*SB0505.1*
January 30, 2025
SENATE BILL No. 505
_____
DIGEST OF SB 505 (Updated January 29, 2025 12:14 pm - DI 104)
Citations Affected: IC 16-18; IC 16-31.
Synopsis: Emergency transport to appropriate facility. Allows an
emergency medical responder, an emergency medical technician, an
advanced emergency medical technician, or a paramedic (emergency
medical services personnel) to transport an individual to: (1) a health
care facility; (2) a mental health facility; or (3) an urgent care facility;
that can provide the individual with appropriate and necessary
treatment. Provides that the emergency medical services personnel may
be reimbursed for transporting the individual to the facility.
Effective: July 1, 2025.
Deery
January 16, 2025, read first time and referred to Committee on Health and Provider
Services.
January 29, 2025, amended, reported favorably — Do Pass; reassigned to Committee on
Appropriations.
SB 505—LS 7520/DI 147 January 30, 2025
First Regular Session of the 124th General Assembly (2025)
PRINTING CODE. Amendments: Whenever an existing statute (or a section of the Indiana
Constitution) is being amended, the text of the existing provision will appear in this style type,
additions will appear in this style type, and deletions will appear in this style type.
Additions: Whenever a new statutory provision is being enacted (or a new constitutional
provision adopted), the text of the new provision will appear in this style type. Also, the
word NEW will appear in that style type in the introductory clause of each SECTION that adds
a new provision to the Indiana Code or the Indiana Constitution.
Conflict reconciliation: Text in a statute in this style type or this style type reconciles conflicts
between statutes enacted by the 2024 Regular Session of the General Assembly.
SENATE BILL No. 505
A BILL FOR AN ACT to amend the Indiana Code concerning
health.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Indiana:
1 SECTION 1. IC 16-18-2-110, AS AMENDED BY P.L.170-2022,
2 SECTION 19, IS AMENDED TO READ AS FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE
3 JULY 1, 2025]: Sec. 110. "Emergency medical services", for purposes
4 of IC 16-31, means an integrated medical care delivery system in which
5 emergency medical responders, emergency medical technicians,
6 advanced emergency medical technicians, and paramedics provide
7 emergency and nonemergency medical care to protect against the loss
8 of life or aggravation of illness or injury:
9 (1) during an emergency response;
10 (2) while transporting a patient in a ground or air ambulance
11 outside of a hospital, or a health care facility, a mental health
12 facility, or an urgent care facility (as defined in
13 IC 16-24.5-1-1); or
14 (3) as part of a mobile integrated healthcare program described in
15 IC 16-31-12.
16 SECTION 2. IC 16-18-2-225.6 IS ADDED TO THE INDIANA
17 CODE AS A NEW SECTION TO READ AS FOLLOWS
SB 505—LS 7520/DI 147 2
1 [EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2025]: Sec. 225.6. "Mental health facility",
2 for purposes of IC 16-31, refers to a certified community
3 behavioral health clinic (as defined in IC 12-15-1.3-25(a)).
4 SECTION 3. IC 16-18-2-362.1, AS ADDED BY P.L.50-2020,
5 SECTION 1, IS AMENDED TO READ AS FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE
6 JULY 1, 2025]: Sec. 362.1. "Urgent care facility", for purposes of
7 IC 16-24.5-1 and IC 16-31, has the meaning set forth in
8 IC 16-24.5-1-1.
9 SECTION 4. IC 16-31-4.5 IS ADDED TO THE INDIANA CODE
10 AS A NEW CHAPTER TO READ AS FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE
11 JULY 1, 2025]:
12 Chapter 4.5. Emergency Medical Services Transport
13 Sec. 1. An emergency medical responder, an emergency medical
14 technician, an advanced emergency medical technician, or a
15 paramedic may transport an individual to:
16 (1) a health care facility;
17 (2) a mental health facility; or
18 (3) an urgent care facility;
19 that can provide the individual with appropriate and necessary
20 treatment.
21 Sec. 2. An emergency medical responder, an emergency medical
22 technician, an advanced emergency medical technician, or a
23 paramedic may be reimbursed for transporting an individual to a
24 facility described in section 1 of this chapter.
25 SECTION 5. IC 16-31-6-1, AS AMENDED BY P.L.166-2021,
26 SECTION 2, IS AMENDED TO READ AS FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE
27 JULY 1, 2025]: Sec. 1. (a) A certified emergency medical responder,
28 a certified emergency medical technician, a certified advanced
29 emergency medical technician, or a licensed paramedic who provides
30 emergency medical services to an emergency patient is not liable for an
31 act or omission in providing those services unless the act or omission
32 constitutes gross negligence or willful misconduct. If the certified
33 emergency medical services provider is not liable for an act or
34 omission, no other person incurs liability by reason of an agency
35 relationship with the certified emergency medical services provider.
36 (b) This section does not affect the liability of a driver of an
37 ambulance for negligent operation of the ambulance.
38 (c) Except as provided in subsections (a) and (b), a certified
39 emergency medical technician, a certified advanced emergency
40 medical technician, or a licensed paramedic who provides emergency
41 medical services is not liable for transporting any person to an
42 appropriate health care facility, mental health facility, or urgent care
SB 505—LS 7520/DI 147 3
1 facility when the certified emergency medical technician, the certified
2 advanced emergency medical technician, or the licensed paramedic
3 makes a good faith judgment that the emergency patient or the
4 emergency patient's primary caregiver lacks the capacity to make an
5 informed decision about the patient's:
6 (1) safety; or
7 (2) need for medical attention;
8 and the emergency patient is reasonably likely to suffer disability or
9 death without the medical intervention available at the facility.
SB 505—LS 7520/DI 147 4
COMMITTEE REPORT
Mr. President: The Senate Committee on Health and Provider
Services, to which was referred Senate Bill No. 505, has had the same
under consideration and begs leave to report the same back to the
Senate with the recommendation that said bill be AMENDED as
follows:
Page 2, line 2, delete "means the following:" and insert "refers to
a certified community behavioral health clinic (as defined in
IC 12-15-1.3-25(a)).".
Page 2, delete lines 3 through 5.
and when so amended that said bill do pass and be reassigned to the
Senate Committee on Appropriations.
(Reference is to SB 505 as introduced.)
CHARBONNEAU, Chairperson
Committee Vote: Yeas 12, Nays 0.
SB 505—LS 7520/DI 147