24 LC 46 0772
Senate Bill 449
By: Senators Walker III of the 20th, Kennedy of the 18th, Anavitarte of the 31st, Gooch of
the 51st, Payne of the 54th and others
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To amend Code Section 31-7-12.8 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to
1
certification as nursing aid and employer sponsored training and competency examination2
program, so as to exempt certain military medical personnel from an examination3
requirement to qualify as a certified nursing aide; to amend Article 3 of Chapter 11 of Title4
31 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to personnel regarding emergency5
medical services, so as to exempt certain military medical personnel from certain6
requirements to qualify as a paramedic, cardiac technician, or an emergency medical7
technician; to amend Article 2 of Chapter 26 of Title 43 of the Official Code of Georgia8
Annotated, relating to licensed practical nurses, so as to exempt certain military medical9
personnel from certain requirements to qualify as a licensed practical nurse; to provide for10
a definition; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.11
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:12
SECTION 1.13
Code Section 31-7-12.8 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to certification14
as nursing aide and employer sponsored training and competency examination program, is15
amended by adding two subsections to read as follows:16
S. B. 449
- 1 - 24 LC 46 0772
"31-7-12.8.
17
(a) The department shall certify an applicant for certification as a certified nurse aide who18
meets the following qualifications:19
(1) Has relevant professional or educational experience as determined by the department;20
and21
(2) Has achieved a minimum score, as established by rule of the department, on a22
certified nurse aide competency examination consisting of a written portion and a23
skills-demonstration portion, as approved by the department.24
(b) The department shall approve employer based programs sponsored by or offered in25
assisted living communities, private home care providers, personal care homes, or other26
long-term care facilities licensed by the department for certified nurse aide training and27
competency examination programs, in the same manner as such programs are approved in28
nursing homes, as determined by the department. The department shall require all29
employer based programs to meet the requirements set forth in 42 C.F.R. 483.152 and other30
applicable laws and regulations.31
(c) The department, in collaboration with the Department of Veteran Services, shall
32
establish a program through which military medical personnel may be certified as a nurse33
aide without meeting the examination requirements provided for in paragraph (2) of34
subsection (a) of this Code section.35
(d) For purposes of this Code section, the term 'military medical personnel' means an36
individual who has, within 24 months of seeking certification pursuant to this Code section,37
served as a medic in the United States Army, medical technician in the United States Air38
Force, or corpsman in the United States Navy or Coast Guard and who was discharged or39
released from such service under conditions other than dishonorable."40
S. B. 449
- 2 - 24 LC 46 0772
SECTION 2.
41
Article 3 of Chapter 11 of Title 31 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to42
personnel regarding emergency medical services, is amended by revising Code Section43
31-11-52, relating to certification and recertification of, and training for, paramedics and44
cardiac technicians and qualifications by felons, as follows:45
"31-11-52.46
(a) The department shall establish procedures and standards for certifying and recertifying47
paramedics and cardiac technicians. An applicant for initial certification as a paramedic48
or a cardiac technician must
shall:49
(1) Submit a completed application on a form to be prescribed by the department, which50
shall include evidence that the applicant is 18 years of age or older and is of good moral51
character;52
(2) Submit from the department a notarized statement that the applicant has completed53
a training course approved by the department;54
(3) Submit to the department a fee as set forth in the regulations of the department; and55
(4) Meet such other requirements as are set forth in the rules and regulations of the56
department.57
(b) The department shall also adopt procedures and standards for its approval of paramedic58
training courses and cardiac technician training courses. The department shall adopt such59
regulations after consultation with appropriate public and private agencies and60
organizations concerned with medical education and the practice of medicine. Procedures61
and standards adopted by the department shall be consistent with the purposes and62
provisions of this chapter.63
(c) An applicant convicted of a felony more than five but less than ten years prior to64
application shall not be disqualified for certification, provided that such applicant has:65
(1) Successfully completed a training program approved by the department and66
sponsored by the Department of Corrections pursuant to Code Section 42-5-57; and67
S. B. 449
- 3 - 24 LC 46 0772
(2) Met all other requirements as set forth in this chapter.
68
(d) The department, in collaboration with the Department of Veteran Services, shall
69
establish a program through which military medical personnel may be certified or70
recertified as paramedics and cardiac technicians without meeting the requirements71
provided for in paragraphs (2) and (4) of subsection (a) of this Code section.72
(e) For purposes of this Code section, the term 'military medical personnel' means an73
individual who has, within 24 months of seeking certification pursuant to this Code section,74
served as a medic in the United States Army, medical technician in the United States Air75
Force, or corpsman in the United States Navy or Coast Guard and who was discharged or76
released from such service under conditions other than dishonorable."77
SECTION 3.78
Said article of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to personnel, is further79
amended by revising Code Section 31-11-53, relating to services which may be rendered by80
certified emergency medical technicians and trainees, by adding two new subsections to read81
as follows:82
"31-11-53.83
(a) Upon certification by the department, emergency medical technicians may do any of84
the following:85
(1) Render first-aid and resuscitation services as taught in the United States Department86
of Transportation basic training courses for emergency medical technicians or an87
equivalent course approved by the department;88
(2) Upon the order of a duly licensed physician, administer approved intravenous89
solutions and opioid antagonists; and90
(3) Upon the order of a duly licensed physician during a public health emergency, as91
defined in Code Section 31-12-1.1, administer vaccines.92
S. B. 449
- 4 - 24 LC 46 0772
(b) While in training preparatory to becoming certified, emergency medical technician
93
trainees may perform any of the functions specified in this Code section under the direct94
supervision of a duly licensed physician or a registered nurse.95
(c) The department, in collaboration with the Department of Veteran Services, shall
96
establish a program through which military medical personnel may be certified as97
emergency medical technicians without additional training, experience, or examination.98
(d) For purposes of this Code section, the term 'military medical personnel' means an99
individual who has, within 24 months of seeking certification pursuant to this Code section,100
served as a medic in the United States Army, medical technician in the United States Air101
Force, or corpsman in the United States Navy or Coast Guard and who was discharged or102
released from such service under conditions other than dishonorable."103
SECTION 4.104
Article 2 of Chapter 26 of Title 43 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to105
licensed practical nurses, is amended by revising Code Section 43-26-36, relating to106
application for licensure and examination, by adding new subsections to read as follows:107
"(c) Notwithstanding Code Section 43-1-35, or any other provision of law, the board, in108
collaboration with the Department of Veteran Services, shall establish a program through109
which military medical personnel may be licensed as a licensed practical nurse without110
meeting the requirements provided for in paragraphs (3), (5), and (6) of subsection (a) of111
this Code section.112
(d) For purposes of this Code section, the term 'military medical personnel' means an113
individual who has, within 24 months of seeking licensure pursuant to this Code section,114
served as a medic in the United States Army, medical technician in the United States Air115
Force, or corpsman in the United States Navy or Coast Guard and who was discharged or116
released from such service under conditions other than dishonorable."117
S. B. 449
- 5 - 24 LC 46 0772
SECTION 5.
118
All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.119
S. B. 449
- 6 -