Committee consolidates EMS chapters and reduces continuing-education hours to match neighboring states

The Senate Health and Welfare Committee approved a consolidated EMS rule chapter that folds multiple existing EMS chapters into a single set of rules and reduces continuing-education (CE) requirements to align with the average of contiguous states, as required by the Occupational Licensing Reform Act.

Jared Larson explained the consolidation and said the department found Idaho previously required higher CE hours than neighboring states. The changes described in the transcript include reductions in annual CE hours (as prorated per-year comparisons): emergency medical technicians from 8 hours to 5 hours per year; advanced emergency medical technicians from 16 to 12 hours per year; and paramedics from 36 to 30 hours per year. The department said it used per-year prorated comparisons across neighboring states and adjusted to the average.

The department also noted a section implementing the Occupational Licensing Reform Act’s provisions for military members and spouses to ease licensure portability across states. The committee approved the consolidated chapter by motion; subsequent dockets that repealed the folded chapters were approved in a single motion at a senator’s request.

Wayne Denny, chief of the Bureau of EMS and Preparedness, told the committee CE comparisons were done on a per-year basis using proration because license periods vary by profession. Senators asked about public outreach; Larson said the department held two public hearings and regional outreach and incorporated feedback.

The committee approved the consolidated chapter and then approved a set of chapter-repeal dockets in a bundled motion.