An Act to Create Parity in the Licensing of Emergency Medical Services Professionals and Other Health Care Professionals Who Enter Private Residences
Maine Legislature, Session 131, LD 2122
Committee: Health Coverage, Insurance and Financial Services
Sponsors: CYRWAY
Amends: 22 MRSA §9067, 32 MRSA §85, 32 MRSA §85-B

Legislative Document
No. 2122
H.P. 1346
House of Representatives, January 3, 2024
An Act to Create Parity in the Licensing of Emergency Medical 
Services Professionals and Other Health Care Professionals Who 
Enter Private Residences
Submitted by the Department of Public Safety pursuant to Joint Rule 203.
Reference to the Committee on Health Coverage, Insurance and Financial Services 
suggested and ordered printed.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative CYRWAY of Albion.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  22 MRSA §9067 is enacted to read:
§9067.  Background checks for emergency medical services persons and emergency 
medical services ambulance operators
1. Definitions. As used in this section, unless the context otherwise indicates, the 
following terms have the following meanings.
A. "Emergency medical services ambulance operator" has the same meaning as in Title 
32, section 83, subsection 12-A.
B. "Emergency medical services person" has the same meaning as in Title 32, section 
83, subsection 12.
C. "Maine Emergency Medical Services" has the same meaning as in Title 32, section 
83, subsection 16-A.
2. Authorization. For the purposes of this chapter, Maine Emergency Medical 
Services may function as an employer to seek background check information through the 
Background Check Center on an applicant for licensure or relicensure under Title 32, 
chapter 2-B as an emergency medical services ambulance operator or an emergency 
medical services person.
3.  Background check report content. Maine Emergency Medical Services is entitled 
to all information obtained through the background check and rap back monitoring 
program, including offenses that would not be considered disqualifying or potentially 
disqualifying offenses under this chapter, for an applicant for licensure or relicensure under 
Title 32, chapter 2-B as an emergency medical services ambulance operator or an 
emergency medical services person. 
4.  Fees. Maine Emergency Medical Services may pass any fees or charges associated 
with participation in the Background Check Center on to an applicant for licensure or 
relicensure under Title 32, chapter 2-B as an emergency medical services ambulance 
operator or an emergency medical services person.
5.  Waiver of penalties. Maine Emergency Medical Services is not subject to the 
penalties specified in section 9062. 
Sec. 2.  32 MRSA §85, sub-§3, as amended by PL 2013, c. 267, Pt. B, §25, is further 
amended by amending the first blocked paragraph to read:
The board shall obtain criminal history record information containing a record of public 
criminal history record information as defined in Title 16, section 703, subsection 9 8 for 
an applicant seeking licensure under this subsection.  Information obtained pursuant to this 
subsection is confidential and may be used only to determine suitability for issuance of a 
license to provide emergency medical services.  The results of criminal history record 
information checks received by the board are for official use only and may not be 
disseminated outside the board.  The applicant for licensure shall pay the expense of 
obtaining the information required by this subsection. The board may use the Background 
Check Center as defined in Title 22, section 9053, subsection 4 to conduct background 
checks for initial licensure of an emergency medical services person.
Sec. 3.  32 MRSA §85, sub-§4, as amended by PL 2011, c. 271, §9, is further 
amended by enacting a new first blocked paragraph to read:
The board shall obtain criminal history record information containing a record of public 
criminal history record information as defined in Title 16, section 703, subsection 8 for an 
applicant seeking relicensure under this subsection. Information obtained pursuant to this 
subsection is confidential and may be used only to determine suitability for renewal of a 
license to provide emergency medical services. The results of criminal history record 
information checks received by the board are for official use only and may not be 
disseminated outside the board. The applicant for relicensure shall pay the expense of 
obtaining the information required by this subsection. The board may use the Background 
Check Center as defined in Title 22, section 9053, subsection 4 to conduct background 
checks for relicensure.
Sec. 4.  32 MRSA §85-B, sub-§2, as enacted by PL 2021, c. 220, §3, is amended to 
read:
2.  Background check.  The board shall obtain criminal history record information 
containing a record of public criminal history record information as defined in Title 16, 
section 703, subsection 8 for an applicant for licensure under this section.  Information 
obtained pursuant to this subsection is confidential and may be used only to determine 
suitability for issuance of a license to operate an emergency medical services ambulance.  
The results of criminal history record information checks received by the board are for 
official use only and may not be disseminated outside the board.  The applicant for licensure 
shall pay the expense of obtaining the information required by this subsection. The board 
may use the Background Check Center as defined in Title 22, section 9053, subsection 4 
to conduct background checks for initial licensure or relicensure of an emergency medical 
services ambulance operator.
SUMMARY
This bill authorizes the use of the Background Check Center within the Department of 
Health and Human Services by Maine Emergency Medical Services within the Department 
of Public Safety to conduct background checks for persons seeking to be licensed or 
relicensed as an emergency medical services person or an emergency medical services 
ambulance operator.