An Act To Establish That the Provision of Emergency Medical Services by an Ambulance Service Is an Essential Service and To Establish the Blue Ribbon Commission To Study Emergency Medical Services in the State
Maine Legislature, Session 130, LD 1988
Committee Amendment CA_A_H956 (House)
Amends: 32 MRSA §81-A

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT ,fr',, to H.P. 1474, L.D. 1988, "An Act To Establish 
That the Provision of Emergency Medical Services by an Ambulance Service Is an 
Essential Service and To Establish the Blue Ribbon Commission To Study Emergency 
Medical Services in the State" 
Amend the bill by striking out all of section 1 and inserting the following: 
'Sec. 1. 32 MRSA §81-A, first 1, as enacted by PL 1985, c. 730, §§3 and 16, is 
amended to read: 
It is the purpose of this chapter to promote and provide for a comprehensive and 
effective emergency medical services system to ensure optimum patient care. 
The 
Legislature finds that emergency medical services provided by an ambulance service are 
essential services. The Legislature finds that the provision of medical assistance in an 
emergency is a matter of vital concern affecting the health, safety and welfare of the public.' 
Amend the bill in section 2 by striking out all of subsection 2 (page 1, lines 21 to 40 in 
L.D.) and inserting the following: 
'2. Commission membership. Notwithstanding Joint Rule 353, the commission 
consists of 17 members: 
A. Seven members appointed by the President of the Senate as follows: 
(1) Two members of the Senate, including one member of the party holding the 
• 
largest number of seats in the Legislature and one member of the party holding the 
2nd largest number of seats in the Legislature; 
(2) Two members who are employed or volunteer in the field of emergency 
medical services, including one member who represents a community of 10,000 
residents or more and one member who represents a community of fewer than 
10,000 residents; 
(3) One member who represents a statewide association of emergency medical 
services providers; 
(4) One member who represents a private, for-profit ambulance service; and 
Page I - 130LR2140(02) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
ROS 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT,,,, to H.P. 1474, L.D. 1988 
(5) One member who represent~ a statewide association of municipalities; 
B. Eight members appointed by the Speaker of the House as follows: 
(1) Four members of the House of Representatives, including 2 members of the 
party holding the largest number of seats in the Legislature and 2 members of the 
party holding the 2nd largest number of seats in the Legislature; 
(2) One member who represents a tribal emergency medical service; 
(3) One member who represents a volunteer emergency medical service; 
(4) One member who represents a county government; and 
(5) One member who represents a statewide association of hospitals; 
C. The Commissioner of Health and Human Services or the commissioner's designee; 
and 
D. The Director of Maine Emergency Medical Services within the Department of 
Public Safety or the director's designee.' 
Amend the bill in section 2 by striking out all of subsection 5 (page 2, lines 9 to 13 in 
L.D.) and inserting the following: 
'5. Duties; meetings. The commission shall examine and make recommendations on 
the structure, support and delivery of emergency medical services in the State. The 
commission shall maintain communication and coordinate with Maine Emergency Medical 
Services as defined in the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 32, section 83, subsection 16-A so 
that Maine Emergency Medical Services is informed of the work of the commission and 
the commission is informed of the strategic planning work of Maine Emergency Medical 
Services. 
The commission may look at all aspects of emergency medical services, 
including but not limited to workforce development, training, compensation, retention, 
costs, reimbursement rates, organization and local and state support. The commission is 
authorized to hold a maximum of 6 meetings.' 
Amend the bill by relettering or renumbering any nonconsecutive Part letter or section 
number to read consecutively. 
SUMMARY 
This amendment is the majority report of the committee. The amendment adds 
emergency medical services provided by an ambulance service as essential services to the 
statement of purpose in the Maine Emergency Medical Services Act of 1982. The 
amendment removes reference in the bill to eligibility for federal funding as the purpose 
for which emergency medical services provided by an ambulance service are designated as 
essential services. The amendment adds 4 members to the Blue Ribbon Commission To 
Study Emergency Medical Services in the State: a member who represents a statewide 
association of municipalities and a member who represents a statewide association of 
emergency medical services providers appointed by the President of the Senate and a 
member who represents a county govemment and a member who represents a statewide 
association of hospitals appointed by the Speaker of the House. The amendment substitutes 
the Director of Maine Emergency Medical Services within the Department of Public Safety 
or the director's designee for a member from the Department of Public Safety nominated 
by the Governor at the request of the President of the Senate. The amendment adds to the 
duties of the commission examining and making recommendations on the structure of 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
ROS 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT,,,, to H.P. 1474, L.D. 1988 
emergency medical services and maintaining communication and coordinating with Maine 
Emergency Medical Services so that Maine Emergency Medical Services and the 
commission are informed of the work being done by each other. The amendment adds 
language authorizing the commission to hold a maximum of 6 meetings. 
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED 
(See attached) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
Approved: 03/25/22 Wac!. 
LD 1988 
LR2140(02) 
An Act To Establish That the Provision of Emergency Medical Services by an Ambulance Service Is 
an Essential Service and To Establish the Blue Ribbon Commission To Study Emergency Medical 
Services in the State 
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment l},{f{,q6~) 
Committee: Criminal Justice and Public Safety 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
Legislative Cost/Study 
Legislative Cost/Study 
The general operating expenses of this study are projected to be $2,250 in fiscal year 2021-22 and $2,500 in fiscal 
year 2022-23. The Legislature's budget for the 2022-2023 biennium includes an estimated $6,108 in fiscal year 20'. 
and $10,000 in fiscal year 2022-23 for the costs oflegislative studies, as well as $31,260 of balances carried over 
from prior years for this purpose. Whether these amounts are sufficient to fund all studies will depend on the number 
of studies authorized by the Legislative Council and the Legislature. The additional costs of providing staffing 
assistance to the study during the interim can be absorbed utilizing existing budgeted staff resources. 
Fiscal Detail and Notes 
Any additional costs to the Departments of Health and Human Services and Public Safety to take part in the Blue 
Ribbon Commission To Study Emergency Medical Services in the State are expected to be minor and can be 
absorbed within existing budgeted resources. 
LR2140(02) '_ Fiscal Note - Page 1 of 1