BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 1960

By: Cortez

Defense & Veterans' Affairs

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Interested parties report that the executive commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission, in an effort to assist returning veterans in securing employment, issued an executive order instituting reciprocity for emergency medical services (EMS) personnel certification to military personnel with EMS credentials from the U.S. military. These parties assert that many military combat medic programs are substantially similar to civilian EMS certification programs and that the same consideration should be given to veterans who have received training under a combat medic program as is given to civilian EMS personnel from other states with regard to certification. H.B. 1960 seeks to provide a statutory basis for such certification reciprocity.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the executive commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission in SECTIONS 1 and 2 of this bill.

ANALYSIS

H.B. 1960 amends the Health and Safety Code to require the executive commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission by rule to provide that an individual is eligible for emergency medical services personnel certification through reciprocity if the individual successfully completed emergency medical services training provided by the U.S. military, has emergency medical services personnel credentials from the U.S. military, and is certified by the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians. The bill requires the executive commissioner to adopt rules necessary to implement the bill's provisions not later than January 1, 2014.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2013.