2023 -- H 5681

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LC001894

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2023

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY -- EMERGENCY MEDICAL TRANSPORTATION

SERVICES

     

     Introduced By: Representative William W. O'Brien

     Date Introduced: February 17, 2023

     Referred To: House Health & Human Services

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Section 23-4.1-6 of the General Laws in Chapter 23-4.1 entitled "Emergency

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Medical Transportation Services" is hereby amended to read as follows:

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     23-4.1-6. Licensing of ambulances and ambulance service.

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     (a) A person shall not engage in the business or service of the transportation of patients

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upon any public way of the state unless that person holds a license by the director of health for

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engaging in that business or service.

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     (b) A person shall not operate an ambulance on public ways in this state if the ambulance

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is not licensed by the director of health under this chapter.

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     (c) The director of health shall not issue or renew a license for an ambulance under this

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chapter unless the ambulance meets the minimum equipment standards established under this

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chapter.

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     (d) If a major emergency occurs and the licensed ambulances in the state are not sufficient

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to meet the needs to transport the injured or sick persons, the licensing provisions of this section

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do not apply during the period of the emergency.

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     (e)(1) If an ambulance is owned by a nonresident and is licensed as a motor vehicle in

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another state, it may be operated on the public ways of this state to transport patients who are picked

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up out of state and brought to treatment centers in the state, without the ambulance, its owners, the

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driver, the attendant, or the attendant drivers being licensed under this section.

 

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     (2) Also exempted are:

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     (i) Any motor vehicles or aircraft owned by or operated under the direct control of the

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United States;

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     (ii) Those hospital-based and owned vehicles and their attendants which are used solely for

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the transportation of non-emergency patients to and from other institutions for the purpose of

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therapy and/or other medical treatment and services of a non-emergency nature; and

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     (iii) Those private ambulance and service companies and their attendants which are used

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solely for the transportation of non-emergency patients; provided, however, that those private

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ambulance and service companies annually attest to the ambulance service coordinating board the

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fact that the ambulance or service companies are not engaged in the transportation of emergency

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patients.

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     (f) Any change of ownership of a licensed ambulance or of a business or service engaged

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in the transportation of patients ends the license concerned. Upon a change of ownership, the

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director of health shall issue a ninety (90) day temporary license upon the application of the new

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owner for a current license.

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     (g) All persons engaged in the business or service of the transportation of patients on any

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public ways in the state, all person operating an ambulance for ambulance purposes on any public

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way in the state, and all ambulances operated on public ways in this state shall conform to the

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minimum standards set by regulations issued under the authority of this chapter.

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     (h) If there is a hardship imposed on any applicant for a license because of an unusual

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circumstance, the applicant may apply to the director for a temporary waiver of the licensing

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provisions of this section for good cause shown. The director has the power to waive licensing

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provisions for a period not to exceed ninety (90) days.

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     (i) A person may not transport a patient by a stretcher in a vehicle unless the person holds

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a license as an emergency medical services provider issued by the director of health for engaging

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in that business or service. For purposes of this section, a "person" means an individual,

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corporation, organization, government, governmental subdivision or agency, business, trust,

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partnership, association, or any other legal entity.

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     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY -- EMERGENCY MEDICAL TRANSPORTATION

SERVICES

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     This act would require any person who transports a patient by a stretcher in a vehicle to be

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licensed as an emergency medical services provider through the director of health.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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