RÉSUMÉ DIGEST
ACT 184 (HB 195) 2021 Regular Session Selders
Existing law (R.S. 23:1017.1(6)) provides a definition of "first responder" as meaning a
volunteer engaged in activities involving the Governor's Office of Homeland Security and
Emergency Preparedness pursuant to existing law (R.S. 29:721 et seq.) and first responder
as defined in existing law (R.S. 40:1231) including but not limited to medical personnel,
emergency and medical technicians, volunteer firemen, auxiliary law enforcement officers,
and members of the Civil Air Patrol.
New law adds state agency essential workers, emergency service dispatchers, and emergency
response operators to the definition of "first responder".
Existing law (R.S. 29:739(C) provides that "first responder" refers to those individuals who
in the early stages of an incident are responsible for the protection and preservation of life,
property, evidence, and the environment, including emergency response providers as defined
in Section 2 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 101), as well as emergency
management, public health, clinical care, public works, and other skilled support personnel,
such as equipment operators that provide immediate support services during prevention,
response, and recovery operations consistent with Homeland Security Presidential Directive
8.
New law adds state agency essential workers to the definition of "first responder".
New law adds definitions for "emergency response operator", "emergency services
dispatcher", and "first responder" to the State Police Law, R.S. 40:1371 et seq.
Effective August 1, 2021.
(Amends R.S. 23:1017.1(6), R.S. 29:723(9), and R.S. 40:1372)