Committee agrees to EMS provider amendments allowing single-person transport in small counties with 30-day Board notification

A Senate committee agreed to a set of amendments affecting multiple EMS provider bills that allow emergency medical services in counties with populations of 30,000 or less to operate transport vehicles with one person certified for patient care in the patient compartment, while the driver need only be CPR-certified and the adopting EMS agency must notify the Kansas Board of EMS within 30 days.

Senator Owens described the compromise reached with the Kansas Board of EMS and stakeholders, saying the amendment clarifies that the rule applies to "emergency medical services" rather than only vehicle transport, and adds a notification requirement: "The Emergency Medical Services choosing to adopt this policy shall notify the Kansas Board of EMS within 30 days of adoption." The change preserves a requirement that at least one person in the patient compartment be certified in required skills; the driver may focus on driving but should be CPR-certified. Joseph House, executive director of the Emergency Medical Services Board, told the committee the compromise "is it the ideal situation for our board? Probably not, but, you know, it's very workable and we can get through that."

Committee members framed the change as intended to address staffing shortages in rural counties where many services are volunteer-run and full-time staffing is limited. Senator Clifford described a rural example in which a single EMT was unable to leave because a second certified person was required under the prior language, producing long waits for transport; Clifford said the amendment would "really really help out our rural EMS services." Senator Hulshear also expressed appreciation citing the Henrietta Lacks discussion earlier in the meeting.

The amendment also includes non-EMS language changes discussed by committee staff: borrowing a definition from the Clean Air Act to broaden the meaning of a "public place" by striking the term "enclosed" and listing example locations open to the public (with an exclusion for private residences used as daycare facilities), and replacing the phrase "ambulance services" with "emergency medical services" for clarity. Committee staff confirmed the revised amendment text and provided copies to members.

The committee recorded concurrence with the amendment language; on the broader docket, committee members discussed combining the contents of Senate Bill 2280 (as amended) with House Bill 2039 and other provider bills. A motion to "pass out House Bill 2039" was made and approved by voice vote; the transcript does not provide a roll-call tally. The Senate's position, as stated in the transcript, was to take the contents of 02/2280 as amended and include them in 2039 for the conference committee report.