SB 21-LICENSE MOBILE INTENSIVE CARE PARAMEDICS  1:57:44 PM ACTING CHAIR STEVENS reconvened the meeting and announced the consideration of 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." 1:58:09 PM SENATOR JOSH REVAK, speaking as sponsor, introduced SB 21 with the following statement: SB 21 seeks to consolidate oversight of the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) system under a single agency to improve peer and professional oversight. This has been years in the making through a deliberative process that involved hundreds of stakeholders throughout the EMS community. It has been unanimously supported by the State Medical Board and has broad support from paramedics around the state. Currently EMS oversight is split between the State Medical Board within the Department of Commerce and the EMS section within the Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS). This bill will transfer all paramedic licensure to the Alaska Emergency Medical Services in DHSS, which currently is responsible for certifying EMTs, EMT instructors, EMT training, ground ambulance, medevac services, paramedic instructors, and paramedic training. All the other EMS services except for paramedics. This split arose because paramedics did not exist in Alaska before 1974. After 1974, the term mobile intensive care paramedic was created for the new scope of practice in the Anchorage and Fairbanks fire departments. The emergency medical services within DHSS did not exist in Alaska code until 1981 when the responsibility to license and credential paramedics was placed under the State Medical Board. In 1984, the EMS section became fully functional; however, the paramedic licensure still stayed under the State Medical Board. SB 21 will not change the scope of practice, license requirements, or fee structure for the approximately 600 paramedic licenses in Alaska. The medical direction will be provided by the existing DHSS chief medical officer and the EMS medical director's committee comprised of 10 members specializing in emergency medicine, five of whom are required to have paramedic experience. The existing data systems are able to incorporate paramedic licensure, making the move a seamless transition. Transferring oversight and licensure of mobile intensive care paramedics from the State Medical Board to DHSS will fully integrate the EMS system and ensure it is robust, sustainable, and resilient so that it functions optimally. Aligning all EMS services under a single agency promotes public health and safety while also providing efficiencies through peer and professional oversight. SENATOR REVAK summarized that SB 21 has the same language as the bill the committee heard last year. It moves paramedics under the structure with the rest of the emergency medical services. He said he is unaware of any opposition to the legislation. ACTING CHAIR STEVENS polled the members and determined it was not necessary to go through the sectional analysis. 2:02:30 PM ACTING CHAIR STEVENS opened public testimony on SB 21. Finding nobody who wished to comment, he closed public testimony and solicited the will of the committee. 2:03:02 PM SENATOR HOLLAND moved to report SB 21, work order 32-LS0207\B, from committee with individual recommendations and attached zero fiscal note(s). ACTING CHAIR STEVENS found no objection and SB 21 passed from the Senate Labor and Commerce Standing Committee.