STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1097-20

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2020

RE: S.B. No. 3091

S.D. 1

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirtieth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2020

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Health, to which was referred S.B. No. 3091, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to enable the Hawaii Medical Board to also certify emergency medical responders other than emergency ambulance service personnel.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii Medical Board and Kauai Fire Department. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from one individual. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Health, Honolulu Emergency Services Department, and three individuals.

Your Committee finds that emergency medical personnel are an integral component of Hawaii's emergency medical system. However, existing laws relating to the certification of emergency medical personnel address only emergency ambulance service personnel, rather than all emergency medical personnel. This measure authorizes the Hawaii Medical Board to certify other emergency medical personnel, such as firefighters and ocean safety lifeguards, and, thus, increase the supply of emergency medical responders in the State.

Your Committee notes the recommendations in testimony from the Department of Health, that there be no location or employer restriction for holding a valid Emergency Medical Technician–Basic or paramedic license in Hawaii, which is similar to other health care professional licensing.

Your Committee also notes that some concerns were raised in testimony before your Committee that this measure creates multiple categories of emergency medical technicians, which may result in certain categories of emergency medical technicians being upgraded to the detriment of other types of emergency medical technicians.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Reinstating language that requires certification as emergency personnel to be a prerequisite to the practice of emergency medical services as an employee of an emergency ambulance service, rather than as an employee of an emergency service;

(2) Permitting an individual with proof of current certification from the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians as an emergency medical technician to be deemed to have met the educational requirements to perform emergency medical services as an emergency medical technician in the State; and

(3) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Health that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 3091, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 3091, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Consumer Protection & Commerce.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Health,

____________________________

JOHN M. MIZUNO, Chair