SESSION OF 2024
SUPPLEMENTAL NOTE ON SENATE BILL NO. 384
As Amended by Senate Committee on Local
Government
Brief*
SB 384, as amended, would authorize the Emergency
Medical Services Board (EMS Board) to grant a permanent
variance from a rule and regulation adopted to implement,
enforce, or otherwise regulate provisions regarding minimal
staffing on each vehicle providing emergency service.
The bill also would make a technical amendment to
clarify the personnel required on each vehicle providing
emergency medical service.
Background
The bill was introduced by the Senate Committee on
Local Government at the request of a representative of the
League of Kansas Municipalities (LKM).
Senate Committee on Local Government
In the Senate Committee hearing on February 1, 2024, a
representative of LKM provided proponent testimony, stating
rules and regulations adopted by the EMS Board require a
minimum of two medical certified staff on an ambulance, and
rural communities especially face shortages of people serving
as emergency medical staff. He noted the EMS Board offers
12-month waivers.
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*Supplemental notes are prepared by the Legislative Research
Department and do not express legislative intent. The supplemental
note and fiscal note for this bill may be accessed on the Internet at
http://www.kslegislature.org Written-only proponent testimony was provided by the
Administrator of the North Central Kansas Medical Center
(Concordia), a representative of the City of Concordia, and
the President of the Kansas Legislative Policy Group.
The Executive Director of the EMS Board and
representatives of the the Kansas Emergency Medical
Services Association, Kansas State Firefighters Association,
and Mid-America Regional Council Emergency Rescue
provided opponent testimony, stating having only one
medically certified person both driving an ambulance and also
responsible for the patient would increase risk to patients and
to providers. The EMS Board Executive Director described
variances granted to five ambulance services from certain
staffing requirements.
A representative of the American Heart Association
provided written-only neutral testimony.
In the Senate Committee hearing on February 13, 2024,
a representative of LKM described an amendment to which
proponents had agreed.
The Senate Committee amended the bill to:
●Authorize the EMS Board to grant a permanent
variance to any rule and regulation regarding
minimum staffing on any emergency medical
service vehicle; and
●Remove provisions that would have prohibited the
EMS Board from requiring more staff on any
emergency medical service vehicle than minimal
staffing required by statute in a city or county with a
population of less than 50,000. [Note: The
populations of 10 Kansas counties and 9 Kansas
cities exceed 50,000, according to a 2022
American Community Survey estimate provided to
the Senate Committee.]
2- 384 Fiscal Information
According to the fiscal note provided by the Division of
the Budget on the bill as introduced, the EMS Board indicated
enactment would result in fee fund expenditures of $290,000
in FY 2025, and $280,00 in FY 2026 to support 3.0 new full-
time equivalent analyst positions, who would review eligibility
for operating with only one staff member. The State Board of
Healing Arts indicated enactment of the bill would not have an
effect on its operations. Any fiscal effect associated with
enactment of the bill is not reflected in The FY 2025
Governor’s Budget Report.
LKM and the Kansas Association of Counties indicated
the bill would reduce emergency medical service staffing
costs for local governments.
No revised fiscal information was available on the bill as
amended by the Senate Committee when the Senate
Committee took action on the bill.
Emergency medical service; Emergency Medical Services Board; ambulance;
variance from rule and regulation
3- 384