PARAMEDIC LICENSING REQUIREMENTS S.B. 249:
SUMMARY OF INTRODUCED BILL
IN COMMITTEE
Senate Bill 249 (as introduced 4-11-23) (Senate-passed version)
CONTENT
The bill would amend the Public Health Code to do the following:
-- Modify provisions governing the licensing of paramedics.
-- Modify the definition of "examination".
-- Require an education program sponsor that was not accredited to inform an individual that the education program sponsor was not accredited before offering an education program to the individual seeking to become licensed as a paramedic.
Paramedic Licensure, Examination
The Code requires the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) to issue a medical first responder, emergency medical technician (EMT), EMT specialist, paramedic, or EMT instructor-coordinator license only to an individual who meets certain requirements, including attaining a passing score on an appropriate DHHS-prescribed examination.
Currently, "examination" means a written and practical evaluation approved or developed by the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians or other organization with equivalent national recognition and expertise in emergency medical services personnel testing and approved by the DHHS. An examination is required to be taken by an individual seeking to become licensed as a medical first responder, emergency medical technician, emergency medical technician specialist, or paramedic.
The bill would delete "written and practical" from the definition of examination.
In addition, under the bill, a paramedic would have to pass either of the following:
-- A written and practical examination developed or prescribed by the DHHS other than the examination currently defined in the Code.
-- The written examination proctored by the DHHS or its designee and a practical examination proctored by the DHHS or its designee; an individual who took the examination would have to pay the fee for the examination directly to the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians or another organization approved by the DHHS.
Within two years after the bill's effective date, the DHHS would have to develop or prescribe the written and practical examinations described above.
The DHHS could charge a fee for an applicant taking the examination developed or prescribed by it in an amount that did not exceed the fee for an applicant taking the examination approved or developed by the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians.
Education Program Sponsors, Accreditation
The Code prescribes certain duties that the DHHS must perform regarding educational programs and services, including reviewing and approving education program sponsors, ongoing education program sponsors, and curricula for emergency medical services personnel. "Education program sponsor" means a person, other than in individual, that meets the standards of the DHHS to conduct training at the following levels:
-- Medical first responder.
-- Emergency medical technician.
-- Emergency medical technician specialist.
-- Paramedic.
-- Emergency medical services instructor-coordinator.
An education program sponsor that conducts education programs for paramedics and that receives accreditation from the joint review committee on educational programs for the EMT-paramedic or other organization approved by the DHHS as having equivalent expertise and competency in the accreditation of paramedic education programs is considered approved by the Department if the education program sponsor submits an application to the DHHS that includes verification of accreditation and maintains that accreditation.
Under the bill, before offering an education program to an individual seeking to become licensed as a paramedic, an education program sponsor that was not accredited would have to inform the individual that the education program sponsor was not accredited.
MCL 333.20904 et al.
PREVIOUS LEGISLATION
(This section does not provide a comprehensive account of previous legislative efforts on this subject matter.)
Senate Bill 249 is a reintroduction of House Bill 6086 from the 2021-2022 Legislative Session. House Bill 6086 passed the House and was referred to the Senate Committee of the Whole but received no further action.
Legislative Analyst: Alex Krabill
FISCAL IMPACT
The bill would have a negative fiscal impact on the DHHS resulting from the requirement that the Department develop or prescribe a paramedic certification examination other than that examination developed by the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians. The bill would have no fiscal impact on local units of government.
The DHHS indicates that the cost to establish an examination program would be $2.0 million, while annual costs would be $1.6 million and an additional 15.0 full-time-equivalents. The cost to develop, implement, and maintain a paramedic certification examination would be offset by a fee charged to take the examination. The bill would limit the DHHS from charging a fee greater than the one charged by the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians, which currently is set at $160.
Fiscal Analyst: Ellyn Ackerman
This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.