The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part of the
legislative instrument, were prepared by Michelle Ridge.
DIGEST
SB 264 Original 2018 Regular Session Carter
Present law provides for training of emergency medical personnel.
Proposed law defines "public safety telecommunicator" as an individual receiving or dispatching
emergency medical condition service calls on behalf of a public safety agency.
Present law grants civil immunity to emergency medical services practitioners, parish governing
authorities, police departments, sheriffs' offices, fire departments, or other public agencies engaged
in rendering emergency medical services.
Proposed law provides that no public safety telecommunicator who instructs a caller on telephone
cardiopulmonary resuscitation (T-CPR) shall be liable for any civil damages arising out of the
instruction provided to the caller, except for acts or omissions intentionally designed to harm, or for
grossly negligent acts or omissions that result in harm to an individual.
Proposed law requires a public safety telecommunicator be trained in T-CPR utilizing nationally
recognized emergency cardiovascular care guidelines adopted by the bureau every two years.
Proposed law provides that the training, at a minimum, shall incorporate recognition protocols for
out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, compression-only CPR instructions for callers, and continuing
education as appropriate.
Proposed law requires:
(1)Persons employed as a public safety telecommunicator on or before June 30, 2018, shall
complete such training by July 1, 2019.
(2)Persons employed as a public safety telecommunicator on or after July 1, 2018, shall
complete such training within one year from the date of employment.
Proposed law provides that a public safety agency may enter into a reciprocal agreement with another
public safety agency to provide T-CPR, provided that the agency that accepts the call has a public
safety telecommunicator who is trained in T-CPR as provided by proposed law.
Proposed law requires the La. Dept. of Health, bureau of emergency medical services to identify all
public and private agencies, institutions, and individuals that are or may be engaged in T-CPR
training and establish minimum standards for course approval, instruction, and examination.
Proposed law provides that the Dept. of Health shall adopt rules in accordance with the APA as necessary to implement the provisions of proposed law.
Effective August 1, 2018.
(Amends R.S. 40:1131(21); adds R.S. 40:1131(22), 1133.13(F), and 1133.16)