HB 73 — An Act amending Title 35 (Health and Safety) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in emergency medical services system, further providing for emergency medical responders, for emergency medical technicians, for emergency medical services vehicle operators and for advanced life support ambulances.

PRINTER'S NO.   61

                     THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                         HOUSE BILL
                         No. 73
                                                Session of
                                                  2025

     INTRODUCED BY CAUSER, ARMANINI, BANTA, CUTLER, DELOZIER, HAMM,
        JAMES, PICKETT, RAPP, SMITH, STENDER AND VITALI,
        JANUARY 14, 2025

     REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON VETERANS AFFAIRS AND EMERGENCY
        PREPAREDNESS, JANUARY 14, 2025


                                    AN ACT
 1   Amending Title 35 (Health and Safety) of the Pennsylvania
 2      Consolidated Statutes, in emergency medical services system,
 3      further providing for emergency medical responders, for
 4      emergency medical technicians, for emergency medical services
 5      vehicle operators and for advanced life support ambulances.
 6      The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
 7   hereby enacts as follows:
 8      Section 1.    Sections 8114(c), 8115(c)(2), 8122(a)(6) and (8)
 9   and (b)(1)(iv), (3) and (4) and 8130(b) of Title 35 of the
10   Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes are amended to read:
11   § 8114.    Emergency medical responders.
12      * * *
13      (c)    Triennial registration.--An EMR's certification is
14   deemed registered for three years after issuance. An EMR must
15   register the EMR certification at three-year intervals by
16   completing an application for triennial registration on a form
17   or through an electronic process, as prescribed by the
18   department. The following shall apply:
 1        (1)   The department shall issue a triennial registration
 2    of an EMR certification to an EMR who meets all of the
 3    following:
 4              (i)    Has a current registration and applies for a new
 5        registration no later than:
 6                     (A)   30 days before the current registration is
 7              to expire; or
 8                     (B)   a lesser time established by regulation of
 9              the department.
10              (ii)    Successfully:
11                     (A)   completes EMR triennial registration
12              practical skills and written knowledge examinations
13              approved by the department; or
14                     (B)   secures continuing education credits for EMR
15              triennial registration as required by the department
16              in continuing education programs approved by the
17              department.
18        (2)   An EMR whose registration of an EMR certification
19    has [expired must qualify for a triennial registration of the
20    certification as prescribed by regulation of the department.]
21    been expired for six years or less may be recertified if the
22    following criteria are met:
23              (i)    The EMR tests for competency or completes 16
24        hours of continuing education credits as determined by
25        the department.
26              (ii)    The EMR obtains a valid certificate evidencing
27        successful completion of a CPR course acceptable to the
28        department.
29        (3)   The department shall certify an EMR who meets the
30    criteria under paragraph (2).

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 1      * * *
 2   § 8115.    Emergency medical technicians.
 3      * * *
 4      (c)    Triennial registration.--An EMT's certification is
 5   deemed registered for three years after issuance. An EMT must
 6   register the EMT certification at three-year intervals by
 7   completing an application for triennial registration on a form
 8   or through an electronic process, as prescribed by the
 9   department. The following shall apply:
10             * * *
11             (2)   An EMT whose registration of an EMT certification
12      has [expired must qualify for a triennial registration of the
13      certification as prescribed by regulation of the department.]
14      been expired for six years or less may be recertified if the
15      following criteria are met:
16                   (i)    The EMT tests for competency or completes 24
17             hours of continuing education credits as determined by
18             the department.
19                   (ii)    The EMT obtains a valid certificate evidencing
20             successful completion of a CPR course acceptable to the
21             department.
22   § 8122.    Emergency medical services vehicle operators.
23      (a)    Certification.--An EMS vehicle operator certification
24   shall be permanent, subject to disciplinary action under this
25   section. The department shall certify as an EMS vehicle operator
26   a person who meets all of the following:
27             * * *
28             (6)   Has successfully completed an emergency vehicle
29      operator's course of instruction in person and on site, or by
30      digital format, with a trainer approved by the department.

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 1            * * *
 2            (8)    Has successfully completed an emergency vehicle
 3      operator's course of instruction in person and on site, or by
 4      digital format, with a trainer approved by the department
 5      following a disqualification from certification under
 6      paragraph (7), regardless of whether the person successfully
 7      completed the course previously.
 8      (b)   Registration.--An EMS vehicle operator, other than an
 9   EMS vehicle operator who operates a vehicle exclusively for a
10   QRS, shall register the EMS vehicle operator's certification. An
11   EMS vehicle operator who operates an EMS vehicle exclusively for
12   a QRS shall have no registration requirements. Except as
13   otherwise provided in this subsection, an EMS vehicle operator's
14   certification shall be deemed registered for three years after
15   issuance. An EMS vehicle operator may not operate a ground EMS
16   vehicle unless the certification is currently registered. The
17   following shall apply:
18            (1)    The department shall issue a registration of an EMS
19      vehicle operator's certification to an EMS vehicle operator
20      who meets all of the following:
21                   * * *
22                   [(iv)   Successfully completes continuing education
23            credits for EMS vehicle operators as required by the
24            department in continuing education programs approved by
25            the department.]
26            * * *
27            [(3)    If an EMS provider's certification is subject to a
28      biennial registration cycle, the continuing education
29      requirements for the registration of the EMS vehicle
30      operator's certification following the initial registration

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 1      of the certification shall be prorated based upon the month
 2      in which the EMS provider became certified, with any
 3      fractional requirement rounded down.
 4             (4)   An EMS vehicle operator whose registration of an EMS
 5      vehicle operator's certification has expired shall qualify
 6      for a biennial registration of the certification as
 7      prescribed by regulation of the department.]
 8      * * *
 9   § 8130.    Advanced life support ambulances.
10      * * *
11      (b)    Staffing requirements.--
12             (1)   Except as otherwise provided in this section,
13      minimum staffing requirements for an ALS ambulance when
14      responding to a call to provide EMS for a patient requiring
15      EMS above the skill level of an advanced EMT is one EMS
16      provider at or above the EMT level[,] and one EMS provider
17      above the advanced EMT level. [and one EMS vehicle operator.
18      Only the two EMS providers need to respond if one of them is
19      also the EMS vehicle operator.] When present, an EMS provider
20      qualified to provide the type and level of EMS required by
21      the patient must attend to the patient at the scene and
22      during transportation. If a member of the ambulance crew
23      arrives at the scene before another crew member, that person
24      shall begin providing EMS to the patient at that person's
25      skill level.
26             (2)   Minimum staffing requirements for an ALS ambulance
27      is the same as for a BLS ambulance when the ALS ambulance
28      responds to a call to provide EMS for a patient requiring EMS
29      at or below the skill level of an advanced EMT.
30             (3)   When necessary and due to limited availability of

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1     EMS resources, such as staffing during a 911 emergency call,
2     the ALS staffing requirement under this subsection may be one
3     EMS provider at or above the advanced EMT level and one EMS
4     vehicle operator. The department shall provide guidance for
5     the provision of patient care under this paragraph.
6     Section 2.    This act shall take effect in 60 days.




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