SENATE BILL REPORT

                   HB 1213

              As Reported By Senate Committee On:

            Health & Long-Term Care, March 21, 1995

Title:  An act relating to training of emergency service medical personnel.

Brief Description:  Revising provisions relating to liability in training of emergency service medical personnel.

Sponsors:  Representatives Brumsickle, Grant, Cody, Basich and McMahan.

Brief History:

Committee Activity:  Health & Long-Term Care:  3/21/95 [DP].

SENATE COMMITTEE ON HEALTH & LONG-TERM CARE

Majority Report:  Do pass.

  Signed by Senators Quigley, Chair; Wojahn, Vice Chair; C. Anderson, Deccio, Fairley, Franklin, Moyer, Winsley and Wood.

Staff:  Rhoda Jones (786-7198)

Background:  Emergency service medical personnel are immune from legal liability while providing emergency medical services in good faith under the supervision of physicians or approved medical program directors.  The same immunity extends to supervising physicians, medical program hospitals, training agencies or training physicians, ambulance services or governmental units and their employees.

However, there is no statutory language specifically granting the same immunity to any emergency medical service training entity and its personnel operating at the request of an approved medical program director.

Summary of Bill:  Immunity from legal liability is accorded to those entities and personnel that render services in training emergency services medical personnel for certification or recertification.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Available.

Effective Date:  The bill contains an emergency clause and takes effect immediately.

Testimony For:  This is necessary to assure hospitals they are free of legal liability while training emergency medical personnel.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  Representative Brumsickle, prime sponsor (pro); Janet Griffith, Department of Health (pro); Susie Tracy, Washington Ambulance Association (pro).