Pennsylvania HB 1491: An Act amending Title 35 (Health and Safety) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in emergency medical services system, further providing for declaration of policy, for definitions, for emergency medical services system programs and for duties of department; establishing the State EMS Advisory Board; and further providing for emergency medical services patient care reports, for funding, for notification of trauma center closure, for State Advisory Board, for regional emergency medical services councils, for comprehensive plan, for contracts and grants and for scholarships for recruitment, training and retention.

Bill Text

PRINTER'S NO. 1745
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No. 1491
Session of
2025
INTRODUCED BY CAUSER, BENNINGHOFF, GILLEN, COOK, COOPER, EMRICK,
JAMES, M. MACKENZIE, PICKETT, RAPP AND STENDER, MAY 19, 2025
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON VETERANS AFFAIRS AND EMERGENCY
PREPAREDNESS, MAY 21, 2025
AN ACT
Amending Title 35 (Health and Safety) of the Pennsylvania
Consolidated Statutes, in emergency medical services system,
further providing for declaration of policy, for definitions,
for emergency medical services system programs and for duties
of department; establishing the State EMS Advisory Board; and
further providing for emergency medical services patient care
reports, for funding, for notification of trauma center
closure, for State Advisory Board, for regional emergency
medical services councils, for comprehensive plan, for
contracts and grants and for scholarships for recruitment,
training and retention.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Section 8102(10) of Title 35 of the Pennsylvania
Consolidated Statutes is amended to read:
§ 8102. Declaration of policy.
The General Assembly finds and declares as follows:
* * *
(10) The [Department of Health should] commissioner
shall continually assess and, as needed, revise the functions
of emergency medical services agencies and providers and
other components of the emergency medical services system
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that it regulates under this chapter to:
(i) improve the quality of emergency medical
services provided in this Commonwealth;
(ii) have the emergency medical services system
adapt to changing needs of the residents of this
Commonwealth; and
(iii) promote the recruitment and retention of
persons willing and qualified to serve as emergency
medical services providers in this Commonwealth.
* * *
Section 2. The definitions of "advanced emergency medical
technician," "ambulance attendant," "board," "Commonwealth
emergency medical services medical director" or "Commonwealth
EMS medical director," "department," "emergency medical
responder" or "EMR," "emergency medical services agency" or "EMS
agency," "emergency medical services agency medical director" or
"EMS agency medical director," "emergency medical services
provider" or "EMS provider," "emergency medical services vehicle
operator" or "EMS vehicle operator," "emergency medical
technician" or "EMT," "medical command physician," "paramedic,"
"peer review," "prehospital emergency medical services
physician" or "prehospital EMS physician," "prehospital
physician extender" or "PHPE," "prehospital registered nurse" or
"PHRN," "regional emergency medical services council" or
"regional EMS council" and "review organization" in section 8103
of Title 35 are amended and the section is amended by adding
definitions to read:
§ 8103. Definitions.
The following words and phrases when used in this chapter
shall have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
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context clearly indicates otherwise:
* * *
"Advanced emergency medical technician." An individual who
is certified by the [Department of Health] commissioner as an
advanced emergency medical technician.
* * *
"Ambulance attendant." An individual who is 16 years of age
or older and satisfies one of the following:
(1) Possesses a certificate evidencing successful
completion of an advanced first aid course sponsored by the
American Red Cross and a current certificate evidencing
successful completion of a cardiopulmonary resuscitation
course acceptable to the [Department of Health] commissioner.
(2) Possesses a current certificate evidencing
successful completion of a course determined by the
[Department of Health] commissioner to be equivalent to the
requirements in paragraph (1).
* * *
"Board." [The State Advisory Board, which is the Board of
Directors of the Pennsylvania Emergency Health Services
Council.] The State Emergency Medical Service Advisory Board or
EMS Advisory Board.
* * *
"Commissioner." The State Emergency Medical Services
Commissioner or EMS Commissioner.
"Commonwealth emergency medical services medical director" or
"Commonwealth EMS medical director." A physician who is
approved and employed by the [Department of Health] commissioner
to advise and formulate policy on matters pertaining to
emergency medical services.
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"Council." The Pennsylvania Emergency Health Services
Council.
["Department." The Department of Health of the
Commonwealth.]
* * *
"Emergency medical responder" or "EMR." An individual who is
certified by the [Department of Health] commissioner as an
emergency medical responder.
* * *
"Emergency medical services agency" or "EMS agency." An
entity that engages in the business or service of providing
emergency m