2023 -- S 0952

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LC002478

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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: Senators Ruggerio, Gallo, F. Lombardi, and Miller

     Date Introduced: April 27, 2023

     Referred To: Senate Health & Human Services

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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

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

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

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

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

engaging in that business or service.

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

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

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

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

chapter.

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

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

do not apply during the period of the emergency.

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

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

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

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

     (2) Also exempted are:

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

United States;

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

patients.

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

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

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

owner for a current license.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

     (i) A person may not transport any patient by a stretcher, or in a supine position, in a vehicle

unless the person holds a license as an emergency medical services provider issued by the director

of health for engaging in that business or service. For the purposes of this section the definition of

a "person" means an individual, corporation, organization, government, governmental subdivision

or agency, business, trust, partnership, association, or any other legal entity, and an "emergency

medical provider" means the practitioners, ambulance vehicles, and ambulance services entities

licensed in accordance with chapter 4.1 of title 23 to provide emergency care, transportation, and

preventative care to mitigate loss of life, or exacerbation of illness and injury.

     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 or in a supine

position in a vehicle to be licensed as an emergency medical services provider through the director

of health.

     This act would take effect upon passage.

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