Senate Bill No. [insert bill number] proposes a comprehensive overhaul of the regulation and oversight of emergency care providers in Montana by transferring licensing authority from the Board of Medical Examiners to the Department of Labor and Industry. This change revises the composition of the Board of Medical Examiners, which will now consist of five doctors of medicine, one doctor of osteopathy, one podiatrist, one nutritionist, one physician assistant, and two public members, while eliminating the requirement for an emergency care provider to be a board member. The bill also introduces the definition of "community-integrated health care" and grants the Department of Labor and Industry the authority to establish rules regarding the standards and practices for emergency care providers.

In addition to these changes, the bill amends various sections of the Montana Code Annotated to reflect the new regulatory framework, including the removal of references to emergency care providers in the context of rulemaking and enforcement. It clarifies definitions related to emergency medical services, such as "nontransporting medical unit" and "emergency care provider," and outlines the process for investigating complaints against emergency medical services. The bill emphasizes interdepartmental cooperation to enhance the quality and safety of emergency medical care, with an effective date set for January 1, 2026.

Statutes affected:
LC Text: 2-15-1731, 37-1-401, 37-3-102, 37-3-203, 39-71-118, 50-6-104, 50-6-105, 50-6-201, 50-6-202, 50-6-203, 50-6-302, 50-6-323, 50-32-603, 61-2-502
SB0518_1(1): 2-15-1731, 37-1-401, 37-3-102, 37-3-203, 39-71-118, 50-6-104, 50-6-105, 50-6-201, 50-6-202, 50-6-203, 50-6-302, 50-6-323, 50-32-603, 61-2-502
SB0518_1(2): 2-15-1731, 37-1-401, 37-3-102, 37-3-203, 39-71-118, 50-6-104, 50-6-105, 50-6-201, 50-6-202, 50-6-203, 50-6-302, 50-6-323, 50-32-603, 61-2-502
SB0518_1(3): 2-15-1731, 37-1-401, 37-3-102, 37-3-203, 39-71-118, 50-6-104, 50-6-105, 50-6-201, 50-6-202, 50-6-203, 50-6-302, 50-6-323, 50-32-603, 61-2-502
SB0518_1(4): 2-15-1731, 37-1-401, 37-3-102, 37-3-203, 39-71-118, 50-6-104, 50-6-105, 50-6-201, 50-6-202, 50-6-203, 50-6-302, 50-6-323, 50-32-603, 61-2-502
SB0518_1: 2-15-1731, 37-1-401, 37-3-102, 37-3-203, 39-71-118, 50-6-104, 50-6-105, 50-6-201, 50-6-202, 50-6-203, 50-6-302, 50-6-323, 50-32-603, 61-2-502