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Bill would transfer EMS advisory council appointments to health department director; supporters say change will fill vacancies
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Summary
Representative Benny Cook told the committee House Bill 313 would transfer appointment authority for the State Advisory Council on Emergency Medical Services to the director of the Department of Health and Senior Services and update membership.
Representative Benny Cook told the committee that House Bill 313 would transfer appointment authority for the State Advisory Council on Emergency Medical Services to the director of the Department of Health and Senior Services and update the council’s membership to ensure a diverse set of stakeholder voices. “This council started back in the seventies,” he said, and current vacancies have hampered the panel’s work.
Supporters said the change is a practical fix. Brent Hemphill of the Missouri Ambulance Association described the council as advisory and said the association struggles to find willing, qualified members under the current gubernatorial appointment-and-confirmation process: some members are deceased or living out of state and vacancies prevent the council from functioning. Hemphill said shifting appointments to the DHSS director would expedite filling seats and get the council back to work.
Opponents warned about reduced representation and potential gaps. The State Public Advocate testified in opposition, arguing the bill would shrink the advisory board and eliminate a guaranteed seat for the City of St. Louis. He recommended retaining broader representation, including an odd number of members to avoid tie votes, and urged caution before removing gubernatorial appointments.
Committee members questioned the composition and the role of municipal fire and EMS organizations. Supporters said the bill aims to be provider-based rather than geography-based and that the listed stakeholder categories can still allow metropolitan areas such as St. Louis to be represented.
The committee took public testimony from ambulance associations and the State Public Advocate, then closed the hearing; no committee vote was recorded at that session.
Ending: The bill will return for further consideration; supporters requested clarifying language and said they expected follow-up from affected stakeholders.
