1     
EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES AMENDMENTS

2     
2020 GENERAL SESSION

3     
STATE OF UTAH

4     
Chief Sponsor: Derrin R. Owens

5     
Senate Sponsor: David P. Hinkins

6     

7     LONG TITLE
8     General Description:
9          This bill amends provisions relating to emergency medical services.
10     Highlighted Provisions:
11          This bill:
12          ▸     establishes the Emergency Medical Services System Account to be administered by
13     the Department of Health (department) for certain purposes related to emergency
14     medical services;
15          ▸     modifies the expenditure requirements for certain funds transferred to the
16     department;
17          ▸     requires the department to hire five regional emergency medical services liaisons to
18     serve the needs of certain rural counties;
19          ▸     requires the department to submit a report to the Health and Human Services
20     Interim Committee; and
21          ▸     establishes a repeal date for the reporting requirement.
22     Money Appropriated in this Bill:
23          This bill appropriates in Fiscal Year 2021:
24          ▸     to the Department of Health -- Family Health and Preparedness -- Emergency
25     Medical Services and Preparedness, as an ongoing appropriation:
26               •     From the Emergency Medical Services System Account, $3,000,000;
27          ▸     to the Emergency Medical Services System Account -- Emergency Medical
28     Services System Account, as an ongoing appropriation:
29               •     From the General Fund, $3,000,000.
30     Other Special Clauses:
31          None
32     Utah Code Sections Affected:
33     AMENDS:
34          26-8a-207, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2011, Chapters 297 and 303
35          63I-2-226, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2019, Chapters 262, 393, 405 and last
36     amended by Coordination Clause, Laws of Utah 2019, Chapter 246
37     ENACTS:
38          26-8a-108, Utah Code Annotated 1953
39          26-8a-210, Utah Code Annotated 1953
40          26-8a-211, Utah Code Annotated 1953
41     

42     Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
43          Section 1. Section 26-8a-108 is enacted to read:
44          26-8a-108. Emergency Medical Services System Account.
45          (1) There is created within the General Fund a restricted account known as the
46     Emergency Medical Services System Account.
47          (2) The account consists of:
48          (a) interest earned on the account; and
49          (b) appropriations made by the Legislature.
50          (3) The department shall use:
51          (a) an amount equal to 25% of the money in the account for administrative costs
52     related to this chapter; and
53          (b) an amount equal to 75% of the money in the account for grants awarded in
54     accordance with Subsection 26-8a-207(3).
55          Section 2. Section 26-8a-207 is amended to read:
56          26-8a-207. Emergency medical services grant program.
57          (1) [(a)] The department shall receive as dedicated credits the amount established in
58     Section 51-9-403. That amount shall be transferred to the department by the Division of
59     Finance from funds generated by the surcharge imposed under Title 51, Chapter 9, Part 4,
60     Criminal Conviction Surcharge Allocation.
61          [(b) Funds transferred to the department under this section shall be used for
62     improvement of delivery of emergency medical services and administrative costs as described
63     in Subsection (2)(a). Appropriations to the department for the purposes enumerated in this
64     section shall be made from those dedicated credits.]
65          [(2) (a) The department may use the funds transferred to it under Subsection (1):]
66          (2) From the total amount of funds transferred to the department under Subsection (1),
67     the department shall use:
68          (a) an amount equal to 50% of the funds:
69          (i) to provide staff support; and
70          (ii) for other expenses incurred in:
71          (A) administration of grant funds; and
72          (B) other department administrative costs under this chapter[.]; and
73          (b) an amount equal to 50% of the funds to provide emergency medical services grants
74     in accordance with Subsection (3).
75          (3) (a) A recipient of a grant under this section shall actively provide emergency
76     medical services within the state.
77          [(b) After funding staff support, administrative expenses, and trauma system
78     development, the department and the committee shall make emergency medical services grants
79     from the remaining funds received as dedicated credits under Subsection (1). A recipient of a
80     grant under this Subsection (2)(b) shall actively provide emergency medical services within the
81     state.]
82          [(c) The department shall distribute not less than 25% of the funds, with the percentage
83     being authorized by a majority vote of the committee,]
84          (b) From the total amount of funds used to provide grants under Subsection (3), the
85     department shall distribute an amount equal to 21% as per capita block grants for use
86     specifically related to the provision of emergency medical services to nonprofit prehospital
87     emergency medical services providers that are either licensed or designated and to emergency
88     medical services that are the primary emergency medical services for a service area. The
89     department shall determine the grant amounts by prorating available funds on a per capita basis
90     by county as described in department rule.
91          [(d) The committee shall award the remaining funds as competitive grants for use
92     specifically related to the provision of emergency medical services based upon rules
93     established by the committee.]
94          (c) Subject to Subsections (3)(d) through (f), the committee shall use the remaining
95     grant funds to award competitive grants to licensed emergency medical services providers that
96     provide emergency medical services within counties of the third through sixth class, in
97     accordance with rules made by the committee.
98          (d) A grant awarded under Subsection (3)(c) shall be used:
99          (i) for the purchase of equipment, subject to Subsection (3)(e); or
100          (ii) for the recruitment, training, or retention of licensed emergency medical services
101     providers.
102          (e) A recipient of a grant under Subsection (3)(c) may not use more than $100,000 in
103     grant proceeds for the purchase of vehicles.
104          (f) A grant awarded for the purpose described in Subsection (3)(d)(ii) is ongoing for a
105     period of up to three years.
106          (g) (i) If, after providing grants under Subsections (3)(c) through (f), any grant funds
107     are unallocated at the end of the fiscal year, the committee shall distribute the unallocated grant
108     funds as per capita block grants as described in Subsection (3)(b).
109          (ii) Any grant funds distributed as per capita grants under Subsection (3)(g)(i) are in
110     addition to the amount described in Subsection (3)(b).
111          Section 3. Section 26-8a-210 is enacted to read:
112          26-8a-210. Regional Emergency Medical Services Liaisons -- Qualifications --
113     Duties.
114          (1) As used in this section:
115          (a) "Liaison" means a regional emergency medical services liaison hired under this
116     section.
117          (b) "Rural county" means a county of the third, fourth, fifth, or sixth class.
118          (2) The department shall hire five individuals to serve as regional emergency medical
119     services liaisons to:
120          (a) serve the needs of rural counties in providing emergency medical services in
121     accordance with this chapter;
122          (b) act as a liaison between the department and individuals or entities responsible for
123     emergency medical services in rural counties, including:
124          (i) emergency medical services providers;
125          (ii) local officials; and
126          (iii) local health departments or agencies;
127          (c) provide support and training to emergency medical services providers in rural
128     counties;
129          (d) assist rural counties in utilizing state and federal grant programs for financing
130     emergency medical services; and
131          (e) serve as emergency medical service personnel to assist licensed providers with
132     ambulance staffing needs within rural counties.
133          (3) Each liaison hired under Subsection (2):
134          (a) shall reside in a rural county; and
135          (b) shall be licensed as:
136          (i) an advanced emergency medical technician as defined in Section 26-8c-102; or
137          (ii) a paramedic as defined in Section 26-8c-102.
138          (4) The department shall provide each liaison with a vehicle and other equipment in
139     accordance with rules established by the department.
140          Section 4. Section 26-8a-211 is enacted to read:
141          26-8a-211. Report.
142          The department shall report to the Health and Human Services Interim Committee
143     before November 30, 2022, regarding:
144          (1) the activities and accomplishments of the regional medical services liaisons hired
145     under Section 26-8a-210;
146          (2) the efficacy of the emergency medical services grant program established in Section
147     26-8a-207, including grant distribution;
148          (3) the condition of emergency medical services within the state, including emergency
149     medical services provider response times and personnel numbers; and
150          (4) the financial condition of the department, including department operational costs
151     under this chapter.
152          Section 5. Section 63I-2-226 is amended to read:
153          63I-2-226. Repeal dates -- Title 26.
154          (1) Subsection 26-7-8(3) is repealed January 1, 2027.
155          (2) Section 26-8a-107 is repealed July 1, 2024.
156          (3) Subsection 26-8a-203(3)(a)(i) is repealed January 1, 2023.
157          (4) Section 26-8a-211 is repealed July 1, 2023.
158          [(4)] (5) Subsection 26-18-2.3(5) is repealed January 1, 2020.
159          [(5)] (6) Subsection 26-18-2.4(3)(e) is repealed January 1, 2023.
160          [(6)] (7) Subsection 26-18-411(8), related to reporting on the health coverage
161     improvement program, is repealed January 1, 2023.
162          [(7)] (8) Subsection 26-18-604(2) is repealed January 1, 2020.
163          [(8)] (9) Subsection 26-21-28(2)(b) is repealed January 1, 2021.
164          [(9)] (10) Subsection 26-33a-106.1(2)(a) is repealed January 1, 2023.
165          [(10)] (11) Subsection 26-33a-106.5(6)(c)(iii) is repealed January 1, 2020.
166          [(11)] (12) Title 26, Chapter 46, Utah Health Care Workforce Financial Assistance
167     Program, is repealed July 1, 2027.
168          [(12)] (13) Subsection 26-50-202(7)(b) is repealed January 1, 2020.
169          [(13)] (14) Subsections 26-54-103(6)(d)(ii) and (iii) are repealed January 1, 2020.
170          [(14)] (15) Subsection 26-55-107(8) is repealed January 1, 2021.
171          [(15)] (16) Subsection 26-56-103(9)(d) is repealed January 1, 2020.
172          [(16)] (17) Title 26, Chapter 59, Telehealth Pilot Program, is repealed January 1, 2020.
173          [(17)] (18) Subsection 26-61-202(4)(b) is repealed January 1, 2022.
174          [(18)] (19) Subsection 26-61-202(5) is repealed January 1, 2022.
175          Section 6. Appropriation.
176          The following sums of money are appropriated for the fiscal year beginning July 1,
177     2020, and ending June 30, 2021. These are additions to amounts previously appropriated for
178     fiscal year 2021. The Legislature authorizes the State Division of Finance to transfer the
179     following amounts between the following funds or accounts as indicated. Expenditures and
180     outlays from the funds or accounts to which the money is transferred must be authorized by an
181     appropriation.
182     ITEM 1
183          To Department of Health -- Family Health and Preparedness
184               From Emergency Medical Services System Account
$3,000,000

185               Schedule of Programs:
186                    Emergency Medical Services and Preparedness     $3,000,000
187     ITEM 2
188          To Emergency Medical Services System Account
189               From General Fund
$3,000,000

190               Schedule of Programs:
191                    Emergency Medical Services System Account     $3,000,000