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132nd MAINE LEGISLATURE
FIRST SPECIAL SESSION-2025
Legislative Document No. 1599H.P. 1057House of Representatives, April 10, 2025
An Act to Establish the Maine Emergency Medical Services
Commission
Reference to the Committee on Criminal Justice and Public Safety suggested and ordered
printed.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative SALISBURY of Westbrook.
Cosponsored by Senator TALBOT ROSS of Cumberland and
Representatives: BLIER of Buxton, DUCHARME of Madison, Senator: CURRY of Waldo. Page 1 - 132LR1520(01)
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2 is enacted to read:
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Emergency
Medical
Services
Maine Emergency Medical Services
Commission
Legislative Per
Diem and
Expenses
32 MRSA
§99
4 is enacted to read:
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10 referred to in this section as "the commission," is established pursuant to Title 5, section
11 12004-J, subsection 22 to monitor and evaluate the State's emergency medical services
12 system on a continuing basis and provide recommendations to the appropriate state
13 agencies and to the Legislature regarding necessary changes in the emergency medical
14 services system.
15 The commission consists of 26 members as follows:
16 A. Three members of the Senate, including at least one member of the party holding
17 the largest number of seats in the Legislature and at least one member of the party
18 holding the 2nd largest number of seats in the Legislature, appointed by the President
19 of the Senate;
20 B. Three members of the House of Representatives, including at least one member of
21 the party holding the largest number of seats in the Legislature and at least one member
22 of the party holding the 2nd largest number of seats in the Legislature, appointed by
23 the Speaker of the House of Representatives;
24 C. The Commissioner of Health and Human Services or the commissioner's designee;
25 D. The director or the director's designee;
26 E. The chair of the board or the chair’s designee;
27 F. A representative of the Office of the Governor, designated by the Governor;
28 G. The following 6 members, appointed by the Governor:
29 (1) A representative of a statewide association representing hospitals;
30 (2) A representative of a statewide association representing ambulance services;
31 (3) A representative of a statewide association representing municipalities;
32 (4) A representative of a statewide association representing counties;
33 (5) A representative of a statewide association representing fire chiefs; and
34 (6) A member of the public;
35 H. The following 5 members, appointed by the President of the Senate:
36 (1) A member who is employed or volunteers in the field of emergency medical
37 services and represents a community of 10,000 or more residents;
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1 (2) A member who is employed or volunteers in the field of emergency medical
2 services and represents a community of fewer than 10,000 residents;
3 (3) A representative of the Maine Community College System;
4 (4) A member with expertise in health insurance coverage, billing and associated
5 matters relating to the provision of emergency medical services by an emergency
6 medical services provider licensed under section 82; and
7 (5) A member representing an emergency medical services provider licensed
8 under section 82 primarily engaged in the provision of nonemergency transporting;
9 and
10 I. The following 5 members, appointed by the Speaker of the House of
11 Representatives:
12 (1) A member representing an emergency medical services provider licensed
13 under section 82 operating primarily in a rural area of the State;
14 (2) A member representing an emergency medical services provider licensed
15 under section 82 operating primarily in a nonrural area of the State;
16 (3) A member who is a volunteer emergency medical services person;
17 (4) A representative of the state chapter of a national organization representing
18 emergency physicians; and
19 (5) A member representing air ambulance services.
20 Terms of appointment for members are as follows.
21 A. The terms of appointment for legislative members appointed pursuant to subsection
22 2, paragraphs A and B coincide with their respective legislative terms of office.
23 B. Of the initial appointments made under subsection 2, paragraphs G, H and I, each
24 appointing authority shall appoint 2 members for terms of 3 years, 2 members for terms
25 of 2 years and the remaining members for terms of one year. Subsequent appointments
26 must be made for terms of 3 years.
27 C. Members may serve beyond their designated terms until their successors are
28 appointed.
29 The director shall call the first meeting of the commission as soon as all
30 appointments are made and as soon as funding permits. At the first meeting, the
31 commission shall select a chair, a vice-chair, a secretary and a treasurer from among its
32 members. The commission may select new officers annually.
33 The commission may meet as often as necessary but must meet at least
34 quarterly. A meeting may be called by the chair or by any 4 members. The commission
35 shall take and maintain minutes of all meetings.
36 If funding permits, the commission may employ staff as needed. The
37 staffs of the members represented on the commission may assist the commission in carrying
38 out its functions and duties within the staffs' existing resources. The commission may
39 contract for administrative, professional and clerical services if funding permits.
40 The commission may seek, accept and expend outside funding to carry
41 out its duties. Page 3 - 132LR1520(01)
1 The commission shall:
2 A. Regularly advise the Governor and executive officers, the Legislature, Maine
3 Emergency Medical Services, emergency medical services providers licensed under
4 section 82 and any other parties affected by the commission's recommendations
5 regarding emergency medical services;
6 B. Submit a report containing the results of the commission's studies, findings and
7 recommendations to the Governor and to the joint standing committee of the
8 Legislature having jurisdiction over public safety matters by January 1st of each year.
9 As resources permit, the report must include, but is not limited to:
10 (1) An assessment of existing and needed resources and expected resource needs
11 within the State's emergency medical services system and recommendations for
12 funding those needs;
13 (2) An evaluation of existing emergency medical services programs, initiatives
14 and resources, including recommendations for improvements, for new programs
15 and initiatives and for funding options for oversight and administration of the
16 State's emergency medical services system; and
17 (3) Recommendations for effective management of resources within the State's
18 emergency medical services system; for enhancing the collection and distribution
19 of emergency medical services data; regarding evaluation methodology for the
20 State's emergency medical services system; and for recruitment and retention of
21 emergency medical services persons, both paid and volunteer.
22 After reviewing the report submitted under this paragraph, the committee may report
23 out legislation relating to the report;
24 C. Adopt rules necessary to carry out the commission's duties. Rules adopted pursuant
25 to this paragraph are routine technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375,
26 subchapter 2-A;
27 D. Conduct public hearings, conferences, workshops and other meetings to obtain
28 information about and discuss and publicize the needs of and solutions to problems
29 concerning the State's emergency medical services system; and
30 E. Submit proposed legislation to the Legislature to implement any recommendations
31 of the commission.
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33 This bill establishes the Maine Emergency Medical Services Commission to monitor
34 and evaluate the State's emergency medical services system on a continuing basis and
35 provide recommendations to the appropriate state agencies and to the Legislature regarding
36 necessary changes in the emergency medical services system.
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