Legislative Attic

SubmittedbyEdRhodes

By the time you read this article, “maybe” the General Assembly will be over other than for reconvened day in April. The only hope right for completion on time will be the budget. On top of that, elections in new districts will be in November and to say the least a number of legislators that look out for EMS may or may not be back.

Vavrs At The General Assembly

On January 19th Executive Director Bubby Bish and Life Members Kenny Frenier and Gary Dalton joined me in visiting a number of legislators on their turf. We visited with Delegate Orrock, Delegate Cherry, Delegate Davis (aide), Delegate Fowler, Senator Obenshain, Senator Lewis, and Senator DeSteph. We discussed a number of issues with these legislators while visiting with limited time.

The members of the General Assembly finished their work on February 25th around 6:00 pm, without approving a budget, other than what the money committees called a “skinny” budget. It was basically a “stop gap” budget with only four items in it and was on five pages. The items dealt with the retirement system, school funding, construction and the “Rainy Day Fund” or Revenue Stabilization Fund. The members of the conference committee will be back over the next few weeks to work out all of the other details.

House bill 1472 (Delegate Fowler) and Senate Bill 1246 (Senator Obenshain) is a bill that included language that made emergency medical services in the Commonwealth an essential service. This was attempted about six years ago and did not get the language we needed. The reasoning behind this was so that grant funding from grants such as the federal American Rescue Fund Program and CARES Act could be available to EMS, but without the word essential in code it could not be accomplished. Thanks to Scott Winston of OEMS and a subcommittee of the Advisory Board in helping to get the language correct.

There were a number of bills introduced by members of the House and Senate to add 9-1-1 communications officers to Virginia Retirement System and to worker’s compensation benefits, but unfortunately all of these bills were sent to the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission to study this along with six other groups that want the same benefits. Hopefully the report will be forth coming before the next session.

A bill submitted by Delegate O’Quinn of Bristol (HB1775) added (Continued onpage 17) anxiety disorder or depressive disorder to the PTSD worker’s compensation section that includes law enforcement and fire and built into that definition is EMS. This bill passed and is on its way to the Governor.

Two bills submitted by Delegate Orrock (HB1447) and Senator Suetterlein (SB1426) allows emergency medical technicians or paramedics who are employed or engaged at a medical care facility, who have a valid emergency medical services provider certification issued by the Board of Health as a requirement of being employed or engaged at the medical care facility within the scope of such certification, pursuant to an oral or written order or standing protocol to administer drugs and devices at the medical care facility.

Senate Joint Resolution 358 was drafted and introduced by Senator Deeds and co patroned by Delegates Campbell and Orrock. The memorial resolution is in honor of Page Entsminger and passed both the Senate and House. A commending Senate resolution (SJ 304 McPike) and House commending resolution (HJ 709 Bennett-Parker) was introduced and passed for Brian Hricik, Deputy Chief of EMS Alexandria Fire Department, and a past president of VAGEMSA, a former member of the EMS Advisory and president of NOVA EMS Council, among other activities. These were presented to him prior to him passing in late February.

Now some additional information of interest to you. Below you will see a link to the OEMS webpageThe Status Report for Chapter 32 has been posted to the Regulation & Compliance Enforcement Division home page on the Office of EMS website. On the Division home page you will find a new section titled Chapter 32 Progress Report. Under this titled section you will find the following 3 links: Regulatory Process Current Status - which identifies where in the regulatory process Chapter 32 is currently located.

The Final Draft of the proposed new EMS Regulations to be known as Chapter 32. The Final Draft of the proposed Required Vehicle Equipment List to be known as the RVEL. Click the link below to be directed to the Division homepage where this information is now located. https://www.vdh.virginia.gov/emergency-medical-services/regulations-compliance/

As most of you are aware from reading the news, numerous members of the House of Delegates are retiring or are running for a seat in the Senate of Virginia, 28 at current count. There are 8 Senators that are retiring and needless to say the 2024 legislature is going to look entirely different. More on this to come later as everyone is going to have to pitch in and get the VAVRS message across.

This should complete this article for now, and the next one will probably be more in line with the previous paragraph. Any questions or comments please send me or the Legislative Committee Chair a note.