Sec. 773.050. MINIMUM STANDARDS. (a) Each basic life-support emergency medical services vehicle when in service must be staffed by at least two individuals certified as emergency care attendants or certified at a higher level of training.

(b) The executive commissioner by rule shall establish minimum standards for:

(1) staffing an advanced life-support emergency medical services vehicle, a mobile intensive-care unit, or a specialized emergency medical services vehicle;

(2) emergency medical services personnel certification and performance, including provisional certification, certification, decertification, recertification, suspension, emergency suspension, and probation;

(3) the approval of courses and training programs, the certification of program instructors, examiners, and course coordinators for emergency medical services personnel training, and the revocation and probation of an approval or certification;

(4) examinations of emergency medical services personnel;

(5) medical supervision of basic and advanced life-support systems;

(6) granting, suspending, and revoking a license for emergency medical services providers; and

(7) emergency medical services vehicles.

(c) The executive commissioner shall consider the education, training, criminal background, and experience of allied health professionals in adopting the minimum standards for emergency medical services personnel certification and may establish criteria for interstate reciprocity of emergency medical services personnel. Each out-of-state application for certification must be accompanied by a nonrefundable fee of not more than $120. The executive commissioner may also establish criteria for out-of-country emergency medical services personnel certification. Each out-of-country application for certification must be accompanied by a nonrefundable fee of not more than $180.

(c-1) In this subsection, "United States military" means the United States Army, the United States Navy, the United States Air Force, the United States Marine Corps, the United States Coast Guard, any reserve or auxiliary component of any of those services, or the National Guard. The executive commissioner by rule shall provide that an individual is eligible for emergency medical services personnel certification through reciprocity if the individual:

(1) successfully completed emergency medical services training provided by the United States military;

(2) has emergency medical services personnel credentials from the United States military; and

(3) is certified by the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians.

(d) The executive commissioner may not adopt a rule that requires any system, service, or agency to provide advanced life-support or staffing beyond basic life-support levels except for providers of:

(1) advanced life-support emergency medical services;

(2) mobile intensive care; or

(3) specialized emergency medical services.

(e) The executive commissioner shall adopt minimum standards for recognition of first responder organizations.

(f) The executive commissioner shall recognize, prepare, or administer continuing education programs for certified personnel. A certificate holder must participate in the programs to the extent required by the executive commissioner to remain certified.

(g) Rules adopting minimum standards under this section shall require:

(1) an emergency medical services vehicle to be equipped with an epinephrine auto-injector device or similar device to treat anaphylaxis; and

(2) emergency medical services personnel to complete continuing education training in the administration of anaphylaxis treatment.

(h) The department may provide a prescreening criminal history record check for an emergency medical services personnel applicant to determine the applicant's eligibility to receive certification before enrollment in the educational and training requirements mandated by the executive commissioner. The executive commissioner by rule may prescribe a reasonable fee for the costs associated with prescreening to charge each applicant who requests prescreening. The department shall collect the prescribed fee.

(i) The department may develop and administer at least twice each calendar year a jurisprudence examination to determine the knowledge that an applicant for an emergency medical services provider license or emergency medical services personnel certification has of this chapter, department rules, and any other applicable laws affecting the applicant's activities regulated under this chapter. Department rules must specify who must take the examination on behalf of an entity applying for an emergency medical services provider license.

Acts 1989, 71st Leg., ch. 678, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1989. Amended by Acts 1991, 72nd Leg., ch. 14, Sec. 250, eff. Sept. 1, 1991; Acts 1991, 72nd Leg., ch. 605, Sec. 3, eff. Sept. 1, 1991; Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 251, Sec. 1, eff. May 23, 1993; Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 915, Sec. 7, eff. Aug. 28, 1995; Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 1411, Sec. 19.02, eff. Sept. 1, 1999; Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 198, Sec. 2.84(a), eff. Sept. 1, 2003.

Amended by:

Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1079 (H.B. 2827), Sec. 2, eff. June 15, 2007.

Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 1149 (H.B. 2845), Sec. 2, eff. September 1, 2009.

Acts 2013, 83rd Leg., R.S., Ch. 970 (H.B. 1960), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2013.

Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1 (S.B. 219), Sec. 3.1527, eff. April 2, 2015.

Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1226 (S.B. 1899), Sec. 2, eff. June 19, 2015.