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SENATE DOCKET, NO. 838 FILED ON: 1/18/2023
SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1367
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
Paul R. Feeney
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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:
The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
An Act relative to emergency medical services oversight.
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PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :Paul R. FeeneyBristol and Norfolk 1 of 6
SENATE DOCKET, NO. 838 FILED ON: 1/18/2023
SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1367
By Mr. Feeney, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 1367) of Paul R. Feeney for
legislation to modernize emergency medical services oversight. Public Health.
[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE SENATE, NO. 1434 OF 2021-2022.]
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)
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An Act relative to emergency medical services oversight.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
of the same, as follows:
1 SECTION 1. Paragraph (6) of subsection (b) of section 3 of chapter 111C, as appearing
2in the 2014 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after the word “years”, in line 32,
3the following words:- , provided that, such plan shall include guidelines for clear and streamlined
4communication between the regional councils and the department.
5 SECTION 2. Subsection (c) of said section 3 of said chapter 111C, as so appearing, is
6hereby amended by striking out the word “board”, in line 101, and inserting in place thereof the
7following words:- “executive council”.
8 SECTION 3. Section 4 of said chapter 111C, as so appearing, is hereby amended by
9striking out paragraph (3) of subsection (c) in its entirety. 2 of 6
10 SECTION 4. Paragraph (6) of subsection (c) of said section 4 of said chapter 111C, as so
11appearing, is hereby amended by inserting after the words “input from”, in line 50, the following
12words:- , and communication to, .
13 SECTION 5. Said section 4 of said chapter 111C, as so appearing, is hereby amended by
14inserting after subsection (c) the following section:-
15 (d) Each regional EMS council shall prepare and annually file with the department and
16the executive council, on or before May 30, a regional EMS services and support plan outlining
17the regional EMS council’s planned efforts to meet and advance the regional EMS council’s
18roles and responsibilities, as outlined in section 4(c) of this chapter. Each regional EMS plan
19shall be consistent with the state EMS plan, although it may reflect regional differences. Each
20regional EMS system plan shall also include, without limitation, a trauma plan consisting of, at a
21minimum, trauma point of entry guidelines and scene triage criteria.
22 Upon submission, the department may amend each regional EMS council contract,
23subject to appropriation and to the guidelines provided by section 5 of this chapter, to reflect and
24respond to the submitted regional EMS plans.
25 SECTION 6. Subsection (d) of section 5 of said chapter 111C, as so appearing, is hereby
26amended by inserting after the word “regions”, in line 18, the following words:- , as well as the
27regional council’s annual submitted regional EMS plan.
28 SECTION 7. Section 13 of said chapter 111C, as so appearing, is hereby amended by
29striking out subsection (b) and inserting in place thereof the following subsection:- 3 of 6
30 (b) The board shall meet, at a minimum, once annually and serve in a general advisory
31capacity to the executive council established in section 13A, and the department, in coordinating
32the efforts of all persons and agencies in the state concerned with the EMS system, and shall
33render advice on the development of the EMS system where needed. At least one-half of the total
34appointed members shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.
35 SECTION 8. Said chapter 111C, as so appearing, is hereby amended by inserting after
36section 13 the following section:-
37 Section 13A. (a) There shall be within the department an Emergency Medical Services
38System Executive Council, consisting of the commissioner or a designee; the state medical
39director, or a designee; 2 directors of regional emergency medical services councils, or their
40designees, provided that each regional emergency medical service council shall be represented
41on the executive council for at least 1 term every 10 years; 2 medical directors of regional
42emergency medical services councils, or their designee, provided that, each regional emergency
43medical service council shall be represented on the executive council for at least 1 term every 10
44years; the director of the office of preparedness and emergency management at the department of
45public health, or a designee; and 12 members appointed by the commissioner, or their designees,
46as follows: 1 each from the Professional Fire Fighters of Massachusetts, the Massachusetts
47Ambulance Association, the Fire Chiefs Association of Massachusetts, the International
48Association of EMTs and Paramedics, the Massachusetts Call/Volunteer Firefighters
49Association, the Massachusetts Association of Hospital-Based Paramedic Services,
50Massachusetts Chapter of the American College of Emergency Physicians, the Massachusetts
51Chapter of the American College of Surgeons, the Massachusetts Medical Society, and the 4 of 6
52Massachusetts Municipal Association; 1 from the volunteer ambulance associations; and, a
53representative of the state 911 department.
54 The commissioner shall appoint the chair of the executive council. Each appointed
55member of the executive council shall serve a term of 3 years, or until a successor is appointed
56and qualified. At least one-half of the total appointed members of executive council shall
57constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. No appointed member shall serve more than
583 terms. Appointees shall serve without compensation.
59 (b) The executive council shall meet, at a minimum, once quarterly, and, in addition to
60other powers conferred in this chapter, including, without limitation, in subsection (c) of section
613, shall assist in coordinating the efforts of all persons and agencies in the state concerned with
62the EMS system, and shall render advice on the development of the EMS system where needed,
63including, but not limited to, review of and recommendations on the submitted regional EMS
64plans.
65 The executive council, in consultation with the department, shall submit an annual report
66to the commissioner and to the clerks of the house of representatives and senate, on or before
67June 30. There shall be established by the executive council, in consultation with the department,
68advisory committees to the executive council, including, without limitation, a trauma systems
69committee. The trauma systems committee shall be chaired by the commissioner or a designee
70and shall be composed of several individuals, each identified as representing: (1) regional EMS
71councils; (2) trauma centers; and (3) community hospitals. Other committees may be established
72and constituted by the executive council, in its discretion. 5 of 6
73 SECTION 9. Section 14 of said chapter 111C, as so appearing, is hereby amended by
74inserting the following paragraph:-
75 The department shall make available on the office of emergency medical services website
76information regarding the complaint resolution process for complaints made pursuant to this
77section, as well as any forms or other materials required to make a complaint against any person
78certified, licensed, designated, or otherwise approved by the department under this chapter.
79 SECTION 10. The department, in consultation with the executive council and the
80regional councils, shall study and make recommendations for potential permanent funding
81sources and mechanisms to support the office of emergency medical services, the regional
82councils, and central medical emergency direction centers. The department shall issue a report,
83with findings and recommendations, to the clerks of the house of representatives and senate, as
84well as the house and senate committees on ways and means, by December 1, 2024.
85 SECTION 11. There shall be an emergency medical services peer licensure advisory
86committee, which shall consist of the commissioner or a designee, the director of the office of
87emergency medical services or a designee, and 6 members appointed by the commissioner, or
88their designees, as follows: 1 each from the Professional Fire Fighters of Massachusetts, the
89Massachusetts Call/Volunteer Firefighters Association, the Professional Fire Chiefs Association
90of Massachusetts, the Massachusetts Ambulance Association, the Massachusetts Association of
91Hospital-Based Paramedic Services, and the International Association of EMTs and Paramedics.
92 The advisory committee shall meet, at a minimum, twice annually to advise the
93department on the complaint resolution process and disciplinary actions relative to persons
94certified, licensed, designated or otherwise approved by the department under chapter 111C. 6 of 6
95Each appointed member of this advisory council shall serve a term of 3 years, or until a
96successor is appointed and qualified. At least one-half of the total appointed members of this
97advisory council shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. No appointed member
98shall serve more than 3 terms. Appointees shall serve without compensation.