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Minutes for SB212 - Committee on Local Government
Short Title
Permitting an ambulance to operate with one emergency medical service provider in rural counties.
Minutes Content for Thu, Feb 16, 2023
Chairperson McGinn opened the hearing on SB 212. Jason Long gave a Revisor's brief on the bill and stood for questions.
Senator Straub (Attachment 1) spoke as a proponent of the bill. It was brought to her attention by two of her constituents. The bill seeks to override the Board of the Kansas Emergency Medical Services (EMS) requirement of having two certified EMS professionals on board each ambulance. Rural counties with populations under 10,000 people are challenged with meeting the board standards for staffing. Regulations are overly restrictive for rural communities.
Caryn McAdams (Attachment 2) of the Miltonvale EMS and Miltonvale Rural Fire Chief, Richard Schultz spoke via Webex in support of the bill. Ms. Adams believes the bill would give her community greater flexibility in staffing their department to make sure their community was adequately covered for emergency services. Under the regulations of the Board of EMS, they have three options for their staffing challenge. They could outsource coverage when there were shortages and be fined. They could choose to surrender their permit and operate under another service which would increase response times. Or they could choose to close down their operations leaving their community without reasonable coverage.
Chief Schultz does not see a problem with firefighters also being ambulance drivers. They have already had their driving records checked and have undergone CPR training.
Additional written proponent testimony was received from Randy Leis (Attachment 3), Meade County Commissioner, Tammy Mars (Attachment 4), private citizen, Stan Bryant (Attachment 5), Pastor of Rozel Christian Fellowship, and Troy Armstrong (Attachment 6), Director of EMS Anderson County.
Joseph House (Attachment 7) spoke against the bill for the Kansas Board of EMS. They believe that the bill undermines the safety of all Kansans and that the minimum standard of care should not be dependent upon population density. They understand that current staffing requirements are achievable. In the last two years in only six instances of emergency transport out of over half a million, was there an issue with staffing shortages. In the rare situations where staffing is a challenge, a variance can be received. To date, no operator has requested a variance.
Additional written opponent testimony was received from David Adams (Attachment 8), President of Kansas EMS Association.
Neutral testimony for the bill was presented by Spencer Duncan (Attachment 9) of the League of Kansas Municipalities and Nancy Holland (Attachment 10) of the American Heart Association. Mr. Duncan recognized that the bill would benefit rural communities without reducing quality of care while improving timeliness of care. However, it does not effectively address the issue of staffing shortages that the EMS industry is experiencing across the state. Should the bill pass, the Board of EMS could still respond with changes in regulations that work around the intent of the law.
Ms. Holland noted in her testimony that the EMS system should be looked at as a whole and not in part. She sees the need and importance for all 911 operators to receive CPR training as the first link in the chain of survival. A trained 911 operator could instruct any lay person on the scene how to engage in CPR, thereby doubling the patients chance of survival.
Conferees stood for questions after testimonies.
Senator Francisco noted that the variance discussed by the Board of EMS was temporary and requested that Mr. House write to the committee explaining the variance process.
Chairperson McGinn closed the hearing on SB 212.
