HB 1238 — Designating Emergency Medical Services Essential Services

NOTE:HOUSE BILL 26-1238 BY REPRESENTATIVE(S) Johnson and Lukens, Barron, Bradfield, Bradley, Clifford, Feret, Garcia Sander, Lieder, Martinez, Mauro, McCluskie, Nguyen, Richardson, Soper, Suckla, Taggart, Velasco, WinterT., Bacon, Boesenecker,Brown, Caldwell,Duran,Flanell, Froelich, Garcia, GonzalezR., Hamrick,Jackson, Keltie,Lindsay,Mabrey, Marshall, McCormick, Paschal, Rutinel, Rydin, Smith, Stewart K., Story, Titone, Weinberg;

Thisalso billSENATOR(S)BaisleyandLindstedt, hasFrizell, beenPeltonR.,Rich, preparedRoberts, forAmabile, theCarson, signaturesDaugherty, ofExum, theJodeh, appropriateKipp, legislativeListon, officersMarchman, andColeman. the Governor.

ToCONCERNINGEMERGENCY determineMEDICALSERVICES whetherPROVIDED theINTHESTATE, GovernorAND, hasIN signedCONNECTION theTHEREWITH, billDESIGNATING orEMERGENCY takenMEDICAL otherSERVICES, actionINCLUDING onAMBULANCE it,SERVICES pleaseAND consultAIR theAMBULANCE legislativeSERVICES, statusTO sheet,BE theESSENTIAL legislativeSERVICES. history, or the Session Laws.

HOUSEBe BILLit 26-1238enacted BYby REPRESENTATIVE(S)the JohnsonGeneral andAssembly Lukens,ofthe Barron,State Bradfield,ofColorado: Bradley, Clifford, Feret, Garcia Sander, Lieder, Martinez, Mauro, McCluskie, Nguyen, Richardson, Soper, Suckla, Taggart, Velasco, WinterT.,Bacon,Boesenecker,Brown,Caldwell,Duran,Flanell,Froelich, Garcia,GonzalezR.,Hamrick,Jackson,Keltie,Lindsay,Mabrey,Marshall, McCormick, Paschal, Rutinel, Rydin, Smith, Stewart K., Story, Titone, Weinberg;

alsoSENATOR(S)BaisleyandLindstedt,Frizell,PeltonR.,Rich,Roberts, Amabile, Carson, Daugherty, Exum, Jodeh, Kipp, Liston, Marchman, Coleman.

CONCERNINGEMERGENCYMEDICALSERVICESPROVIDEDINTHESTATE ,AND , IN CONNECTION THEREWITH ,DESIGNATING EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES ,INCLUDING AMBULANCE SERVICES AND AIR AMBULANCE SERVICES ,TO BE ESSENTIAL SERVICES .

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado:

(a) The state ofofColorado Colorado recognizes the critical and essential role ________ Capital letters oror&bitalic bold & italic numbers indicate new material added to existing law;

dashes through words or numbers indicate deletionsdeletionsfrom from existing law andandsuch such material is not part of the act.

and (c) EmergencymedicalserviceprovidersencompassadiverserangeEmergencymedical serviceproviders encompass adiverserange of highly trained and skilled medical personnel, including paramedics, emergencymedicalemergency medical technicians, and other specialized medical responders.

(a) The provision ofofemergency emergencymedicalmedical services constitutes a vital component ofofthe the health-care system in the state;

and (b) OurOurhealth-care health-caresystem systemisis multifaceted, and emergencymedicalemergency medical services playaplay crucialroleinthesystemandprovideanessentialservicea crucial role in the system and provide an essential service in the state.

In Colorado Revised Statutes, 25-3.5-102,25-3.5-102add add (5) and (6) as follows:

(5) (a)(aTHE THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY FURTHER FINDS THATTHAT: :

(I) THE PROVISION OF EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICESSERVICES, , INCLUDING AMBULANCESERVICESANDAIRAMBULANCESERVICESAMBULANCESERVICESAND ,ISESSENTIALTOTHEAIRAMBULANCESERVICES, PROTECTIONOFTHEPUBLICHEALTHIS ,SAFETYESSENTIALTOTHE ,ANDWELFAREOFTHEPEOPLEPROTECTION OFTHE PUBLIC HEALTH, SAFETY, AND WELFARE OFTHE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CCOLORADO; OLORADO ;

(II) ACCESS TO TIMELY AND APPROPRIATE MEDICAL CARE IN OUTOUT-OF-HOSPITAL -OF-HOSPITAL SERVICES IS A CRITICAL COMPONENT OF THE STATESTATE'S SHEALTH-CARE HEALTHINFRASTRUCTURE, -CAREPARTICULARLY INFRASTRUCTURE ,PARTICULARLY IN RURAL AND FRONTIER AREAS OF THE STATE IN WHICH HOSPITALS AND OTHER HEALTHHEALTH-CARE -CARE RESOURCES MAY BE LIMITEDLIMITED; ;AND (III) EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES FUNCTION AS AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE CONTINUUM OF CARE BY BRIDGING PREHOSPITAL , PAGE 2-HOUSE BILL 26-1238 INTERFACILITY,AND COMMUNITY -BASED HEALTH -CARE DELIVERY.

(b)AND THEREFORE(III) ,THEEMERGENCY GENERALMEDICAL ASSEMBLYSERVICES DECLARESFUNCTION THATAS :AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE CONTINUUM OF CARE BY BRIDGING PREHOSPITAL, PAGE 2-HOUSE BILL 26-1238 INTERFACILITY, AND COMMUNITY-BASED HEALTH-CARE DELIVERY.

(I)(b) ITTHEREFORE, IS NECESSARY TO RECOGNIZE AND SUPPORT EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES AS AN ESSENTIAL SERVICE IN THE STATEGENERAL OFOLORADOASSEMBLY ANDDECLARES TOTHAT: ENSURE THAT EACH RESIDENT OF AND VISITOR TO THE STATE HAS ACCESS TO EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES ;

(II)(I) AESSENTIALHEALTHIT -CAREPROVIDERSANDFIRSTRESPONDERSIS ,NECESSARY EMERGENCYTO MEDICALRECOGNIZE SERVICEAND PROVIDERSSUPPORT AREEMERGENCY EXPECTEDMEDICAL TOSERVICES RESPONDAS DURINGAN AESSENTIAL DECLAREDSERVICE DISASTERIN ,THE PRESCRIBEDSTATE CLOSUREOF ,COLORADO CRISIS,AND ORTO EMERGENCYENSURE ;ANDTHAT (III)EACH TRESIDENT ISOF THEAND POLICYVISITOR OFTO THE STATE COLORADOHAS THATACCESS :TO EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES;

(A)(11)AS WESSENTIALHEALTH-CARE HENPROVIDERSAND INFIRSTRESPONDERS, ACTIVEEMERGENCY SERVICE ,EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICE PROVIDERSAREAUTHORIZEDTOTRAVELUNENCUMBEREDUPONTHEROADSPROVIDERS ANDARE HIGHWAYSEXPECTED WITHINTO THERESPOND STATEDURING ;ANDA (B)DECLARED ATANYTIMEORPLACEINWHICHEMERGENCYMEDICALSERVICEDISASTER, PROVIDERSARECALLEDTORESPONDPRESCRIBED ,THEIRPERFORMANCEOFEMERGENCYCLOSURE, MEDICALSERVICESFALLSWITHINTHEDUTIESANDCLASSIFIEDDEMANDSOFCRISIS, THEIROR JOBSEMERGENCY;AND AND(III) THEIT REGULARIS USAGETHE ANDPOLICY WEAR OF THEIRTHE VEHICLESSTATE ANDOF EQUIPMENTCOLORADO .THAT:

(6)(A) TWHEN HEIN GENERALACTIVE ASSEMBLYSERVICE, RECOGNIZESEMERGENCY AND DECLARES THAT EMERGENCYMEDICALSERVICESAREESSENTIAL .W HENACTINGONDUTYOR RESPONDING AS A VOLUNTEER ,EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICE PROVIDERS ,AREAUTHORIZEDTO INCLUDINGTRAVEL PROVIDERSUNENCUMBERED OFUPON EMERGENCYTHE AMBULANCEROADS SERVICE AND NONEMERGENCYHIGHWAYS AMBULANCEWITHIN SERVICETHE ,STATE; ARE RECOGNIZED AS PROVIDING ESSENTIAL SERVICES REGARDLESS OF LOCATION.

AND (B) AT ANYTIMEORPLACE IN WHICH EMERGENCY MEDICALSERVICE PROVIDERS ARE CALLED TO RESPOND, THEIR PERFORMANCE OF EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES FALLS WITHIN THE DUTIES AND CLASSIFIED DEMANDS OF THEIR JOBS AND THE REGULAR USAGE AND WEAR OF THEIR VEHICLES AND EQUIPMENT.

(6) THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY RECOGNIZES AND DECLARES THAT EMERGENCY MEDICALSERVICES ARE ESSENTIAL.

WHEN ACTING ON DUTYOR RESPONDING AS A VOLUNTEER, EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICE PROVIDERS, INCLUDING PROVIDERS OF EMERGENCY AMBULANCE SERVICE AND NONEMERGENCY AMBULANCE SERVICE, ARE RECOGNIZED AS PROVIDING ESSENTIAL SERVICES REGARDLESS OF LOCATION.

In Colorado Revised Statutes, 25-3.5-103,25-3.5-10amend amend (1.3), (3), (9), and (10.3);(10.3)addn(7.2), (8.9), and (9.2) as follows:

and add (7.2), (8.9), and (9.2) as follows:

PAGE 3-HOUSE BILL 26-1238 (1.3) "Air ambulance service" means anAanApublic public or private entity that uses an air ambulance to transport patients to a medical facilityANDility INCLUDES THE PROVISION OF EMERGENCY AMBULANCE SERVICE AND NONEMERGENCY AMBULANCE SERVICESERVICE. .

(3) (a) "Ambulance service" means the furnishing, operating, conducting,maintaining,advertising,orotherwiseengaginginorprofessingconducting,maintaining, tobeengagedinthetransportationofpatientsbyambulanceadvertising, ANDINCLUDESorotherwiseengaginginorprofessing THEPROVISIONOFEMERGENCYAMBULANCESERVICEANDNONEMERGENCYto be engaged in the transportation ofpatients by ambAND INCLUDES THE PROVISION OF EMERGENCY AMBULANCE SERVICESERVICEAND .NONEMERGENCY AMBULANCE SERVICE.

(b) Taken in context, it"AMBULANCE SERVICESERVICE" " also means the person sosoengaged engagedPROVIDINGPROVIDING or professing to be so engagPROVIDINGengaged PROVIDING AMBULANCE SERVICESERVICE. .

(c) The personpersonso so engagedPROVIDING and the vehicles used for the emergency transportation ofopersons personsNDIVIDUALSINDIVIDUALS injured at a mine are excluded from this definition when the personnel utilized in the operation ofofsaid saidTHETHE vehicles are subject to the mandatory safety standards of the federal mine safety and health administration, or its successor agency.

(7.2) "EMERGENCY AMBULANCE SERVICESERVICE" " MEANS AN IMMEDIATE AMBULANCE OR AIR AMBULANCE RESPONSE AT THE TIME AMBULANCE SERVICE ORORAIR AIR AMBULANCE SERVICE IS REQUESTED THAT RESULTS IN THE ASSESSMENTASSESSMENT,TREATMENT,ORTRANSPORTOFAPATIENTBYANAMBULANCE ,TREATMENT ,ORTRANSPORTOFAPATIENTBYANAMBULANCE OR AIR AMBULANCEAMBULANCE. .

(8.9) "N"NONEMERGENCY ONEMERGENCY AMBULANCE SERVICESERVICE" " MEANS THE TRANSPORTOFAPATIENTBYANAMBULANCEORAIRAMBULANCEANDTHAT INCLUDES THE PROVISION OF MEDICALLY NECESSARY SUPPLIES AND SERVICES AND MEETS THE MEDICAL NECESSITY REQUIREMENTS UNDER 42 CFRCFR410.40 410.40(e),AS (e)AS THAT SECTION EXISTED ON JULY 1, 2025.

(9) "Patient"meansanyindividualwhoissick,injured,orotherwise"Patient" incapacitatedorhelpless"UTmeans OFan, HOSPITALSERVICESindividual "MEANSFURNISHINGwho is sick, injmed, or otherwise ineapaeitateOIhelpless"OUT-OF-HOSPITALSERVICES" MEANS FURNISHING ANYNECESSARYGOODSANDSERVICESOUTSIDEOFAHOSPITALSETTINGFOR THE PURPOSE OF PREVENTINGPREVENTING, ,ALLEVIATINGALLEVIATING, ,CURINGCURING, ,OROR HEALING HUMAN ILLNESS,APHYSICALDISABILITYILLNESS, ,APHYSICALINJURYA ORASUBSTANCEUSEPHYSICAL DISORDERDISABILITY, WHILEA RESPONDINGPHYSICAL TOINJURY, AN EMERGENCY OR OTHERA HEALTHSUBSTANCE CAREUSE CONDITIONDISORDER ."OUT-OF-HOSPITALSERVICESWHILE "DOESNOTINCLUDEPREHOSPITALRESPONDING PAGETO 4-HOUSEAN BILLEMERGENCY 26-1238OR SETTINGOTHER TRANSPORTSHEALTH-CARE .CONDITION.

(9.2)"OUT-OF-HOSPITALSERVICES" "PATIENTDOES "MEANSNOTINCLUDEPREHOSPITAL ANPAGE INDIVIDUAL4-HOUSE WHOBILL IS26-1238 SICKSETTING ,INJUREDTRANSPORTS. ,OR OTHERWISE INCAPACITATED OR HELPLESS .

(10.3)(9.2) "Prehospital"PATIENT" setting"MEANS meansAN oneINDIVIDUAL ofWHO theIS followingSICK, settingsINJURED, inOR whichanemergencymedicalserviceproviderperformspatientcare,whichOTHERWISE careINCAPACITATED isOR subjectHELPLESS. to medical direction by a medical director:

(a)(10.3) At"Prehospital thesetting" sitemeans ofone ofthe following settings in which an emergency;emergencymedical serviceproviderperforms patientcare, which care is subject to medical direction by a medical director:

(a) At the site ofan emergency;

or (c) During interfacility transpoOR;transporOR (d) WHILE PROVIDING OUT-OF-HOSPITAL SERVICES.

(d)SECTION W4. HILE PROVIDING OUT OF -HOSPITAL SERVICES .

SECTION4.In Colorado Revised Statutes, 25-3.5-203,add (6) as follows: