Minnesota Session Laws - 1986, Regular Session

  

                         Laws of Minnesota 1986 

                        CHAPTER 421-S.F.No. 2171 
           An act relating to health; providing exemptions for 
          certain air ambulance services; allowing first 
          responders to drive life support transportation 
          service vehicles under certain conditions; amending 
          Minnesota Statutes 1984, sections 144.802, subdivision 
          5, and by adding a subdivision; and 144.804, 
          subdivision 3, and by adding a subdivision. 
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
    Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 1984, section 144.802, 
subdivision 5, is amended to read: 
    Subd. 5.  The commissioner's decision made under section 2 
or subdivision 4 shall be the final administrative decision.  
Any person aggrieved by the commissioner's decision shall be 
entitled to judicial review in the manner provided in sections 
14.63 to 14.70.  
    Sec. 2.  Minnesota Statutes 1984, section 144.802, is 
amended by adding a subdivision to read:  
    Subd. 3a.  [LICENSURE OF SCHEDULED FIXED-WING AIR 
AMBULANCE.] Except for submission of a written application to 
the commissioner on a form provided by the commissioner, an 
application to provide scheduled air ambulance service by fixed 
wing aircraft only, shall be exempt from the provisions of 
subdivisions 3 and 4.  
    A license issued pursuant to this subdivision need not 
designate a primary service area.  
    No license shall be issued under this subdivision unless 
the commissioner of health determines that the applicant 
complies with the requirements of section 144.804, and the rules 
promulgated under that section. 
    Sec. 3.  Minnesota Statutes 1984, section 144.804, 
subdivision 3, is amended to read: 
    Subd. 3.  Before April 1, 1980, The commissioner, in 
consultation with the appropriate standing committees of the 
legislature, shall promulgate as rules standards for the 
operation of the following types of life support transportation 
service:  
    (a) basic life support service, which shall have 
appropriate personnel, vehicles and equipment, and be maintained 
in a sanitary condition so as to ensure that life-threatening 
situations and potentially serious injuries can be recognized, 
patients will be protected from additional hazards, basic 
treatment to reduce the seriousness of emergency situations will 
be administered and patients will be transported to an 
appropriate medical facility for treatment;  
    (b) advanced life support service which shall have 
appropriate personnel, vehicles and equipment, and be maintained 
in a sanitary condition so as to provide medical care beyond the 
basic life support level, including, but not limited to, 
intubation, defibrillation and administration of intravenous 
fluids and certain pharmaceuticals;  
    (c) scheduled life support transportation service; 
    (d) life support transportation service provided by an 
employer for the benefit of its employees;  
    (e) life support transportation service operated by a 
nonprofit entity and limited exclusively to providing service by 
contract for specific events and meetings;  
    (f) air ambulance scheduled - fixed wing;  
    (g) air ambulance scheduled - helicopter. 
    An advanced life support ambulance may be used as a basic 
life support ambulance provided that its operation fulfills the 
standards promulgated pursuant to clause (a).  
    The standards promulgated under this subdivision shall take 
effect on June 1, 1980 Until standards have been developed under 
clauses (f) and (g), the current provisions of Minnesota Rules 
shall govern these services. 
    Sec. 4.  Minnesota Statutes 1984, section 144.804, is 
amended by adding a subdivision to read: 
    Subd. 7.  [DRIVERS OF LIFE SUPPORT TRANSPORTATION SERVICE 
VEHICLES.] A life support transportation service vehicle may be 
staffed by a driver possessing a (1) current first responder 
certificate issued under United States department of 
transportation standards, or (2) a valid class C driver's 
license provided a siren and flashing lights are not used and 
the vehicle is driven within legal speed limits, if, in either 
case, the life support transportation service vehicle is also 
staffed by two or more attendants meeting the following 
qualifications:  (a) attendants staffing a basic life support 
transportation service vehicle shall meet the qualifications 
contained in subdivision 1; and (b) attendants staffing an 
advanced life support transportation service vehicle shall 
possess a current certification as an emergency medical 
technician or an emergency medical technician-paramedic, 
provided that at least one attendant is an emergency medical 
technician-paramedic. 
    Approved March 24, 1986