SB 21-LICENSE MOBILE INTENSIVE CARE PARAMEDICS  3:16:56 PM CO-CHAIR FIELDS announced that the next order of business would be SENATE BILL NO. 21, "An Act relating to mobile intensive care paramedics; relating to duties of the State Medical Board and the Department of Health and Social Services; and providing for an effective date." 3:17:24 PM SETH DUGGEN, Staff, Senator Josh Revak, Alaska State Legislature, introduced SB 21 on behalf of Senator Revak, prime sponsor. He said that SB 21 would consolidate oversight of the emergency medical services system under a single agency; currently, regulation of the EMS system is split between the State Medical Board and the Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS). He briefly discussed the fragmented nature of the history of Alaska's emergency medical services system and pointed out that DHSS has the responsibility for certifying emergency medical technicians and instructors, training, ground ambulances, medevac services, and paramedic instructors; paramedics, however, remain under the purview of the State Medical Board. He said that the proposed legislation would not change the scope of practice, license requirements, or fee schedule for the approximately 600 paramedics licensed in Alaska, and that medical direction would be provided by the existing DHSS Chief Medical Officer and the EMS Medical Director's Committee, comprised of 11 members specialized in emergency medicine. He said that the State Emergency Medical Services Office has a staff of six full-time positions, five of which are required to have paramedic experience, and with its existing data systems are ready to incorporate paramedic licensure, it's prepared to support the change. 3:19:51 PM The committee took an at-ease from 3:19 p.m. to 3:20 p.m. 3:20:22 PM MR. DUGGAN presented the sectional analysis for SB 21, which read as follows [original punctuation provided]: Sec. 1 amends 08.64.107, State Medical Board/Regulation of physician assistants and intensive care paramedics, to remove regulation of paramedic licensure from the Medical Board. (See also Sec. 8.) Sec. 2 amends 08.64.170(a), License to practice medicine, podiatry, or osteopathy, allowing paramedics to practice medicine to render emergency lifesaving service under "another law" instead of under the Medical Board's authority. (See also Sec. 6) Sec. 3 amends 08.64.360, Penalty for practicing without a license or in violation of chapter, to remove paramedics. (See also Sec. 10) Sec. 4 amends 08.64.369(d), Health care professionals to report certain injuries, to change paramedics licensed under the Medical Board to those licensed under DHSS, for health care providers who must report certain injuries to the Department of Public Safety. Sec. 5 amends 12.55.185(11), Sentencing and Probation, to change paramedics licensed under the Medical Board to those licensed under DHSS. Sec. 6 amends 18.08.075, Authority of emergency medical technician, to allow paramedics to provide emergency medical care. (See also Sec. 2.) Sec. 7 amends 18.08.080, Emergency Medical Services/Regulation, to require DHSS to adopt regulations establishing standards for paramedic licenses. Sec. 8 adds a new subsection 18.08.082(a)(5), Issuance of certificates; designations, to add regulation of paramedic licensure to DHSS. (See also Sec. 1.) Sec. 9 amends 18.08.082(b), Issuance of certificates; designations, to clarify that DHSS is the central certifying and licensing agency for all emergency medical services. Sec. 10 amends 18.08.084(a), Certificate required, to prohibit a person from practicing as a paramedic without a license. (See also Sec. 3.) Sec. 11 amends 18.08.086(a), Immunity from liability, adding license because they are certified. This means it provides immunity in 08.02, which includes paramedics. They are not liable for civil damages unless it's gross negligence. Sec. 12 18.08.089(a) is amended to allow a paramedic to pronounce someone's death if the paramedic falls under one of the three categories. Sec. 13 adds a new paragraph (14) to 18.08.200, Emergency Medical Services/Definitions, to add the definition of "mobile intensive care paramedic". (See also Sec. 14.) Sec. 14 Amends 29.45.050(r) to include mobile intensive care paramedics in a municipal property tax exemption. Emergency Medical Services are already under this, this section just clarifies Mobile Intensive Care Paramedics. Sec. 15 amends 37.05.146(c)(77)(F), Definition of program receipts and non-general fund program receipts, to add fees for licensure of paramedics to the list of fees collected by DHSS. Sec. 16 repeals 08.64.366, Liability for services rendered by a mobile intensive care paramedic (See 18.08.086, Immunity from liability, under DHSS). Repeals 08.64.380, Medicine/Definitions to remove (3) "emergency lifesaving service" and (4) "mobile intensive care paramedic" (See also Sec. 12). Sec. 17 amends the uncodified law to provide transitional authorities: (a) A current paramedic license issued before January 1, 2021 remains valid until it expires under the Medical Board, is suspended or revoked, or is converted to a license under DHSS. (b) The Department of Commerce, Community and Economic Development and the Medical Board will transfer to DHSS on January 1, 2021, files of all pending paramedic-related records and proceedings, applications, and disciplinary actions. (c) Authority for DHSS to adopt regulations which shall include the conversion of unexpired paramedic licenses issued under the Medical Board. Sec. 18 provides an immediate effective date for DHSS to adopt regulations. Sec. 19 provides an effective date of January 1, 2022. 3:22:34 PM CO-CHAIR FIELDS announced that SB 21 was held over.