Subject of Possible Rule Making: Emergency medical responder (EMR) or emergency medical technician (EMT) training courses; expanding enrollment for initial training to students who are 16 years of age. The department of health (department) is pursuing rule making in response to new legislative requirements under HB 1722 (chapter 98, Laws of 2025), authorizing a student who is 16 years of age to enroll in an initial EMR or EMT training course. The department is considering amendments to WAC 246-976-022 and 246-976-041. Other amendments to sections or adding new section[s] in chapter 246-976 WAC may also be considered to address this specific topic.

Reasons Why Rules on this Subject may be Needed and What They Might Accomplish: HB 1722 directs the department to develop a process for authorizing a student who is 16 years of age to enroll in an EMR or EMT training course. Training courses must be administered by a department-approved skills center or be a vocational education program approved by the office of the superintendent of public instruction (OSPI). Training programs must provide students with continuing emergency medical services (EMS) medical education from the time they enroll in the course until they graduate from high school or turn 18, whichever is earlier.

The department is considering adopting rules to satisfy the requirements of HB 1722. Rules will allow the department to enforce minimum standards for these training courses.

Existing rule specifies that individuals need to be at least 17 years of age to enroll in an initial EMR or EMT training course. Updates are needed to allow students 16 years of age to enroll in EMS education courses. The types of EMS training programs that can apply to be approved as EMS training programs currently listed in rule need to be updated to include department-approved skills centers and vocational education programs approved by OSPI.

It is anticipated that the rule amendments will clarify the process for recognizing state-approved skill centers and other vocational educational programs approved by OSPI that are allowed to conduct EMR and EMT courses for students who are 16 years of age.

Other Federal and State Agencies that Regulate this Subject and the Process Coordinating the Rule with These Agencies: OSPI, Fire Marshal's Office, Washington department of labor and industries, and Washington State Skill Center Association.

Agencies have been informed of the rule and invited to collaborative meetings via email and GovDelivery. Meetings will take place throughout the rule development process.

Interested parties can participate in the decision to adopt the new rule and formulation of the proposed rule before publication by contacting Dawn Felt, P.O. Box 47853, Olympia, WA 98504, phone 360-236-2842, fax 360-236-2830, TTY 711, email dawn.felt@doh.wa.gov, website https://doh.wa.gov; or Martravia Reed, P.O. Box 47853, Olympia, WA 98504, phone 360-236-2838, fax 360-236-2830, TTY 711, email martravia.reed@doh.wa.gov, website https://doh.wa.gov.

Additional comments: Interested parties can participate in the drafting of the proposed rules. The department will conduct a series of rules workshops. Rule-making notices will be delivered via the GovDelivery list. To receive notices, please go to https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/WADOH/subscriber/new. After signing in, please click open the box labeled "Health Systems Quality Assurance." Next, click open the box labeled "Community Health Systems" and then click open the box labeled "Emergency Medical Services and Trauma." Finally, click the box for "Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Rule Making Chapter WAC 246.976." You may also check the box next to one or more of the other professions or facilities listed to receive information related to that specific topic.