State Codes and Statutes

Statutes > California > Hsc > 1797.100-1797.118

HEALTH AND SAFETY CODE
SECTION 1797.100-1797.118



1797.100.  There is in the state government in the Health and
Welfare Agency, the Emergency Medical Services Authority.



1797.101.  The Emergency Medical Services Authority shall be headed
by the Director of the Emergency Medical Services Authority who shall
be appointed by the Governor upon nomination by the Secretary of
California Health and Human Services. The director shall be a
physician and surgeon licensed in California pursuant to the
provisions of Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 2000) of Division 2
of the Business and Professions Code, and who has substantial
experience in the practice of emergency medicine.



1797.102.  The authority, utilizing regional and local information,
shall assess each EMS area or the system's service area for the
purpose of determining the need for additional emergency medical
services, coordination of emergency medical services, and the
effectiveness of emergency medical services.



1797.103.  The authority shall develop planning and implementation
guidelines for emergency medical services systems which address the
following components:
   (a) Manpower and training.
   (b) Communications.
   (c) Transportation.
   (d) Assessment of hospitals and critical care centers.
   (e) System organization and management.
   (f) Data collection and evaluation.
   (g) Public information and education.
   (h) Disaster response.



1797.104.  The authority shall provide technical assistance to
existing agencies, counties, and cities for the purpose of developing
the components of emergency medical services systems.



1797.105.  (a) The authority shall receive plans for the
implementation of emergency medical services and trauma care systems
from local EMS agencies.
   (b) After the applicable guidelines or regulations are established
by the authority, a local EMS agency may implement a local plan
developed pursuant to Section 1797.250, 1797.254, 1797.257, or
1797.258 unless the authority determines that the plan does not
effectively meet the needs of the persons served and is not
consistent with coordinating activities in the geographical area
served, or that the plan is not concordant and consistent with
applicable guidelines or regulations, or both the guidelines and
regulations, established by the authority.
   (c) A local EMS agency may appeal a determination of the authority
pursuant to subdivision (b) to the commission.
   (d) In an appeal pursuant to subdivision (c), the commission may
sustain the determination of the authority or overrule and permit
local implementation of a plan, and the decision of the commission is
final.


1797.106.  (a) Regulations, standards, and guidelines adopted by the
authority and by local EMS agencies pursuant to the provisions of
this division shall not prohibit hospitals which contract with group
practice prepayment health care service plans from providing
necessary medical services for the members of those plans.
   (b) Regulations, standards, and guidelines adopted by the
authority and by local EMS agencies pursuant to the provisions of
this division shall provide for the transport and transfer of a
member of a group practice prepayment health care service plan to a
hospital that contracts with the plan when the base hospital
determines that the condition of the member permits the transport or
when the condition of the member permits the transfer, except that
when the dispatching agency determines that the transport by a
transport unit would unreasonably remove the transport unit from the
area, the member may be transported to the nearest hospital capable
of treating the member.



1797.107.  The authority shall adopt, amend, or repeal, after
approval by the commission and in accordance with the provisions of
Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3
of Title 2 of the Government Code, such rules and regulations as may
be reasonable and proper to carry out the purposes and intent of this
division and to enable the authority to exercise the powers and
perform the duties conferred upon it by this division not
inconsistent with any of the provisions of any statute of this state.



1797.108.  Subject to the availability of funds appropriated
therefor, the authority may contract with local EMS agencies to
provide funding assistance to those agencies for planning,
organizing, implementing, and maintaining regional emergency medical
services systems.
   In addition, the authority may provide special funding to
multicounty EMS agencies which serve rural areas with extensive
tourism, as determined by the authority, to reduce the burden on the
rural EMS agency of providing the increased emergency medical
services required due to that tourism.
   Each local or multicounty EMS agency receiving funding pursuant to
this section shall make a quarterly report to the authority on the
functioning of the local EMS system. The authority may continue to
transfer appropriated funds to the local EMS agency upon satisfactory
operation.


1797.109.  (a) The director may develop, or prescribe standards for
and approve, an emergency medical technician training and testing
program for the Department of the California Highway Patrol,
Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, California Fire Fighter
Joint Apprenticeship Committee, and other public safety agency
personnel, upon the request of, and as deemed appropriate by, the
director for the particular agency.
   (b) The director may, with the concurrence of the Department of
the California Highway Patrol, designate the California Highway
Patrol Academy as a site where the training and testing may be
offered.
   (c) The director may prescribe that each person, upon successful
completion of the training course and upon passing a written and a
practical examination, be certified as an emergency medical
technician of an appropriate classification. A suitable
identification card may be issued to each certified person to
designate that person's emergency medical skill level.
   (d) The director may prescribe standards for refresher training to
be given to persons trained and certified under this section.
   (e) The Department of the California Highway Patrol shall, subject
to the availability of federal funds, provide for the initial
training of its uniformed personnel in the rendering of emergency
medical technician services to the public in specified areas of the
state as designated by the Commissioner of the California Highway
Patrol.



1797.110.  The Legislature finds that programs funded through the
authority are hindered by the length of time required for the state
process to execute approved contracts and payment of vendor claims.
These programs include, but are not limited to, general fund
assistance to rural multicounty EMS agencies and dispersal of federal
grant moneys for EMS systems development to local EMS agencies. This
hardship is particularly felt by new or rural community based EMS
agencies with modest reserves and cash flow problems. It is the
intent of the Legislature that advance payment authority be
established for the authority in order to alleviate such problems for
those types of contractors to the extent possible.
   Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the authority may, to
the extent funds are available, provide for advanced payments under
any financial assistance contract which the authority determines has
been entered into with any small, rural, or new EMS agency with
modest reserves and potential cash flow problems, as determined by
the authority. Such programs include, but are not limited to, local
county or multicounty EMS agencies.
   No advance payment or aggregate of advance payments made pursuant
to this section shall exceed 25 percent of the total annual contract
amount. No advance payment should be made pursuant to this section if
the applicable federal law prohibits advance payment.



1797.111.  With the approval of the Department of Finance, and for
use in the furtherance of the work of the authority, the director may
accept all of the following:
   (a) Grants of interest in real property.
   (b) Gifts of money from public agencies or from organizations or
associations organized for scientific, educational, or charitable
purpose.



1797.112.  (a) The Emergency Medical Services Personnel Fund is
hereby created in the State Treasury, the funds in which are to be
held in trust for the benefit of the authority's testing and
personnel licensure program and for the purpose of making
reimbursements to entities for the performance of functions for which
fees are collected pursuant to Section 1797.172, for expenditure
upon appropriation by the Legislature.
   (b) The authority may transfer unused portions of the Emergency
Medical Services Personnel Fund to the Surplus Money Investment Fund.
Funds transferred to the Surplus Money Investment Fund shall be
placed in a separate trust account, and shall be available for
transfer to the Emergency Medical Services Personnel Fund, together
with interest earned, when requested by the authority.
   (c) The authority shall maintain a reserve balance in the
Emergency Medical Services Personnel Fund of five percent. Any
increase in the fees deposited in the Emergency Medical Services
Personnel Fund shall be effective upon a determination by the
authority that additional moneys are required to fund expenditures of
the personnel licensure program, including, but not limited to,
reimbursements to entities set forth in subdivision (a).



1797.113.  The Emergency Medical Services Training Program Approval
Fund is hereby established in the State Treasury and, notwithstanding
Section 13340 of the Government Code, is continuously appropriated
to the authority for the authority's training program review and
approval activities. The fees charged by the authority under Section
1797.191 shall be deposited in this fund. The authority may transfer
unexpended and unencumbered moneys contained in the Emergency Medical
Services Training Program Approval Fund to the Surplus Money
Investment Fund for investment pursuant to Article 4 (commencing with
Section 16470) of Chapter 3 of Part 2 of Division 4 of Title 2 of
the Government Code. All interest, dividends, and pecuniary gains
from these investments or deposits shall accrue to the Emergency
Medical Services Training Program Approval Fund.



1797.114.  The rules and regulations of the authority established
pursuant to Section 1797.107 shall include a requirement that a local
EMS agency local plan developed pursuant to this division shall
require that in providing emergency medical transportation services
to any patient, the patient shall be transported to the closest
appropriate medical facility, if the emergency health care needs of
the patient dictate this course of action. Emergency health care need
shall be determined by the prehospital emergency medical care
personnel under the direction of a base hospital physician and
surgeon or in conformance with the regulations of the authority
adopted pursuant to Section 1797.107.



1797.115.  (a) To the extent permitted by federal law and upon
appropriation in the annual Budget Act or another statute, the
Director of Finance may transfer any moneys in the Federal Trust Fund
established pursuant to Section 16360 of the Government Code to the
Emergency Medical Services Authority if the money is made available
by the United States for expenditure by the state for purposes
consistent with the implementation of this section.
   (b) Moneys appropriated pursuant to subdivision (a) shall be
allocated by the authority to the California Fire Fighter Joint
Apprenticeship Program to do all of the following:
   (1) Offset the cost of paramedic training course development.
   (2) Enter into reimbursement contracts with eligible state and
local agencies that in turn may contract with educational
institutions for the delivery of paramedic training conducted in
compliance with the requirements of subdivision (a) of Section
1797.172.
   (3) Allocate funds, in the form of grants, to eligible state and
local agencies to defray the cost of providing paramedic training for
fire services personnel, including, but not limited to,
instructional supplies and trainee compensation expenses.
   (c) To the extent permitted by federal law, the authority shall
recover its costs for administration of this section from the funds
transferred pursuant to subdivision (a).
   (d) In order to be eligible for a grant under paragraph (3) of
subdivision (b), a state or local agency shall demonstrate a need for
additional paramedics.
   (e) For purposes of this section, the following definitions apply:
   (1) "Fire service personnel" includes, but is not limited to, a
firefighter or prehospital emergency medical worker employed by a
state or local agency.
   (2) "Local agency" means any city, county, city and county, fire
district, special district, joint powers agency, or any other
political subdivision of the state that provides fire protection
services.
   (3) "State agency" means any state agency that provides
residential or institutional fire protection, including, but not
limited to, the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.



1797.116.  (a) The authority shall establish additional training
standards that include the criteria for the curriculum content
recommended by the Emergency Response Training Advisory Committee
established pursuant to Section 8588.10 of the Government Code,
involving the responsibilities of first responders to terrorism
incidents and to address the training needs of those identified as
first responders.
   (b) Every EMT I, EMT II, and EMT-P, as defined in Sections
1797.80, 1797.82, and 1797.84, may receive the appropriate training
described in this section. Pertinent training previously completed by
any jurisdiction's EMT I, EMT II, or EMT-P personnel and meeting the
training requirements of this section may be submitted to the
training program approving authority to assess its content and
determine whether it meets the training standards prescribed by the
authority.



1797.117.  (a) The authority shall establish and maintain a
centralized registry system for the monitoring and tracking of each
EMT-I and EMT-II certificate status and each EMT-P license status.
This centralized registry system shall be used by the certifying
entities as part of the certification process for an EMT-I and EMT-II
and by the authority as part of the licensure process for an EMT-P
license. The authority shall, by regulation, specify the data
elements to be included in the centralized registry system, the
requirements for certifying entities to report the data elements for
inclusion in the registry, including reporting deadlines, the
penalties for failure of a certifying entity to report certification
status changes within these deadlines, and requirements for
submission to the Department of Justice fingerprint images and
related information required by the Department of Justice of, except
as otherwise provided in this division, EMT-I and EMT-II certificate
candidates or holders and EMT-P license candidates or holders for the
purposes described in subdivision (c). The data elements to be
included in the centralized registry system shall include, but are
not limited to, data elements that are to be made publicly available
pursuant to subdivision (b).
   (b)  The information made available to the public through the
centralized registry system shall include all of the following data
elements: the full name of every individual who has been issued an
EMT-I or EMT-II certificate or EMT-P license, the name of the entity
that issued the certificate or license, the certificate or license
number, the date of issuance of the license or certificate, and the
license or certificate status.
   (c) (1) As part of the centralized registry system, the authority
shall electronically submit to the Department of Justice fingerprint
images and related information required by the Department of Justice
of all EMT-I and EMT-II certificate candidates or holders, and of all
EMT-P license applicants, for the purposes of obtaining information
as to the existence and content of a record of state or federal
convictions and state or federal arrests and also information as to
the existence and content of a record of state or federal arrests for
which the Department of Justice establishes that the person is free
on bail or on his or her recognizance pending trial or appeal.
   (2) When received, the Department of Justice shall forward to the
Federal Bureau of Investigation requests for federal summary criminal
history information received pursuant to this subdivision. The
Department of Justice shall review the information returned from the
Federal Bureau of Investigation and compile and electronically
disseminate a primary response to the authority and electronically
disseminate a dual response to one government agency certifying
entity.
   (3) The Department of Justice shall electronically provide the
primary response to the authority and also electronically, the dual
response to one certifying entity that is a government agency,
pursuant to paragraph (1) of subdivision (p) of Section 11105 of the
Penal Code.
   (d) The authority shall request the Department of Justice to
provide subsequent arrest notification service, as provided pursuant
to Section 11105.2 of the Penal Code, for persons described in
subdivision (c). All subsequent arrest notifications provided to the
authority for persons described in subdivision (c) shall be
electronically submitted to one government agency certifying entity,
as a dual response by the Department of Justice.
   (e) The Department of Justice shall charge a fee sufficient to
cover the cost of processing the request described in this section.



1797.118.  (a) On and after July 1, 2010, and except as provided in
subdivision (b), every EMT-I and EMT-II certificate candidate or
holder shall have their fingerprint images and related information
submitted to the authority for submission to the Department of
Justice pursuant to the regulations adopted pursuant to Section
1797.117 for a state and federal level criminal offender record
information search, including subsequent arrest information.
   (b) If a state level criminal offender record information search,
including subsequent arrest information, has been conducted on a
currently certified EMT-I or EMT-II, who was certified prior to July
1, 2010, for the purposes of employment or EMT-I or EMT-II
certification, then the certifying entity or employer as identified
in paragraph (2) of subdivision (a) of Section 1798.200 shall verify
in writing to the authority pursuant to regulations adopted pursuant
to Section 1797.117 that a state level criminal offender record
information search, including subsequent arrest information, has been
conducted and that nothing in the criminal offender record
information search precluded the individual from obtaining EMT-I or
EMT-II certification.


State Codes and Statutes

Statutes > California > Hsc > 1797.100-1797.118

HEALTH AND SAFETY CODE
SECTION 1797.100-1797.118



1797.100.  There is in the state government in the Health and
Welfare Agency, the Emergency Medical Services Authority.



1797.101.  The Emergency Medical Services Authority shall be headed
by the Director of the Emergency Medical Services Authority who shall
be appointed by the Governor upon nomination by the Secretary of
California Health and Human Services. The director shall be a
physician and surgeon licensed in California pursuant to the
provisions of Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 2000) of Division 2
of the Business and Professions Code, and who has substantial
experience in the practice of emergency medicine.



1797.102.  The authority, utilizing regional and local information,
shall assess each EMS area or the system's service area for the
purpose of determining the need for additional emergency medical
services, coordination of emergency medical services, and the
effectiveness of emergency medical services.



1797.103.  The authority shall develop planning and implementation
guidelines for emergency medical services systems which address the
following components:
   (a) Manpower and training.
   (b) Communications.
   (c) Transportation.
   (d) Assessment of hospitals and critical care centers.
   (e) System organization and management.
   (f) Data collection and evaluation.
   (g) Public information and education.
   (h) Disaster response.



1797.104.  The authority shall provide technical assistance to
existing agencies, counties, and cities for the purpose of developing
the components of emergency medical services systems.



1797.105.  (a) The authority shall receive plans for the
implementation of emergency medical services and trauma care systems
from local EMS agencies.
   (b) After the applicable guidelines or regulations are established
by the authority, a local EMS agency may implement a local plan
developed pursuant to Section 1797.250, 1797.254, 1797.257, or
1797.258 unless the authority determines that the plan does not
effectively meet the needs of the persons served and is not
consistent with coordinating activities in the geographical area
served, or that the plan is not concordant and consistent with
applicable guidelines or regulations, or both the guidelines and
regulations, established by the authority.
   (c) A local EMS agency may appeal a determination of the authority
pursuant to subdivision (b) to the commission.
   (d) In an appeal pursuant to subdivision (c), the commission may
sustain the determination of the authority or overrule and permit
local implementation of a plan, and the decision of the commission is
final.


1797.106.  (a) Regulations, standards, and guidelines adopted by the
authority and by local EMS agencies pursuant to the provisions of
this division shall not prohibit hospitals which contract with group
practice prepayment health care service plans from providing
necessary medical services for the members of those plans.
   (b) Regulations, standards, and guidelines adopted by the
authority and by local EMS agencies pursuant to the provisions of
this division shall provide for the transport and transfer of a
member of a group practice prepayment health care service plan to a
hospital that contracts with the plan when the base hospital
determines that the condition of the member permits the transport or
when the condition of the member permits the transfer, except that
when the dispatching agency determines that the transport by a
transport unit would unreasonably remove the transport unit from the
area, the member may be transported to the nearest hospital capable
of treating the member.



1797.107.  The authority shall adopt, amend, or repeal, after
approval by the commission and in accordance with the provisions of
Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3
of Title 2 of the Government Code, such rules and regulations as may
be reasonable and proper to carry out the purposes and intent of this
division and to enable the authority to exercise the powers and
perform the duties conferred upon it by this division not
inconsistent with any of the provisions of any statute of this state.



1797.108.  Subject to the availability of funds appropriated
therefor, the authority may contract with local EMS agencies to
provide funding assistance to those agencies for planning,
organizing, implementing, and maintaining regional emergency medical
services systems.
   In addition, the authority may provide special funding to
multicounty EMS agencies which serve rural areas with extensive
tourism, as determined by the authority, to reduce the burden on the
rural EMS agency of providing the increased emergency medical
services required due to that tourism.
   Each local or multicounty EMS agency receiving funding pursuant to
this section shall make a quarterly report to the authority on the
functioning of the local EMS system. The authority may continue to
transfer appropriated funds to the local EMS agency upon satisfactory
operation.


1797.109.  (a) The director may develop, or prescribe standards for
and approve, an emergency medical technician training and testing
program for the Department of the California Highway Patrol,
Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, California Fire Fighter
Joint Apprenticeship Committee, and other public safety agency
personnel, upon the request of, and as deemed appropriate by, the
director for the particular agency.
   (b) The director may, with the concurrence of the Department of
the California Highway Patrol, designate the California Highway
Patrol Academy as a site where the training and testing may be
offered.
   (c) The director may prescribe that each person, upon successful
completion of the training course and upon passing a written and a
practical examination, be certified as an emergency medical
technician of an appropriate classification. A suitable
identification card may be issued to each certified person to
designate that person's emergency medical skill level.
   (d) The director may prescribe standards for refresher training to
be given to persons trained and certified under this section.
   (e) The Department of the California Highway Patrol shall, subject
to the availability of federal funds, provide for the initial
training of its uniformed personnel in the rendering of emergency
medical technician services to the public in specified areas of the
state as designated by the Commissioner of the California Highway
Patrol.



1797.110.  The Legislature finds that programs funded through the
authority are hindered by the length of time required for the state
process to execute approved contracts and payment of vendor claims.
These programs include, but are not limited to, general fund
assistance to rural multicounty EMS agencies and dispersal of federal
grant moneys for EMS systems development to local EMS agencies. This
hardship is particularly felt by new or rural community based EMS
agencies with modest reserves and cash flow problems. It is the
intent of the Legislature that advance payment authority be
established for the authority in order to alleviate such problems for
those types of contractors to the extent possible.
   Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the authority may, to
the extent funds are available, provide for advanced payments under
any financial assistance contract which the authority determines has
been entered into with any small, rural, or new EMS agency with
modest reserves and potential cash flow problems, as determined by
the authority. Such programs include, but are not limited to, local
county or multicounty EMS agencies.
   No advance payment or aggregate of advance payments made pursuant
to this section shall exceed 25 percent of the total annual contract
amount. No advance payment should be made pursuant to this section if
the applicable federal law prohibits advance payment.



1797.111.  With the approval of the Department of Finance, and for
use in the furtherance of the work of the authority, the director may
accept all of the following:
   (a) Grants of interest in real property.
   (b) Gifts of money from public agencies or from organizations or
associations organized for scientific, educational, or charitable
purpose.



1797.112.  (a) The Emergency Medical Services Personnel Fund is
hereby created in the State Treasury, the funds in which are to be
held in trust for the benefit of the authority's testing and
personnel licensure program and for the purpose of making
reimbursements to entities for the performance of functions for which
fees are collected pursuant to Section 1797.172, for expenditure
upon appropriation by the Legislature.
   (b) The authority may transfer unused portions of the Emergency
Medical Services Personnel Fund to the Surplus Money Investment Fund.
Funds transferred to the Surplus Money Investment Fund shall be
placed in a separate trust account, and shall be available for
transfer to the Emergency Medical Services Personnel Fund, together
with interest earned, when requested by the authority.
   (c) The authority shall maintain a reserve balance in the
Emergency Medical Services Personnel Fund of five percent. Any
increase in the fees deposited in the Emergency Medical Services
Personnel Fund shall be effective upon a determination by the
authority that additional moneys are required to fund expenditures of
the personnel licensure program, including, but not limited to,
reimbursements to entities set forth in subdivision (a).



1797.113.  The Emergency Medical Services Training Program Approval
Fund is hereby established in the State Treasury and, notwithstanding
Section 13340 of the Government Code, is continuously appropriated
to the authority for the authority's training program review and
approval activities. The fees charged by the authority under Section
1797.191 shall be deposited in this fund. The authority may transfer
unexpended and unencumbered moneys contained in the Emergency Medical
Services Training Program Approval Fund to the Surplus Money
Investment Fund for investment pursuant to Article 4 (commencing with
Section 16470) of Chapter 3 of Part 2 of Division 4 of Title 2 of
the Government Code. All interest, dividends, and pecuniary gains
from these investments or deposits shall accrue to the Emergency
Medical Services Training Program Approval Fund.



1797.114.  The rules and regulations of the authority established
pursuant to Section 1797.107 shall include a requirement that a local
EMS agency local plan developed pursuant to this division shall
require that in providing emergency medical transportation services
to any patient, the patient shall be transported to the closest
appropriate medical facility, if the emergency health care needs of
the patient dictate this course of action. Emergency health care need
shall be determined by the prehospital emergency medical care
personnel under the direction of a base hospital physician and
surgeon or in conformance with the regulations of the authority
adopted pursuant to Section 1797.107.



1797.115.  (a) To the extent permitted by federal law and upon
appropriation in the annual Budget Act or another statute, the
Director of Finance may transfer any moneys in the Federal Trust Fund
established pursuant to Section 16360 of the Government Code to the
Emergency Medical Services Authority if the money is made available
by the United States for expenditure by the state for purposes
consistent with the implementation of this section.
   (b) Moneys appropriated pursuant to subdivision (a) shall be
allocated by the authority to the California Fire Fighter Joint
Apprenticeship Program to do all of the following:
   (1) Offset the cost of paramedic training course development.
   (2) Enter into reimbursement contracts with eligible state and
local agencies that in turn may contract with educational
institutions for the delivery of paramedic training conducted in
compliance with the requirements of subdivision (a) of Section
1797.172.
   (3) Allocate funds, in the form of grants, to eligible state and
local agencies to defray the cost of providing paramedic training for
fire services personnel, including, but not limited to,
instructional supplies and trainee compensation expenses.
   (c) To the extent permitted by federal law, the authority shall
recover its costs for administration of this section from the funds
transferred pursuant to subdivision (a).
   (d) In order to be eligible for a grant under paragraph (3) of
subdivision (b), a state or local agency shall demonstrate a need for
additional paramedics.
   (e) For purposes of this section, the following definitions apply:
   (1) "Fire service personnel" includes, but is not limited to, a
firefighter or prehospital emergency medical worker employed by a
state or local agency.
   (2) "Local agency" means any city, county, city and county, fire
district, special district, joint powers agency, or any other
political subdivision of the state that provides fire protection
services.
   (3) "State agency" means any state agency that provides
residential or institutional fire protection, including, but not
limited to, the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.



1797.116.  (a) The authority shall establish additional training
standards that include the criteria for the curriculum content
recommended by the Emergency Response Training Advisory Committee
established pursuant to Section 8588.10 of the Government Code,
involving the responsibilities of first responders to terrorism
incidents and to address the training needs of those identified as
first responders.
   (b) Every EMT I, EMT II, and EMT-P, as defined in Sections
1797.80, 1797.82, and 1797.84, may receive the appropriate training
described in this section. Pertinent training previously completed by
any jurisdiction's EMT I, EMT II, or EMT-P personnel and meeting the
training requirements of this section may be submitted to the
training program approving authority to assess its content and
determine whether it meets the training standards prescribed by the
authority.



1797.117.  (a) The authority shall establish and maintain a
centralized registry system for the monitoring and tracking of each
EMT-I and EMT-II certificate status and each EMT-P license status.
This centralized registry system shall be used by the certifying
entities as part of the certification process for an EMT-I and EMT-II
and by the authority as part of the licensure process for an EMT-P
license. The authority shall, by regulation, specify the data
elements to be included in the centralized registry system, the
requirements for certifying entities to report the data elements for
inclusion in the registry, including reporting deadlines, the
penalties for failure of a certifying entity to report certification
status changes within these deadlines, and requirements for
submission to the Department of Justice fingerprint images and
related information required by the Department of Justice of, except
as otherwise provided in this division, EMT-I and EMT-II certificate
candidates or holders and EMT-P license candidates or holders for the
purposes described in subdivision (c). The data elements to be
included in the centralized registry system shall include, but are
not limited to, data elements that are to be made publicly available
pursuant to subdivision (b).
   (b)  The information made available to the public through the
centralized registry system shall include all of the following data
elements: the full name of every individual who has been issued an
EMT-I or EMT-II certificate or EMT-P license, the name of the entity
that issued the certificate or license, the certificate or license
number, the date of issuance of the license or certificate, and the
license or certificate status.
   (c) (1) As part of the centralized registry system, the authority
shall electronically submit to the Department of Justice fingerprint
images and related information required by the Department of Justice
of all EMT-I and EMT-II certificate candidates or holders, and of all
EMT-P license applicants, for the purposes of obtaining information
as to the existence and content of a record of state or federal
convictions and state or federal arrests and also information as to
the existence and content of a record of state or federal arrests for
which the Department of Justice establishes that the person is free
on bail or on his or her recognizance pending trial or appeal.
   (2) When received, the Department of Justice shall forward to the
Federal Bureau of Investigation requests for federal summary criminal
history information received pursuant to this subdivision. The
Department of Justice shall review the information returned from the
Federal Bureau of Investigation and compile and electronically
disseminate a primary response to the authority and electronically
disseminate a dual response to one government agency certifying
entity.
   (3) The Department of Justice shall electronically provide the
primary response to the authority and also electronically, the dual
response to one certifying entity that is a government agency,
pursuant to paragraph (1) of subdivision (p) of Section 11105 of the
Penal Code.
   (d) The authority shall request the Department of Justice to
provide subsequent arrest notification service, as provided pursuant
to Section 11105.2 of the Penal Code, for persons described in
subdivision (c). All subsequent arrest notifications provided to the
authority for persons described in subdivision (c) shall be
electronically submitted to one government agency certifying entity,
as a dual response by the Department of Justice.
   (e) The Department of Justice shall charge a fee sufficient to
cover the cost of processing the request described in this section.



1797.118.  (a) On and after July 1, 2010, and except as provided in
subdivision (b), every EMT-I and EMT-II certificate candidate or
holder shall have their fingerprint images and related information
submitted to the authority for submission to the Department of
Justice pursuant to the regulations adopted pursuant to Section
1797.117 for a state and federal level criminal offender record
information search, including subsequent arrest information.
   (b) If a state level criminal offender record information search,
including subsequent arrest information, has been conducted on a
currently certified EMT-I or EMT-II, who was certified prior to July
1, 2010, for the purposes of employment or EMT-I or EMT-II
certification, then the certifying entity or employer as identified
in paragraph (2) of subdivision (a) of Section 1798.200 shall verify
in writing to the authority pursuant to regulations adopted pursuant
to Section 1797.117 that a state level criminal offender record
information search, including subsequent arrest information, has been
conducted and that nothing in the criminal offender record
information search precluded the individual from obtaining EMT-I or
EMT-II certification.



State Codes and Statutes

State Codes and Statutes

Statutes > California > Hsc > 1797.100-1797.118

HEALTH AND SAFETY CODE
SECTION 1797.100-1797.118



1797.100.  There is in the state government in the Health and
Welfare Agency, the Emergency Medical Services Authority.



1797.101.  The Emergency Medical Services Authority shall be headed
by the Director of the Emergency Medical Services Authority who shall
be appointed by the Governor upon nomination by the Secretary of
California Health and Human Services. The director shall be a
physician and surgeon licensed in California pursuant to the
provisions of Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 2000) of Division 2
of the Business and Professions Code, and who has substantial
experience in the practice of emergency medicine.



1797.102.  The authority, utilizing regional and local information,
shall assess each EMS area or the system's service area for the
purpose of determining the need for additional emergency medical
services, coordination of emergency medical services, and the
effectiveness of emergency medical services.



1797.103.  The authority shall develop planning and implementation
guidelines for emergency medical services systems which address the
following components:
   (a) Manpower and training.
   (b) Communications.
   (c) Transportation.
   (d) Assessment of hospitals and critical care centers.
   (e) System organization and management.
   (f) Data collection and evaluation.
   (g) Public information and education.
   (h) Disaster response.



1797.104.  The authority shall provide technical assistance to
existing agencies, counties, and cities for the purpose of developing
the components of emergency medical services systems.



1797.105.  (a) The authority shall receive plans for the
implementation of emergency medical services and trauma care systems
from local EMS agencies.
   (b) After the applicable guidelines or regulations are established
by the authority, a local EMS agency may implement a local plan
developed pursuant to Section 1797.250, 1797.254, 1797.257, or
1797.258 unless the authority determines that the plan does not
effectively meet the needs of the persons served and is not
consistent with coordinating activities in the geographical area
served, or that the plan is not concordant and consistent with
applicable guidelines or regulations, or both the guidelines and
regulations, established by the authority.
   (c) A local EMS agency may appeal a determination of the authority
pursuant to subdivision (b) to the commission.
   (d) In an appeal pursuant to subdivision (c), the commission may
sustain the determination of the authority or overrule and permit
local implementation of a plan, and the decision of the commission is
final.


1797.106.  (a) Regulations, standards, and guidelines adopted by the
authority and by local EMS agencies pursuant to the provisions of
this division shall not prohibit hospitals which contract with group
practice prepayment health care service plans from providing
necessary medical services for the members of those plans.
   (b) Regulations, standards, and guidelines adopted by the
authority and by local EMS agencies pursuant to the provisions of
this division shall provide for the transport and transfer of a
member of a group practice prepayment health care service plan to a
hospital that contracts with the plan when the base hospital
determines that the condition of the member permits the transport or
when the condition of the member permits the transfer, except that
when the dispatching agency determines that the transport by a
transport unit would unreasonably remove the transport unit from the
area, the member may be transported to the nearest hospital capable
of treating the member.



1797.107.  The authority shall adopt, amend, or repeal, after
approval by the commission and in accordance with the provisions of
Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3
of Title 2 of the Government Code, such rules and regulations as may
be reasonable and proper to carry out the purposes and intent of this
division and to enable the authority to exercise the powers and
perform the duties conferred upon it by this division not
inconsistent with any of the provisions of any statute of this state.



1797.108.  Subject to the availability of funds appropriated
therefor, the authority may contract with local EMS agencies to
provide funding assistance to those agencies for planning,
organizing, implementing, and maintaining regional emergency medical
services systems.
   In addition, the authority may provide special funding to
multicounty EMS agencies which serve rural areas with extensive
tourism, as determined by the authority, to reduce the burden on the
rural EMS agency of providing the increased emergency medical
services required due to that tourism.
   Each local or multicounty EMS agency receiving funding pursuant to
this section shall make a quarterly report to the authority on the
functioning of the local EMS system. The authority may continue to
transfer appropriated funds to the local EMS agency upon satisfactory
operation.


1797.109.  (a) The director may develop, or prescribe standards for
and approve, an emergency medical technician training and testing
program for the Department of the California Highway Patrol,
Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, California Fire Fighter
Joint Apprenticeship Committee, and other public safety agency
personnel, upon the request of, and as deemed appropriate by, the
director for the particular agency.
   (b) The director may, with the concurrence of the Department of
the California Highway Patrol, designate the California Highway
Patrol Academy as a site where the training and testing may be
offered.
   (c) The director may prescribe that each person, upon successful
completion of the training course and upon passing a written and a
practical examination, be certified as an emergency medical
technician of an appropriate classification. A suitable
identification card may be issued to each certified person to
designate that person's emergency medical skill level.
   (d) The director may prescribe standards for refresher training to
be given to persons trained and certified under this section.
   (e) The Department of the California Highway Patrol shall, subject
to the availability of federal funds, provide for the initial
training of its uniformed personnel in the rendering of emergency
medical technician services to the public in specified areas of the
state as designated by the Commissioner of the California Highway
Patrol.



1797.110.  The Legislature finds that programs funded through the
authority are hindered by the length of time required for the state
process to execute approved contracts and payment of vendor claims.
These programs include, but are not limited to, general fund
assistance to rural multicounty EMS agencies and dispersal of federal
grant moneys for EMS systems development to local EMS agencies. This
hardship is particularly felt by new or rural community based EMS
agencies with modest reserves and cash flow problems. It is the
intent of the Legislature that advance payment authority be
established for the authority in order to alleviate such problems for
those types of contractors to the extent possible.
   Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the authority may, to
the extent funds are available, provide for advanced payments under
any financial assistance contract which the authority determines has
been entered into with any small, rural, or new EMS agency with
modest reserves and potential cash flow problems, as determined by
the authority. Such programs include, but are not limited to, local
county or multicounty EMS agencies.
   No advance payment or aggregate of advance payments made pursuant
to this section shall exceed 25 percent of the total annual contract
amount. No advance payment should be made pursuant to this section if
the applicable federal law prohibits advance payment.



1797.111.  With the approval of the Department of Finance, and for
use in the furtherance of the work of the authority, the director may
accept all of the following:
   (a) Grants of interest in real property.
   (b) Gifts of money from public agencies or from organizations or
associations organized for scientific, educational, or charitable
purpose.



1797.112.  (a) The Emergency Medical Services Personnel Fund is
hereby created in the State Treasury, the funds in which are to be
held in trust for the benefit of the authority's testing and
personnel licensure program and for the purpose of making
reimbursements to entities for the performance of functions for which
fees are collected pursuant to Section 1797.172, for expenditure
upon appropriation by the Legislature.
   (b) The authority may transfer unused portions of the Emergency
Medical Services Personnel Fund to the Surplus Money Investment Fund.
Funds transferred to the Surplus Money Investment Fund shall be
placed in a separate trust account, and shall be available for
transfer to the Emergency Medical Services Personnel Fund, together
with interest earned, when requested by the authority.
   (c) The authority shall maintain a reserve balance in the
Emergency Medical Services Personnel Fund of five percent. Any
increase in the fees deposited in the Emergency Medical Services
Personnel Fund shall be effective upon a determination by the
authority that additional moneys are required to fund expenditures of
the personnel licensure program, including, but not limited to,
reimbursements to entities set forth in subdivision (a).



1797.113.  The Emergency Medical Services Training Program Approval
Fund is hereby established in the State Treasury and, notwithstanding
Section 13340 of the Government Code, is continuously appropriated
to the authority for the authority's training program review and
approval activities. The fees charged by the authority under Section
1797.191 shall be deposited in this fund. The authority may transfer
unexpended and unencumbered moneys contained in the Emergency Medical
Services Training Program Approval Fund to the Surplus Money
Investment Fund for investment pursuant to Article 4 (commencing with
Section 16470) of Chapter 3 of Part 2 of Division 4 of Title 2 of
the Government Code. All interest, dividends, and pecuniary gains
from these investments or deposits shall accrue to the Emergency
Medical Services Training Program Approval Fund.



1797.114.  The rules and regulations of the authority established
pursuant to Section 1797.107 shall include a requirement that a local
EMS agency local plan developed pursuant to this division shall
require that in providing emergency medical transportation services
to any patient, the patient shall be transported to the closest
appropriate medical facility, if the emergency health care needs of
the patient dictate this course of action. Emergency health care need
shall be determined by the prehospital emergency medical care
personnel under the direction of a base hospital physician and
surgeon or in conformance with the regulations of the authority
adopted pursuant to Section 1797.107.



1797.115.  (a) To the extent permitted by federal law and upon
appropriation in the annual Budget Act or another statute, the
Director of Finance may transfer any moneys in the Federal Trust Fund
established pursuant to Section 16360 of the Government Code to the
Emergency Medical Services Authority if the money is made available
by the United States for expenditure by the state for purposes
consistent with the implementation of this section.
   (b) Moneys appropriated pursuant to subdivision (a) shall be
allocated by the authority to the California Fire Fighter Joint
Apprenticeship Program to do all of the following:
   (1) Offset the cost of paramedic training course development.
   (2) Enter into reimbursement contracts with eligible state and
local agencies that in turn may contract with educational
institutions for the delivery of paramedic training conducted in
compliance with the requirements of subdivision (a) of Section
1797.172.
   (3) Allocate funds, in the form of grants, to eligible state and
local agencies to defray the cost of providing paramedic training for
fire services personnel, including, but not limited to,
instructional supplies and trainee compensation expenses.
   (c) To the extent permitted by federal law, the authority shall
recover its costs for administration of this section from the funds
transferred pursuant to subdivision (a).
   (d) In order to be eligible for a grant under paragraph (3) of
subdivision (b), a state or local agency shall demonstrate a need for
additional paramedics.
   (e) For purposes of this section, the following definitions apply:
   (1) "Fire service personnel" includes, but is not limited to, a
firefighter or prehospital emergency medical worker employed by a
state or local agency.
   (2) "Local agency" means any city, county, city and county, fire
district, special district, joint powers agency, or any other
political subdivision of the state that provides fire protection
services.
   (3) "State agency" means any state agency that provides
residential or institutional fire protection, including, but not
limited to, the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.



1797.116.  (a) The authority shall establish additional training
standards that include the criteria for the curriculum content
recommended by the Emergency Response Training Advisory Committee
established pursuant to Section 8588.10 of the Government Code,
involving the responsibilities of first responders to terrorism
incidents and to address the training needs of those identified as
first responders.
   (b) Every EMT I, EMT II, and EMT-P, as defined in Sections
1797.80, 1797.82, and 1797.84, may receive the appropriate training
described in this section. Pertinent training previously completed by
any jurisdiction's EMT I, EMT II, or EMT-P personnel and meeting the
training requirements of this section may be submitted to the
training program approving authority to assess its content and
determine whether it meets the training standards prescribed by the
authority.



1797.117.  (a) The authority shall establish and maintain a
centralized registry system for the monitoring and tracking of each
EMT-I and EMT-II certificate status and each EMT-P license status.
This centralized registry system shall be used by the certifying
entities as part of the certification process for an EMT-I and EMT-II
and by the authority as part of the licensure process for an EMT-P
license. The authority shall, by regulation, specify the data
elements to be included in the centralized registry system, the
requirements for certifying entities to report the data elements for
inclusion in the registry, including reporting deadlines, the
penalties for failure of a certifying entity to report certification
status changes within these deadlines, and requirements for
submission to the Department of Justice fingerprint images and
related information required by the Department of Justice of, except
as otherwise provided in this division, EMT-I and EMT-II certificate
candidates or holders and EMT-P license candidates or holders for the
purposes described in subdivision (c). The data elements to be
included in the centralized registry system shall include, but are
not limited to, data elements that are to be made publicly available
pursuant to subdivision (b).
   (b)  The information made available to the public through the
centralized registry system shall include all of the following data
elements: the full name of every individual who has been issued an
EMT-I or EMT-II certificate or EMT-P license, the name of the entity
that issued the certificate or license, the certificate or license
number, the date of issuance of the license or certificate, and the
license or certificate status.
   (c) (1) As part of the centralized registry system, the authority
shall electronically submit to the Department of Justice fingerprint
images and related information required by the Department of Justice
of all EMT-I and EMT-II certificate candidates or holders, and of all
EMT-P license applicants, for the purposes of obtaining information
as to the existence and content of a record of state or federal
convictions and state or federal arrests and also information as to
the existence and content of a record of state or federal arrests for
which the Department of Justice establishes that the person is free
on bail or on his or her recognizance pending trial or appeal.
   (2) When received, the Department of Justice shall forward to the
Federal Bureau of Investigation requests for federal summary criminal
history information received pursuant to this subdivision. The
Department of Justice shall review the information returned from the
Federal Bureau of Investigation and compile and electronically
disseminate a primary response to the authority and electronically
disseminate a dual response to one government agency certifying
entity.
   (3) The Department of Justice shall electronically provide the
primary response to the authority and also electronically, the dual
response to one certifying entity that is a government agency,
pursuant to paragraph (1) of subdivision (p) of Section 11105 of the
Penal Code.
   (d) The authority shall request the Department of Justice to
provide subsequent arrest notification service, as provided pursuant
to Section 11105.2 of the Penal Code, for persons described in
subdivision (c). All subsequent arrest notifications provided to the
authority for persons described in subdivision (c) shall be
electronically submitted to one government agency certifying entity,
as a dual response by the Department of Justice.
   (e) The Department of Justice shall charge a fee sufficient to
cover the cost of processing the request described in this section.



1797.118.  (a) On and after July 1, 2010, and except as provided in
subdivision (b), every EMT-I and EMT-II certificate candidate or
holder shall have their fingerprint images and related information
submitted to the authority for submission to the Department of
Justice pursuant to the regulations adopted pursuant to Section
1797.117 for a state and federal level criminal offender record
information search, including subsequent arrest information.
   (b) If a state level criminal offender record information search,
including subsequent arrest information, has been conducted on a
currently certified EMT-I or EMT-II, who was certified prior to July
1, 2010, for the purposes of employment or EMT-I or EMT-II
certification, then the certifying entity or employer as identified
in paragraph (2) of subdivision (a) of Section 1798.200 shall verify
in writing to the authority pursuant to regulations adopted pursuant
to Section 1797.117 that a state level criminal offender record
information search, including subsequent arrest information, has been
conducted and that nothing in the criminal offender record
information search precluded the individual from obtaining EMT-I or
EMT-II certification.