SESSION OF 2024
SUPPLEMENTAL NOTE ON SENATE BILL NO. 384
As Amended by House Committee of the Whole
Brief*
SB 384, as amended, would prohibit the Emergency
Medical Service (EMS) Board from requiring a vehicle
providing emergency medical service in a city or county with
a population of less than 50,000 to operate with more than
the minimum personnel required by statute.
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.
No other testimony was provided.
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
2- 384 American Community Survey estimate provided to
the Senate Committee.]
House Committee on Local Government
In the House Committee hearing on March 13, 2024,
proponent testimony was provided by Representative Droge
and representatives of the EMS Board, Kansas EMS
Association, and League of Kansas Municipalities. The
proponents generally stated that the bill would address an
issue that has existed for five to six years and does so while
providing flexibility to rural communities without compromising
the oversight responsibilities of the EMS Board.
Written-only proponent testimony was provided by a
representative of the Kansas Legislative Policy Group who
identified himself as a Meade County Commissioner.
Written-only neutral testimony was provided by a
representative of the American Heath Association. The
representative urged for the consideration of additional tools
such as training 911 operators in telecommunicator
cardiopulmonary resuscitation in order to increase the
survival rate of individuals suffering cardiac arrest in rural
areas.
No other testimony was provided.
House Committee of the Whole
The House Committee of the Whole amended the bill to:
●Remove the provision granting permanent variance
authority to the EMS Board; and
●Reinstate the provision prohibiting the EMS Board
from requiring more staff on any emergency
medical service vehicle than minimal staffing
3- 384 required by statute in a city or county with a
population of less than 50,000.
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.
Emergency medical service; ambulance; variance from rule and regulation
4- 384