| 1 | 1 | | MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE 2025 Regular Session To: Public Health and Human Services By: Representative Rushing House Bill 696 AN ACT TO AUTHORIZE EMERGENCY MEDICAL TECHNICIANS CERTIFIED BY THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH WHO ARE PART OF A LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY'S SPECIAL RESPONSE TEAM (SRT) OR SPECIAL WEAPONS AND TACTICS (SWAT) TEAM WHO HAVE UNDERGONE EXTENSIVE TRAINING AND CERTIFICATIONS WITHIN THE SCOPE OF TACTICAL EMERGENCY CASUALTY CARE (TECC) AND/OR TACTICAL COMBAT CASUALTY CARE (TCCC) TO PERFORM CERTAIN ADVANCED MEDICAL PROCEDURES UNDER MEDICAL CONTROL; TO BRING FORWARD SECTIONS 41-60-11 AND 41-60-13, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, WHICH RELATE TO EMERGENCY MEDICAL TECHNICIANS PROVIDING ADVANCED LIFE SUPPORT SERVICES, FOR THE PURPOSES OF POSSIBLE AMENDMENT; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: SECTION 1. (1) Emergency medical technicians certified by the State Department of Health who are part of a law enforcement agency's Special Response Team (SRT) or Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) Team who have undergone extensive training and certifications within the scope of Tactical Emergency Casualty Care (TECC) and/or Tactical Combat Casualty Care (TCCC), as determined by the department, are authorized to perform advanced medical procedures under medical control, including, but not limited to, the following: (a) Airway management by means of nasopharyngeal (NPA), oropharyngeal (OPA), and/or supraglottic, with the usage of oxygen blow-by, nasal cannula (NC), or bag valve mask (BVM); (b) Relieving possible tension pneumothorax secondary to trauma by means of chest needle decompression; (c) Intravenous vascular access for fluid replacement, fluid administration, and/or saline lock, in preparation for higher level of care and/or medication administration from a higher level provider; and (d) Such other advanced medical procedures as specified by the department. (2) The State Board of Health shall adopt rules and regulations to implement the provisions of this section. SECTION 2. Section 41-60-11, Mississippi Code of 1972, is brought forward as follows: 41-60-11. As used in Sections 41-59-29 through 41-59-37 and Sections 41-60-11 and 41-60-13, unless the context otherwise requires, the term: (a) "Advanced life support" means a sophisticated level of prehospital and interhospital emergency care which includes basic life-support functions including cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), plus cardiac monitoring, cardiac defibrillation, telemetered electrocardiography, administration of antiarrhythmic agents, intravenous therapy, administration of specific medications, drugs and solutions, use of adjunctive ventilation devices, trauma care and other authorized techniques and procedures. (b) "Advanced life-support personnel" means persons other than physicians engaged in the provision of advanced life support, as defined and regulated by rules and regulations promulgated by the board. (c) "Emergency medical technician-advanced" means a person specially trained in an advanced life-support training program authorized by the Mississippi State Board of Health. (d) "Emergency medical technician-paramedic" means a person specially trained in an advanced life-support training program authorized by the Mississippi State Board of Health. (e) "Emergency medical technician-paramedic critical care" means a person who (i) is licensed as a Mississippi Emergency Medical Technician Paramedic, and (ii) has successfully completed a critical care paramedic program recognized by the Bureau of Emergency Medical Services and the Mississippi State Department of Health. (f) "Medical control" means directions and advice provided from a centrally designated medical facility staffed by appropriate personnel, operating under medical supervision, supplying professional support through radio or telephonic communication for on-site and in-transit basic and advanced life-support services given by field and satellite facility personnel. SECTION 3. Section 41-60-13, Mississippi Code of 1972, is brought forward as follows: 41-60-13. The Mississippi State Board of Health is authorized to promulgate and enforce rules and regulations to provide for the best and most effective emergency medical care, and to comply with national standards for advanced life support. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, advanced life support personnel may be authorized to provide advanced life support services as defined by rules and regulations promulgated by the State Board of Health. Rules and regulations promulgated pursuant to this authority shall, as a minimum: (a) Define and authorize appropriate functions and training programs for advanced life support trainees and personnel; provided, that all such training programs shall meet or exceed the performance requirements of the current training program for the emergency medical technician-paramedic, developed for the United States Department of Transportation. (b) Specify minimum operational requirements which will assure medical control over all advanced life support services. (c) Specify minimum testing and certification requirements and provide for continuing education and periodic recertification for all advanced life support personnel. SECTION 4. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2025. |
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| 2 | 2 | | |
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| 3 | 3 | | MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | 2025 Regular Session |
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| 6 | 6 | | |
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| 7 | 7 | | To: Public Health and Human Services |
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| 8 | 8 | | |
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| 9 | 9 | | By: Representative Rushing |
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| 10 | 10 | | |
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| 11 | 11 | | # House Bill 696 |
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| 12 | 12 | | |
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| 13 | 13 | | AN ACT TO AUTHORIZE EMERGENCY MEDICAL TECHNICIANS CERTIFIED BY THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH WHO ARE PART OF A LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY'S SPECIAL RESPONSE TEAM (SRT) OR SPECIAL WEAPONS AND TACTICS (SWAT) TEAM WHO HAVE UNDERGONE EXTENSIVE TRAINING AND CERTIFICATIONS WITHIN THE SCOPE OF TACTICAL EMERGENCY CASUALTY CARE (TECC) AND/OR TACTICAL COMBAT CASUALTY CARE (TCCC) TO PERFORM CERTAIN ADVANCED MEDICAL PROCEDURES UNDER MEDICAL CONTROL; TO BRING FORWARD SECTIONS 41-60-11 AND 41-60-13, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, WHICH RELATE TO EMERGENCY MEDICAL TECHNICIANS PROVIDING ADVANCED LIFE SUPPORT SERVICES, FOR THE PURPOSES OF POSSIBLE AMENDMENT; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. |
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| 14 | 14 | | |
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| 15 | 15 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI: |
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| 16 | 16 | | |
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| 17 | 17 | | SECTION 1. (1) Emergency medical technicians certified by the State Department of Health who are part of a law enforcement agency's Special Response Team (SRT) or Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) Team who have undergone extensive training and certifications within the scope of Tactical Emergency Casualty Care (TECC) and/or Tactical Combat Casualty Care (TCCC), as determined by the department, are authorized to perform advanced medical procedures under medical control, including, but not limited to, the following: |
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| 18 | 18 | | |
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| 19 | 19 | | (a) Airway management by means of nasopharyngeal (NPA), oropharyngeal (OPA), and/or supraglottic, with the usage of oxygen blow-by, nasal cannula (NC), or bag valve mask (BVM); |
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| 20 | 20 | | |
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| 21 | 21 | | (b) Relieving possible tension pneumothorax secondary to trauma by means of chest needle decompression; |
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| 22 | 22 | | |
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| 23 | 23 | | (c) Intravenous vascular access for fluid replacement, fluid administration, and/or saline lock, in preparation for higher level of care and/or medication administration from a higher level provider; and |
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| 24 | 24 | | |
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| 25 | 25 | | (d) Such other advanced medical procedures as specified by the department. |
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| 26 | 26 | | |
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| 27 | 27 | | (2) The State Board of Health shall adopt rules and regulations to implement the provisions of this section. |
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| 28 | 28 | | |
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| 29 | 29 | | SECTION 2. Section 41-60-11, Mississippi Code of 1972, is brought forward as follows: |
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| 30 | 30 | | |
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| 31 | 31 | | 41-60-11. As used in Sections 41-59-29 through 41-59-37 and Sections 41-60-11 and 41-60-13, unless the context otherwise requires, the term: |
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| 32 | 32 | | |
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| 33 | 33 | | (a) "Advanced life support" means a sophisticated level of prehospital and interhospital emergency care which includes basic life-support functions including cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), plus cardiac monitoring, cardiac defibrillation, telemetered electrocardiography, administration of antiarrhythmic agents, intravenous therapy, administration of specific medications, drugs and solutions, use of adjunctive ventilation devices, trauma care and other authorized techniques and procedures. |
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| 34 | 34 | | |
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| 35 | 35 | | (b) "Advanced life-support personnel" means persons other than physicians engaged in the provision of advanced life support, as defined and regulated by rules and regulations promulgated by the board. |
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| 36 | 36 | | |
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| 37 | 37 | | (c) "Emergency medical technician-advanced" means a person specially trained in an advanced life-support training program authorized by the Mississippi State Board of Health. |
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| 38 | 38 | | |
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| 39 | 39 | | (d) "Emergency medical technician-paramedic" means a person specially trained in an advanced life-support training program authorized by the Mississippi State Board of Health. |
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| 40 | 40 | | |
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| 41 | 41 | | (e) "Emergency medical technician-paramedic critical care" means a person who (i) is licensed as a Mississippi Emergency Medical Technician Paramedic, and (ii) has successfully completed a critical care paramedic program recognized by the Bureau of Emergency Medical Services and the Mississippi State Department of Health. |
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| 42 | 42 | | |
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| 43 | 43 | | (f) "Medical control" means directions and advice provided from a centrally designated medical facility staffed by appropriate personnel, operating under medical supervision, supplying professional support through radio or telephonic communication for on-site and in-transit basic and advanced life-support services given by field and satellite facility personnel. |
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| 44 | 44 | | |
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| 45 | 45 | | SECTION 3. Section 41-60-13, Mississippi Code of 1972, is brought forward as follows: |
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| 46 | 46 | | |
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| 47 | 47 | | 41-60-13. The Mississippi State Board of Health is authorized to promulgate and enforce rules and regulations to provide for the best and most effective emergency medical care, and to comply with national standards for advanced life support. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, advanced life support personnel may be authorized to provide advanced life support services as defined by rules and regulations promulgated by the State Board of Health. Rules and regulations promulgated pursuant to this authority shall, as a minimum: |
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| 48 | 48 | | |
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| 49 | 49 | | (a) Define and authorize appropriate functions and training programs for advanced life support trainees and personnel; provided, that all such training programs shall meet or exceed the performance requirements of the current training program for the emergency medical technician-paramedic, developed for the United States Department of Transportation. |
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| 50 | 50 | | |
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| 51 | 51 | | (b) Specify minimum operational requirements which will assure medical control over all advanced life support services. |
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| 52 | 52 | | |
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| 53 | 53 | | (c) Specify minimum testing and certification requirements and provide for continuing education and periodic recertification for all advanced life support personnel. |
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| 54 | 54 | | |
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| 55 | 55 | | SECTION 4. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2025. |
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