Fromthe Legislative Attic

SubmittedbyEdRhodes

The “blitz” has begun! The drafting of proposed legislation has been going on for a period of time, but the “prefiling” began on November 10th and ended on November 30th . No one knows how many individual bills have been requested and how many will actually be introduced by January 10th 2024, the first day of the 2024 General Assembly session. This is the sixty day session.

As you can imagine, there are many different issues in the works throughout the state. HB2175 report on funding for Fire and EMS has been published, with the workgroup plus others meeting in weekly preparation for the upcoming General Assembly.

The Joint Legislative and Review Commission report has also be published for the enhanced retirement issues for approximately eight different occupations. VAVRS and VAGEMSA will be working together with the communications officers organization to get a bill through legislature during this session for the 9-1-1 dispatchers. Delegates Mike Cherry and David Reid are the patrons of the individual bills.

Other items of interest include a workgroup formed by the Chair of the EMS Advisory Board and includes some members of the board and others that were appointed by the Chair. I attended this first meeting on December 13th. Another workgroup has been initiated by the Peninsulas EMS Council and has been named the Virginia Regional Medication Kit Transition Workgroup. This group consists of the Regional EMS Councils, VDH, Board of Pharmacy, VHHA, VA Society of Health Systems Pharmacists, VAVRS, VFCA, and VAGEMSA. Executive Director Bish and I attended this first meeting on December 12th . This group will be meeting monthly to stay abreast of issue arising from DEA regulations and also FDA and the track and trace concept. Finally the third workgroup that has been appointed is the “Nomenclature Workgroup” with is made of members of the Medical Direction Committee and the Legislative and Planning Committee of the EMS Advisory Board. This group will be looking at language defining EMS physicians.

During a virtual meeting of the Regional EMS Councils Executive Directors it was announced that VDH was making available $600,000.00 to the councils to partially fund their shortfalls within their budgets. Chairman Tracey McLaurin, Lord Fairfax Council, has been tasked on these funds would be distributed amongst the councils.

SAVE THE DATE – January 17th – we have arranged the use of House subcommittee room on this date to meet and listen to members of the General Assembly between 9:00 am and 10:30 am. We are planning on having members speak to the group and possibly answer questions. If interested in attending, contact Carol Gothard (carolgothard@vavrs.com) at the office. Once this meeting is over and after session, you are free to go see your Delegate or Senator and discuss VAVRS and the EMS system. Looking forward to seeing many of you on the 17th.

*Since this is a very new building – no food or drink are allowed other than in the cafeteria.* This concludes my article, hope to see you in Richmond during the General Assembly.