Existing law: (1) creates a health district in each county whose population is 700,000 or more (currently only Clark County); and (2) authorizes the creation of a health district in counties whose population is less than 700,000 (currently all counties other than Clark County) under certain circumstances. (NRS 439.361, 439.362, 439.369, 439.370) Existing law provides for the licensure and regulation of emergency medical services by: (1) in a county whose population is 700,000 or more, the district board of health; and (2) in all other counties, the State Board of Health and the Division of Public and Behavioral Health of the Department of Health and Human Services. (NRS 450B.060, 450B.077, 450B.120, 450B.160) Sections 1-6, 9 and 10 of this bill authorize a district board of health in a health district that includes a county whose population is 100,000 or more but less than 700,000 (currently only Washoe County) to elect, by affirmative vote of a majority of all the members of the board, to regulate emergency medical services within the district in the same manner as a county whose population is 700,000 or more. Existing law sets forth the requirements to obtain a license as an attendant of an ambulance or air ambulance or certification as an emergency medical technician. (NRS 450B.160, 450B.180, 450B.1905) Sections 7 and 8 of this bill provide that a person who is at least 16 years of age is eligible for such a license or certificate if he or she meets the qualifications prescribed by law. Existing law: (1) prohibits the owner of an ambulance from allowing a person to operate or use the ambulance if the person is not licensed as an attendant; and (2) requires an ambulance carrying a sick or injured patient to be occupied by a driver and attendant, both of whom must be licensed as attendants. (NRS 450B.260) Section 11 of this bill prohibits the State Board of Health or a district board of health from requiring that a person who is participating in a program of training for certification as an emergency medical technician, advanced emergency medical technician or paramedic be licensed as an attendant in order to occupy an ambulance that is providing care or transporting a sick or injured person so long as: (1) the ambulance is otherwise properly staffed; and (2) the person is not providing care to a sick or injured person or driving the ambulance.

Statutes affected:
As Introduced: 439.410, 450B.020, 450B.060, 450B.077, 450B.082, 450B.160, 450B.180, 450B.1975, 450B.200, 450B.260
BDR: 439.410, 450B.020, 450B.060, 450B.077, 450B.082, 450B.160, 450B.180, 450B.1975, 450B.200, 450B.260