West Virginia 2020 Regular Session Status: Enacted 5 R cosponsors

HB 4655 — Permitting military personnel in areas where on-the-job emergency medicine is part of the training to be granted automatic EMS or EMT certification

Last action — Chapter 286, Acts, Regular Session, 2020

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  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. ✓
    In Committee
  3. ✓
    Passed House of Delegates
  4. ✓
    Passed Senate
  5. ✓
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced February 03, 2020. Enacted.

Prognosis

Likely to advance 82% · moderate confidence

Where this bill stands today.

Odds of enactment

High

How often bills like it became law.

  • Enacted

    Current position in the legislative process.

  • 11 sponsors

    1 primary, 10 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Single-party support

    Sponsorship is currently within one party (5 R).

  • Cleared a recorded vote

    Passed 3 recorded votes so far.

Prognosis reads this bill's own signals — stage, sponsorship breadth, committee status, recorded votes and cross-state momentum. Odds come from a model trained on which bills have become law.

Bill Text

What changed in the latest version

273 added · 18 removed

Plain-language change summary

The latest version of Bill HB 4655 clarified that the commissioner must grant licenses to applicants, specifically military personnel who have been honorably discharged within the last two years, ensuring they can transition smoothly into paramedic or emergency medical technician roles. Additionally, it specifies that recertification may require retesting if a certificate goes unused. These changes are important because they help streamline the licensing process for veterans and ensure that emergency medical services maintain qualified personnel, thereby improving public safety.

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HB4655 S MIL AMT #1 2-28 Alder  7824   The Committee on Military moved to amend the bill by striking out the title and substituting therefor a new title, to read as follows:
HB 4655 Text skip navigation SENATE PRESIDENT SENATORS COMMITTEES VIDEO/AUDIO DISTRICT MAPS SENATE CLERK SENATE RULES HOUSE SPEAKER DELEGATES COMMITTEES VIDEO/AUDIO DISTRICT MAPS HOUSE CLERK HOUSE RULES HOUSE STAFF JOINT INTERIM COMMITTEES LEGISLATIVE ADMINISTRATOR LEGISLATIVE SERVICES DIVISION PUBLIC INFORMATION LEGISLATIVE AUTOMATED SYSTEMS DIVISION LEGISLATIVE AUDITOR'S OFFICE PERFORMANCE EVALUATION & RESEARCH DIVISION POST AUDIT DIVISION BUDGET DIVISION REGULATORY AND FISCAL AFFAIRS DIVISION CLAIMS COMMISSION CRIME VICTIMS RULE-MAKING REVIEW SPECIAL INVESTIGATIONS JUDICIAL COMP.
Eng.
COMMISSION JOINT RULES STAFF INFO BILL STATUS BILL STATUS BILL TRACKING STATE LAW WEST VIRGINIA CODE ACTS OF THE LEGISLATURE CODE OF 1931 WV CONSTITUTION US CONSTITUTION REPORTS AGENCY REPORTS AGENCY GRANT AWARDS PERFORMANCE EVALUATIONS POST AUDITS EDUCATIONAL CITIZEN’S GUIDE INTERNSHIP PROGRAM PAGE PROGRAM PUBLICATIONS PHOTO GALLERY CAPITOL HISTORY HOW A BILL BECOMES LAW CONTACT SENATE ROSTER HOUSE ROSTER PUBLIC INFO.
House Bill 4655—A Bill to amend and reenact §16-4C-8 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, relating to automatic certification as an emergency medical technician-paramedic or emergency medical technician-basic upon application;
NEWS RELEASES HELPFUL LINKS Enrolled Version - Final Version « House Bill 4655 History OTHER VERSIONS  —  Introduced Version  |   |  Email Key:
Green = existing Code.
Red = new code to be enacted WEST virginia legislature regular session ENROLLED House Bill 4655 By Delegates Howell, Hott, Summers, Maynard, C.
Martin, Jennings, Staggers, Angelucci, Ellington, Hamrick and Fast [Passed March 5, 2020;
in effect ninety days from passage.]   AN ACT to amend and reenact §16-4C-8 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, relating to automatic certification as an emergency medical technician-paramedic or emergency medical technician-basic upon application;
      Adopted Rejected
Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
Article 4C.
emergency Medical Services Act.
§16-4C-8.
Standards for emergency medical services personnel.
(a) Every ambulance operated by an emergency medical services agency shall carry at least two personnel.
At least one person shall be certified in cardiopulmonary resuscitation or first aid and the person in the patient compartment shall be certified as an emergency medical technician-basic at a minimum except that in the case of a specialized multi-patient medical transport, only one staff person is required and that person shall be certified, at a minimum, at the level of an emergency medical technician-basic.
The requirements of this subsection will remain in effect until revised by the legislative rule to be promulgated pursuant to §16-4C-8(b) of this code.
(b) On or before May 28, 2010, the commissioner shall submit a proposed legislative rule to the Emergency Medical Services Advisory Council for review, and on or before June 30, 2010, shall file the proposed legislative rule with the Office of the Secretary of State, in accordance with the provisions of §29A-3-1 et seq.
of this code, to establish certification standards for emergency medical vehicle operators and to revise the requirements for emergency medical services personnel.
(c) As of the effective date of the legislative rule to be promulgated pursuant to §16-4C-8(b), emergency medical services personnel who operate ambulances shall meet the requirements set forth in the legislative rule.
(d) Any person desiring emergency medical services personnel certification shall apply to the commissioner using forms and procedures prescribed by the commissioner.
Upon receipt of the application, the commissioner shall determine whether the applicant meets the certification requirements and may examine the applicant if necessary to make that determination.
(e) The applicant shall submit to a national criminal background check, the requirement of which is declared to be not against public policy.
(1) The applicant shall meet all requirements necessary to accomplish the national criminal background check, including submitting fingerprints, and authorizing the West Virginia Office of Emergency Medical Services, the West Virginia State Police, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation to use all records submitted and produced for the purpose of screening the applicant for certification.
(2) The results of the national criminal background check may not be released to or by a private entity.
(3) The applicant shall submit a fee of $75 for initial certification and a fee of $50 for recertification.
The fees set forth in this subsection remain in effect until modified by legislative rule.
(f) An application for an original, renewal or temporary emergency medical service personnel certificate or emergency medical services agency license, shall be acted upon by the commissioner and the certificate or license delivered or mailed, or a copy of any order of the commissioner denying any such application delivered or mailed to the applicant, within 15 days after the date upon which the complete application, including test scores and background checks, if applicable, was received by the commissioner.
(g) Any person may report to the commissioner or the Director of the Office of Emergency Medical Services information he or she may have that appears to show that a person certified by the commissioner may have violated the provisions of this article or legislative rules promulgated pursuant to this article.
A person who is certified by the commissioner, who knows of or observes another person certified by the commissioner violating the provisions of this article or legislative rules promulgated pursuant to this article, has a duty to report the violation to the commissioner or director.
Any person who reports or provides information in good faith is immune from civil liability.
(h) The commissioner may issue a temporary emergency medical services personnel certificate to an applicant, with or without examination of the applicant, when he or she finds that issuance to be in the public interest.
Unless suspended or revoked, a temporary certificate shall be valid initially for a period not exceeding 120 days and may not be renewed unless the commissioner finds the renewal to be in the public interest.
(i) For purposes of certification or recertification of emergency medical services personnel, the commissioner shall recognize and give full credit for all continuing education credits that have been approved or recognized by any state or nationally recognized accrediting body.
(j) Notwithstanding any other provision of code or rule, the commissioner recognizes that military personnel, National Guardsmen, members of the United States Coast Guard, and members of the Reserve Components of the Armed Services have advanced skills and training necessary to meet the requirements of this section to be certified as an emergency medical technician-paramedic upon application.
Any person may seek automatic certification as an emergency medical technician-paramedic in this state if he or she has:
(1) Been honorably discharged from any branch of the United States military;
(2) Received paramedic or similar life-saving medical training in positions including, but not limited to, United States Army Combat Medic, United States Air Force Pararescue, United States Air Force Combat Rescue Officer, United States Navy Hospital Corpsman – Advanced Technical Field, United States Coast Guard Health Services Technician, National Guard Health Care Specialist, the Reserve Components of any of the preceding positions, or can otherwise demonstrate that his or her occupation in the military received substantially similar training to be certified as required by the commissioner;
and (3) Received an honorable discharge within two years of the application date.
(k) Notwithstanding any other provision of code or rule, the commissioner recognizes that military personnel, National Guardsmen, members of the United States Coast Guard, and members of the Reserve Components of the Armed Services have advanced skills and training necessary to meet the requirements of this section to be certified as an emergency medical technician-basic upon application.
Any person may seek automatic certification as an emergency medical technician-basic in this state if he or she has:
(1) Been honorably discharged from any branch in the United States military;
Show all 61 changed rows (21 more)
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(2) Received emergency medical technician training or similar life-saving medical training in positions including, but not limited to, United States Army Infantryman, United States Air Force Security Forces, United States Navy Hospital Corpsman, United States Coast Guard Aviation Survival Technician, United States Marines Infantryman, National Guard Infantryman, and Reserve Components of any of the preceding positions, or can otherwise demonstrate that his or her occupation in the military received substantially similar training to be certified as required by the commissioner;
and (3) Received an honorable discharge within two years of the application date.
(l) Upon reviewing an application for certification pursuant to subsection (j) and subsection (k) of this section, the commissioner shall issue an appropriate certificate to the individual applying for certification as an emergency medical technician-paramedic or emergency medical technician-basic without further examination or education.
If an individual certified pursuant to this section permits his or her certification to expire, the commissioner may require examination as a condition of recertification.
   The Joint Committee on Enrolled Bills hereby certifies that the foregoing bill is correctly enrolled.
    ...............................................................
        Chairman, House Committee                          ...............................................................
                             Chairman, Senate Committee                                                       Originating in the House.
  In effect ninety days from passage.
    ...............................................................
                  Clerk of the House of Delegates                          ...............................................................
                                                   Clerk of the Senate                                         ...............................................................
                                                   Speaker of the House of Delegates                                                                 ...............................................................
                                                                                     President of the Senate     __________             The within ...................................................
this the...........................................
  day of ..........................................................................................................., 2020.
                                                    .............................................................
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Action History

  1. Chapter 286, Acts, Regular Session, 2020

  2. Approved by Governor 3/24/20

  3. To Governor 3/19/20

  4. Approved by Governor 3/24/20 - Senate Journal

  5. Approved by Governor 3/24/20 - House Journal

  6. To Governor 3/19/20 - House Journal

  7. To Governor 3/19/20 - Senate Journal

  8. House Message received

  9. Completed legislative action

  10. Communicated to Senate

  11. House concurred in Senate amendment and passed bill (Roll No. 554)

  12. House received Senate message

  13. Senate requests House to concur

  14. Passed Senate with amended title (Roll No. 439)

  15. Read 3rd time

  16. On 3rd reading

  17. Committee amendment adopted (Voice vote)

  18. Read 2nd time

  19. On 2nd reading

  20. Read 1st time

  21. Immediate consideration

  22. Reported do pass, with amendment and title amendment

  23. To Military

  24. To Military

  25. Introduced in Senate

  26. Communicated to Senate

  27. Passed House (Roll No. 177)

  28. Read 3rd time

  29. On 3rd reading, Special Calendar

  30. Read 2nd time

  31. On 2nd reading, Special Calendar

  32. Read 1st time

  33. On 1st reading, Special Calendar

  34. Do pass

  35. To House Government Organization

  36. Introduced in House

  37. To Government Organization

  38. Filed for introduction

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

Export CSV (upgrade) →

1 sponsors · 10 co-sponsors · 141 not signed on

Sponsors (1)

Co-sponsors (10)

Not signed on (141)

141 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 141 →

"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Votes

PASSAGE-SENATE AMENDED HB

Passed 100 Yea · 0 Nay
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Republican 25000
Unaffiliated 70000
Democrat 5000
Total 100000
% of votes cast 100%0%0%0%
How each member voted (100)
Member Party Vote
Rodighiero — Yea
Angelucci — Yea
Espinosa — Yea
Kessinger — Yea
Atkinson — Yea
Estep-Burton — Yea
Kump — Yea
Rowan — Yea
Evans — Yea
Lavender-Bowe — Yea
Rowe — Yea
Barnhart — Yea
Fast — Yea
Linville — Yea
Shott — Yea
Fleischauer — Yea
Little — Yea
Skaff — Yea
Longstreth — Yea
Sponaugle — Yea
Bates — Yea
Foster — Yea
Lovejoy — Yea
Staggers — Yea
Bibby — Yea
Graves — Yea
Mandt — Yea
Steele — Yea
Boggs — Yea
Hamrick — Yea
Storch — Yea
Brown, N. — Yea
Hanna — Yea
Summers — Yea
Brown, S. — Yea
Maynard — Yea
Swartzmiller — Yea
Hardy — Yea
Sypolt — Yea
Byrd — Yea
Hartman — Yea
Miley — Yea
Thompson, C. — Yea
Cadle — Yea
Hicks — Yea
Thompson, R. — Yea
Higginbotham — Yea
Nelson — Yea
Tomblin — Yea
Canestraro — Yea
Hill — Yea
Pack — Yea
Capito — Yea
Paynter — Yea
Walker — Yea
Caputo — Yea
Pethtel — Yea
Waxman — Yea
Householder — Yea
Phillips — Yea
Westfall — Yea
Cowles — Yea
Porterfield — Yea
Wilson — Yea
Jeffries, J. — Yea
Pyles — Yea
Diserio — Yea
Zukoff — Yea
Doyle — Yea
Robinson — Yea
Evan Hansen Democrat Yea
John Williams Democrat Yea
Mike Pushkin Democrat Yea
Sean Hornbuckle Democrat Yea
Shawn Fluharty Democrat Yea
Ben Queen Republican Yea
Betsy Kelly Republican Yea
Betsy Kelly Republican Yea
Carl Martin Republican Yea
Christopher W. Toney Republican Yea
D. Rolland Jennings Republican Yea
Dean Jeffries Republican Yea
Evan Worrell Republican Yea
Gary G. Howell Republican Yea
George Miller Republican Yea
Jason Barrett Republican Yea
Jeff Campbell Republican Yea
Jim Butler Republican Yea
Joe Ellington Republican Yea
John Paul Hott Republican Yea
Mark Dean Republican Yea
Matthew Rohrbach Republican Yea
Mike Azinger Republican Yea
Pat McGeehan Republican Yea
Patrick Martin Republican Yea
Roger Hanshaw Republican Yea
Roy Cooper Republican Yea
T. Kevan Bartlett Republican Yea
Vernon Criss Republican Yea
William Anderson Republican Yea

Official roll call →

Passage

Passed 34 Yea · 0 Nay
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Republican 2000
Unaffiliated 32000
Total 34000
% of votes cast 100%0%0%0%
How each member voted (34)
Member Party Vote
LINDSAY — Yea
SMITH — Yea
BALDWIN — Yea
MANN — Yea
STOLLINGS — Yea
BEACH — Yea
MARONEY — Yea
SWOPE — Yea
BLAIR — Yea
MAYNARD — Yea
SYPOLT — Yea
BOLEY — Yea
PALUMBO — Yea
TAKUBO — Yea
PITSENBARGER — Yea
TARR — Yea
CLINE — Yea
PLYMALE — Yea
TRUMP — Yea
FACEMIRE — Yea
PREZIOSO — Yea
UNGER — Yea
HAMILTON — Yea
ROBERTS — Yea
WELD — Yea
HARDESTY — Yea
ROMANO — Yea
WOELFEL — Yea
IHLENFELD — Yea
RUCKER — Yea
MR PRESIDENT — Yea
JEFFRIES — Yea
Charles H. Clements Republican Yea
Mike Azinger Republican Yea

Official roll call →

PASSAGE

Passed 94 Yea · 0 Nay · 6 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Republican 23002
Unaffiliated 67003
Democrat 4001
Total 94006
% of votes cast 94%0%0%6%
How each member voted (100)
Member Party Vote
Espinosa — Yea
Kessinger — Yea
Rowan — Yea
Angelucci — Yea
Estep-Burton — Yea
Kump — Yea
Rowe — Yea
Atkinson — Yea
Evans — Yea
Lavender-Bowe — Yea
Shott — Yea
Barnhart — Yea
Fast — Yea
Little — Yea
Skaff — Yea
Fleischauer — Yea
Longstreth — Yea
Sponaugle — Yea
Lovejoy — Yea
Staggers — Yea
Bates — Yea
Foster — Yea
Mandt — Yea
Steele — Yea
Bibby — Yea
Graves — Yea
Storch — Yea
Boggs — Yea
Hamrick — Yea
Summers — Yea
Brown, N. — Yea
Hanna — Yea
Maynard — Yea
Swartzmiller — Yea
Brown, S. — Yea
Sypolt — Yea
Hardy — Yea
Miley — Yea
Thompson, C. — Yea
Byrd — Yea
Hartman — Yea
Thompson, R. — Yea
Cadle — Yea
Hicks — Yea
Nelson — Yea
Tomblin — Yea
Higginbotham — Yea
Pack — Yea
Walker — Yea
Capito — Yea
Hill — Yea
Paynter — Yea
Waxman — Yea
Caputo — Yea
Pethtel — Yea
Westfall — Yea
Householder — Yea
Phillips — Yea
Cowles — Yea
Porterfield — Yea
Wilson — Yea
Jeffries, J. — Yea
Pyles — Yea
Zukoff — Yea
Diserio — Yea
Doyle — Yea
Robinson — Yea
Rodighiero — Not Voting
Canestraro — Not Voting
Linville — Not Voting
Evan Hansen Democrat Yea
John Williams Democrat Yea
Mike Pushkin Democrat Yea
Sean Hornbuckle Democrat Not Voting
Shawn Fluharty Democrat Yea
Ben Queen Republican Yea
Betsy Kelly Republican Yea
Betsy Kelly Republican Yea
Carl Martin Republican Yea
Christopher W. Toney Republican Not Voting
D. Rolland Jennings Republican Yea
Dean Jeffries Republican Yea
Evan Worrell Republican Yea
Gary G. Howell Republican Yea
George Miller Republican Yea
Jason Barrett Republican Yea
Jeff Campbell Republican Yea
Jim Butler Republican Yea
Joe Ellington Republican Yea
John Paul Hott Republican Yea
Mark Dean Republican Yea
Matthew Rohrbach Republican Yea
Mike Azinger Republican Not Voting
Pat McGeehan Republican Yea
Patrick Martin Republican Yea
Roger Hanshaw Republican Yea
Roy Cooper Republican Yea
T. Kevan Bartlett Republican Yea
Vernon Criss Republican Yea
William Anderson Republican Yea

Official roll call →

Subjects

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Frequently asked questions

Who sponsors HB 4655?
HB 4655 is sponsored by Gary G. Howell (Republican), John Paul Hott (Republican), Summers, Maynard, Staggers, Angelucci, Hamrick, Fast, Carl Martin (Republican), Joe Ellington (Republican), and D. Rolland Jennings (Republican).
What is the current status of HB 4655?
This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced February 03, 2020. Enacted.
Where can I track HB 4655?
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