Bill Text: TX SB1754 | 2013-2014 | 83rd Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to certification and recertification requirements for emergency services personnel.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2013-04-23 - Left pending in committee [SB1754 Detail]
Download: Texas-2013-SB1754-Introduced.html
83R7968 KKR-D | ||
By: Uresti | S.B. No. 1754 |
|
||
|
||
relating to certification and recertification requirements for | ||
emergency services personnel. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. Section 773.012, Health and Safety Code, is | ||
amended by adding Subsection (m) to read as follows: | ||
(m) The advisory council shall create and provide to the | ||
commissioner a list of recommended standardized training programs | ||
and standardized certification examinations to be used by the | ||
department to create a statewide standardized training and | ||
examination program for emergency medical services personnel. The | ||
council shall ensure that: | ||
(1) each included standardized training program is | ||
consistent with the emergency medical services education standards | ||
of the United States Department of Transportation or of another | ||
emergency medical services agency specified by the commissioner; | ||
and | ||
(2) each included standardized certification | ||
examination: | ||
(A) examines material comparable to the material | ||
examined in tests conducted by national testing organizations that | ||
certify emergency medical services personnel; | ||
(B) is based on the education standards described | ||
in Subdivision (1); | ||
(C) includes procedures to test practical skills | ||
proficiency; and | ||
(D) is certified as valid by an organization the | ||
council determines is capable of determining testing procedure and | ||
testing content validity. | ||
SECTION 2. Subchapter C, Chapter 773, Health and Safety | ||
Code, is amended by adding Section 773.0541 to read as follows: | ||
Sec. 773.0541. CERTIFICATION AND RECERTIFICATION | ||
REQUIREMENTS FOR EMERGENCY MEDICAL PERSONNEL. (a) The | ||
commissioner shall consider and approve not more than three | ||
statewide standardized certification examinations that are | ||
included in the list recommended by the advisory council under | ||
Section 773.012(m) for the certification and recertification of | ||
emergency medical services personnel. A standardized | ||
certification examination approved by the commissioner must meet | ||
the requirements specified in that subsection. | ||
(b) In establishing minimum standards under Section | ||
773.050, the commissioner shall establish standards for the | ||
recertification of emergency medical services personnel that | ||
include the following options: | ||
(1) passing an examination approved by the | ||
commissioner; | ||
(2) completing the continuing education requirements | ||
established by the department, which may not exceed the maximum | ||
number of education hours required for initial certification; | ||
(3) holding a current certification issued by a | ||
national certification organization approved by the commissioner; | ||
and | ||
(4) successfully completing a formal recertification | ||
course that complies with the minimum hours and standards | ||
established by the department. | ||
SECTION 3. Section 773.056, Health and Safety Code, is | ||
amended to read as follows: | ||
Sec. 773.056. APPROVAL OF TRAINING PROGRAMS; CERTIFICATION | ||
OF INSTRUCTORS, EXAMINERS, AND COORDINATORS. (a) The department | ||
shall approve one or more statewide standardized training programs | ||
that: | ||
(1) are included in the list recommended by the | ||
advisory council under Section 773.012(m); | ||
(2) are consistent with the emergency medical services | ||
education standards of the United States Department of | ||
Transportation or of another emergency medical services agency | ||
specified by the commissioner; and | ||
(3) meet [ |
||
the minimum standards adopted under Section 773.050. | ||
(b) The department shall issue a certificate to each program | ||
instructor, examiner, or course coordinator who meets the [ |
||
standards adopted under Subsection (a) [ |
||
certificate is valid for two years. The department shall charge a | ||
fee of not more than $10 to replace a lost or stolen certificate. | ||
SECTION 4. (a) Not later than March 1, 2014, the advisory | ||
council appointed under Section 773.012, Health and Safety Code, as | ||
added by this Act, shall compile and provide to the commissioner of | ||
state health services the list of standardized training programs or | ||
standardized certification examinations for emergency medical | ||
services personnel as required by Section 773.012(m), Health and | ||
Safety Code, as added by this Act. | ||
(b) Not later than September 1, 2014, the commissioner of | ||
state health services shall approve a statewide standardized | ||
certification examination for emergency medical services personnel | ||
as required by Section 773.0541, Health and Safety Code, as added by | ||
this Act. | ||
(c) Not later than September 1, 2014, the commissioner of | ||
state health services shall approve statewide standardized | ||
training programs for emergency medical services personnel and | ||
establish the standards for recertification of emergency medical | ||
services personnel, as required under Section 773.0541, Health and | ||
Safety Code, as added by this Act. | ||
(d) Not later than September 1, 2014, the executive | ||
commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission shall: | ||
(1) adopt rules required to implement Section | ||
773.0541, Health and Safety Code, as added by this Act; and | ||
(2) adopt rules required to implement Section 773.056, | ||
Health and Safety Code, as amended by this Act. | ||
(e) The changes in law made by this Act apply only to an | ||
emergency medical services personnel certification or | ||
recertification application submitted on or after September 1, | ||
2014. An application submitted before that date is governed by the | ||
law in effect immediately before the effective date of this Act and | ||
that law is continued in effect for that purpose. | ||
SECTION 5. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives | ||
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as | ||
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this | ||
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this | ||
Act takes effect September 1, 2013. |