  Prohibits a rule adopted under Subsection (b)(3) (requiring the executive commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission by rule from establishing minimum standards for the approval of courses and training programs, the certification of program instructors, examiners, and course coordinators for emergency medical services personnel training, and the revocation and probation of an approval or certification) from requiring a course or training program to be accredited by a national organization before January 1, 2018.

 

(b-2)  Requires the Department of State Health Services (DSHS), not later than January 1, 2013, to partner with a testing entity that administers an examination that qualifies the examinee for licensure as a paramedic.  Prohibits DSHS from reimbursing the testing entity for administering an examination, but authorizes the testing entity to charge a fee to an examinee.  Provides that this subsection expires January 1, 2018.

 

SECTION 2.  Effective date:  upon passage or September 1, 2011.