The County Director of Emergency Medical Services Agency, Patricia Frost, is recommending that the Legislation Committee consider recommendations of "Oppose Unless Amended" on AB 1544 (Gipson) and "Oppose) on SB 438 (Hertzberg).
Establishes the Community Paramedicine or Triage to Alternate Destination Act. Authorizes a local EMS agency to develop a community paramedicine or triage to alternate destination program, to provide specified community paramedicine services.
AB 1544 by Assembly Member Mike Gipson would enact the Community Paramedicine or Triage to Alternate Destination Act to allow local emergency medical services agencies (LEMSAs) to develop local community paramedicine programs including short-term post discharge follow-up, case management services to frequent EMS service users, and alternate transport of patients to behavioral health facilities or sobering centers. The measure also requires LEMSAs to use or establish local emergency medical care committees (EMCCs) and establishes the Community Paramedicine Medical Oversight Committee to advise the EMS authority on and to approve minimum medical protocols for all community paramedicine programs. The bill requires a LEMSA to provide a right of first refusal to every public agency that is located within its jurisdiction to provide community paramedicine program specialties prior to offering to private EMS providers.
The bill analysis is Attachment A.
CSAC, RCRC, UCC, CHEAC, EMSAAC, and EMDAC are all in oppose unless amended positions.
Prohibits a public agency from delegating, assigning, or contracting for 911 emergency call processing or notification duties regarding the dispatch of emergency response resources, unless the contract or agreement is with another public agency. Exempts from that prohibition a public agency that is a joint powers authority that contracted for emergency response resources on or before a specified date, under certain conditions.
SB 438 by Senator Robert Hertzberg was a recently amended measure to restrict the use of non-governmental-operated public safety answering points (PSAPs), including 9-1-1 EMS dispatching centers. The measure would circumvent existing oversight activities of local emergency medical service agency (LEMSA) medical directors to ensure the appropriate deployment and use of EMS resources.
The analysis prepared for the Senate Rules Committee is Attachment B.
CSAC, RCRC, UCC, CHEAC, EMSAAC, and EMDAC are all opposed to the measure. Letters opposed to the bill are Attachment C.
Recommendation(s)/Next Step(s):
Consider recommending a position of "Oppose" on SB 438 (Hertzberg) and AB 1544 (Gipson) and directing staff to place the bills on the Board's consent calendar for their May 21, 2019 meeting.