Senate Bill 518 proposes a comprehensive overhaul of the regulatory framework for emergency care providers in Montana by transferring licensing authority from the Board of Medical Examiners to the Department of Labor and Industry. The bill revises the composition of the Board, removing the requirement for an emergency care provider to be a member and instead including a physician assistant. It introduces the definition of "community-integrated health care" and grants the Department of Labor and Industry the authority to establish rules and standards for emergency care providers. Additionally, the bill amends various sections of the Montana Code Annotated (MCA) to reflect these changes, including the removal of specific references to the Board of Medical Examiners in favor of the Department of Labor and Industry.

The legislation also addresses workers' compensation for volunteers and emergency care providers, allowing employers to elect to include these individuals as employees under coverage. It requires employers to notify their insurers about the individuals to be covered and outlines guidelines for determining compensation benefits. The bill clarifies definitions related to emergency care services, including "nontransporting medical unit" and "patient," while emphasizing interdepartmental cooperation in handling complaints and investigations. The act is set to take effect on January 1, 2026, allowing for a transition period to implement these changes effectively.

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(5): 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(6): 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
SB0518_X(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_X(10): 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_X(11): 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_X(12): 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_X(13): 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_X(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_X(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_X(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_X(5): 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_X(6): 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_X(7): 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_X(8): 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_X(9): 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_X: 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