H*2767(Rat #0616, Act #0527 of 1986)  General Bill, By Sharpe, M.D. Burriss and 
W.H. Jones
 A Bill to amend Section 44-61-80, Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976,
 relating to certification of emergency medical technicians, so as to provide
 that in-service training may be substituted for refresher courses when
 approved by the Department of Health and Environmental Control, to provide
 that the practical skills examination may be administered by a medical control
 physician who may waive the written examination, and to provide that the
 Department of Health and Environmental Control shall study and assess the
 usefulness of the written examination and report its findings to the General
 Assembly no later than January 31, 1989.-amended title

   04/11/85  House  Introduced and read first time HJ-2320
   04/11/85  House  Referred to Committee on Medical, Military,
                     Public and Municipal Affairs HJ-2320
   03/10/86  House  Committee report: Favorable with amendment
                     Medical, Military, Public and Municipal Affairs
                     HJ-1353
   03/12/86  House  Debate adjourned HJ-1554
   03/13/86  House  Debate interrupted HJ-1600
   03/18/86  House  Amended HJ-1633
   03/18/86  House  Debate interrupted HJ-1635
   03/19/86  House  Amended HJ-1667
   03/19/86  House  Objection by Rep. Foster & Hayes HJ-1670
   03/19/86  House  Read second time HJ-1670
   03/20/86  House  Objection by Rep. K. Bailey HJ-1722
   04/03/86  House  Objection withdrawn by Rep. Hayes HJ-2194
   04/03/86  House  Read third time and sent to Senate HJ-2196
   04/22/86  Senate Introduced and read first time SJ-2197
   04/22/86  Senate Referred to Committee on Medical Affairs SJ-2197
   05/23/86  Senate Committee report: Favorable with amendment
                     Medical Affairs SJ-3006
   05/24/86  Senate Amended SJ-3175
   05/24/86  Senate Read second time SJ-3176
   05/28/86  Senate  Read third time SJ-3318
   05/28/86  Senate Returned SJ-3318
   05/28/86  House  Debate adjourned on amendments HJ-3434
   05/29/86  House  Debate adjourned on amendments HJ-3525
   06/03/86  House  Debate interrupted HJ-3606
   06/05/86  House  Senate amendment amended HJ-3808
   06/05/86  House  Returned HJ-3809
   06/05/86  Senate Concurred in House amendment and enrolled SJ-3705
   06/05/86         Ratified R 616
   06/12/86         Signed By Governor
   06/12/86         Effective date 06/12/86
   06/12/86         Act No. 527
   06/20/86         Copies available

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 44-61-80, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO CERTIFICATION OF EMERGENCY MEDICAL TECHNICIANS, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT IN-SERVICE TRAINING MAY BE SUBSTITUTED FOR REFRESHER COURSES WHEN APPROVED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL, TO PROVIDE THAT THE PRACTICAL SKILLS EXAMINATION MAY BE ADMINISTERED BY A MEDICAL CONTROL PHYSICIAN WHO MAY WAIVE THE WRITTEN EXAMINATION, AND TO PROVIDE THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL SHALL STUDY AND ASSESS THE USEFULNESS OF THE WRITTEN EXAMINATION AND REPORT ITS FINDINGS TO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY NO LATER THAN JANUARY 31, 1989.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

Certificate required

SECTION 1. Subsections (a) and (d) of Section 44-61-80 of the 1976 Code are amended to read:

"(a) All ambulance attendants shall obtain a valid emergency medical technician certificate unless an exception is granted pursuant to regulations promulgated by the department.

(d) A certificate is valid for a period not exceeding three years from the date of issuance and may be renewed every three years from the date of original certification subject to the holder completing a refresher course and examination during the three-year certification period as required by the department and provided for by this chapter. Upon successful completion of an approved in-service training program directed by the medical control physician during the three-year certification period and passage of the skills evaluation as provided for by the department, the refresher course requirements and the practical skills evaluation may be waived. Failure to pass the written examination after two attempts will require completion of the refresher course and reexamination. The curriculum for in-service training programs required in this subsection shall include but not be limited to subject matter prescribed by the department. The in-service training programs shall consist of classroom and skills phases that may be conducted at ambulance services, educational facilities, or hospitals throughout the State. The medical control physician who evaluates the skills of an emergency medical technician applying for certificate renewal may also grant a waiver of taking the written exam. The waiver must certify that the emergency medical technician is knowledgeable, proficient, and capable of performing the duties of an emergency medical technician. The accomplished waiver substitutes for the written exam, and all others are required to take the prescribed written exam before renewal."

Study

SECTION 2. The Department of Health and Environmental Control is directed to carry out a study to assess the usefulness of the written examination required by the Department for the recertification of emergency medical technicians. The Department shall report its findings to the General Assembly no later than January 31, 1989.

Time effective

SECTION 3. This act shall take effect upon approval by the Governor.