SLS 11RS-1102 ORIGINAL
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Regular Session, 2011
SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTI ON NO. 40
BY SENATOR CHEEK
HEALTH/HOSPITALS DEPT. Requests the Department of Health and Hospitals and the
Louisiana Ambulance Alliance to work in collaboration through the Emergency Medical
Services Professional Working Group to meet certain goals and to report to the Senate and
House committees on health and welfare by February 1, 2012.
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTI ON1
To urge and request the Department of Health and Hospitals and the Louisiana Ambulance2
Alliance to work in collaboration through the Emergency Medical Services3
Professional Working Group to meet certain goals and to report to the Senate and4
House committees on health and welfare by February 1, 2012.5
WHEREAS, it is of the utmost importance that the state of Louisiana foster and6
maintain strong emergency services and emergency services professionals who are able to7
work collaboratively in order to successfully address emergency response, emergency8
preparedness, and emergency services; and9
WHEREAS, in order to facilitate a strong and vibrant emergency medical services10
system and professionals, it is imperative that there are clear and easily understandable11
regulations governing the emergency medical services system and profession; and12
WHEREAS, in enacting R.S. 40:123 et seq., this legislature found that the13
Department of Health and Hospitals, office of public health, bureau of emergency medical14
services, constitutes an invaluable part of the healthcare delivery system of Louisiana; and15
WHEREAS, it is important that nationally required changes to regulations governing16
emergency medical services are incorporated into the Louisiana Revised Statutes before17
January 1, 2014; and18 SCR NO. 40
SLS 11RS-1102 ORIGINAL
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WHEREAS, with emergency services delivery and emergency preparedness planning1
challenges in the state only increasing, the emergency medical system must move away from2
the traditional structures and develop integrated and collaborative service delivery methods3
which seek to maximize, while still maintaining the highest degree of competency by which4
emergency medical services are provided to the citizens of this state; and WHEREAS, it is5
essential that the solutions to these challenges be developed through a thoughtful and6
deliberative process.7
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby8
urge and request the Department of Health and Hospitals and the Louisiana Ambulance9
Alliance to work in collaboration through the Emergency Medical Services Professional10
Working Group to meet certain goals and to report to the Senate and House committees on11
health and welfare by February 1, 2012.12
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Emergency Medical Services Professional13
Working Group is hereby created and shall be composed of the following members who14
shall be appointed no later than July 15, 2011:15
(1) The secretary of the Department of Health and Hospitals or his designee.16
(2) The chief executive officer of the Louisiana Ambulance Alliance or his designee.17
(3) The Department of Health and Hospitals Director of Emergency Preparedness or18
his designee.19
(4) The Louisiana State Fire Marshall or his designee.20
(5) The executive director of the Louisiana Emergency Response Network (LERN)21
or his designee.22
(6) The executive director of the Louisiana Chapter of the American College of23
Emergency Physicians or his designee.24
(7) The chairperson of the Department of Health and Hospitals Emergency Medical25
Services Certification Commission or his designee who is, at a minimum, a state-certified26
emergency medical technician.27
(8) The president of the Louisiana Association of Registered Emergency Medical28
Technicians or his designee, who is, at a minimum, a state-certified emergency medical29
technician.30 SCR NO. 40
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In addition, the following professionals within the Louisiana Department of Health1
and Hospitals may appoint one representative to the working group to act in an advisory2
capacity only:3
(1) The director of the bureau of emergency medical services, office of public health,4
within the Department of Health and Hospitals.5
(2) The chair of the Ambulance Standards Committee of the Emergency Medical6
Services Task Force.7
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the initial meeting shall be held no later than8
August 1, 2011, and the Emergency Medical Services Professional Working Group shall9
provide for the manner and frequency of the group's meetings and for all other10
administrative matters necessary in order to function as a working group.11
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the following objectives and goals shall be met12
by the Emergency Medical Services Professional Working Group:13
(1) Develop language for legislation to address nationally required changes to14
Louisiana law governing emergency medical services.15
(2) Discuss and outline additional system recommendations which may improve16
emergency medical services, avoid service duplication and redundancy, and align services17
with currently existing departments within the Department of Health and Hospitals.18
(3) Review, discuss and recommend the most appropriate location and statutory19
structure for the licensure and certification of emergency medical personnel, specifically20
addressing whether the licensing function should remain with the Department of Health and21
Hospitals or be transferred to an independent regulatory board or other more appropriate22
venue as identified by the Emergency Medical Services Professional Working Group. 23
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Emergency Services Professional Working24
Group shall submit a written report of its conclusions and recommendations to the Senate25
and House committees on health and welfare by February 1, 2012. The group shall26
terminate no later than June 30, 2012.27
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to all28
members of the Emergency Medical Services Professional Working Group.29 SCR NO. 40
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The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Greg Waddell.
DIGEST
Cheek SCR No. 40
Requests DHH and the Louisiana Ambulance Alliance to work in collaboration through the
Emergency Medical Services Professional Working Group to meet certain goals and to
report to the Senate and House committees on health and welfare by February 1, 2012.