Minnesota Session Laws - 2014, Regular Session

CHAPTER 232--S.F.No. 1900

An act

relating to health; providing for drug overdose prevention and medical assistance; limiting liability;

amending Minnesota Statutes 2012, sections 144E.101, subdivision 6; 151.37, by adding a subdivision; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 604A.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 144E.101, subdivision 6, is amended to read:

Subd. 6.

Basic life support.

(a) Except as provided in paragraphs (e) and (f), a basic life-support ambulance shall be staffed by at least two EMTs, one of whom must accompany the patient and provide a level of care so as to ensure that:

(1) life-threatening situations and potentially serious injuries are recognized;

(2) patients are protected from additional hazards;

(3) basic treatment to reduce the seriousness of emergency situations is administered; and

(4) patients are transported to an appropriate medical facility for treatment.

(b) A basic life-support service shall provide basic airway management.

(c) A basic life-support service shall provide automatic defibrillation.

(d) A basic life-support service licensee's medical director may authorize ambulance service personnel to perform intravenous infusion and use equipment that is within the licensure level of the ambulance service new text begin , including administration of an opiate antagonist new text end . Ambulance service personnel must be properly trained. Documentation of authorization for use, guidelines for use, continuing education, and skill verification must be maintained in the licensee's files.

(e) Upon application from an ambulance service that includes evidence demonstrating hardship, the board may grant a variance from the staff requirements in paragraph (a) and may authorize a basic life-support ambulance to be staffed by one EMT and one registered emergency medical responder driver for all emergency ambulance calls and interfacility transfers. The variance shall apply to basic life-support ambulances operated by the ambulance service until the ambulance service renews its license. When a variance expires, an ambulance service may apply for a new variance under this paragraph. For purposes of this paragraph, "ambulance service" means either an ambulance service whose primary service area is mainly located outside the metropolitan counties listed in section 473.121, subdivision 4, and outside the cities of Duluth, Mankato, Moorhead, Rochester, and St. Cloud; or an ambulance service based in a community with a population of less than 1,000.

(f) After an initial emergency ambulance call, each subsequent emergency ambulance response, until the initial ambulance is again available, and interfacility transfers, may be staffed by one registered emergency medical responder driver and an EMT. The EMT must accompany the patient and provide the level of care required in paragraph (a). This paragraph applies only to an ambulance service whose primary service area is mainly located outside the metropolitan counties listed in section 473.121, subdivision 4, and outside the cities of Duluth, Mankato, Moorhead, Rochester, and St. Cloud, or an ambulance based in a community with a population of less than 1,000 persons.

Sec. 2.

Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 151.37, is amended by adding a subdivision to read:

new text begin Subd. 12. new text end

new text begin Administration of opiate antagonists for drug overdose. new text end

new text begin (a) A licensed physician, a licensed advanced practice registered nurse authorized to prescribe drugs pursuant to section 148.235, or a licensed physician's assistant authorized to prescribe drugs pursuant to section 147A.18, may authorize the following individuals to administer opiate antagonists, as defined in section 604A.04, subdivision 1: new text end

new text begin (1) an emergency medical responder registered pursuant to section 144E.27; new text end

new text begin (2) a peace officer as defined in section 626.84, subdivision 1, paragraphs (c) and (d); and new text end

new text begin (3) staff of community-based health disease prevention or social service programs. new text end

new text begin (b) For the purposes of this subdivision, opiate antagonists may be administered by one of these individuals only if: new text end

new text begin (1) the licensed physician, licensed physician's assistant, or licensed advanced practice registered nurse has issued a standing order to, or entered into a protocol with, the individual; and new text end

new text begin (2) the individual has training in the recognition of signs of opiate overdose and the use of opiate antagonists as part of the emergency response to opiate overdose. new text end

new text begin (c) Nothing in this section prohibits the possession and administration of naloxone pursuant to section 604A.04. new text end

Sec. 3.

new text begin [604A.04] GOOD SAMARITAN OVERDOSE PREVENTION. new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Definitions; opiate antagonist. new text end

new text begin For purposes of this section, "opiate antagonist" means naloxone hydrochloride or any similarly acting drug approved by the federal Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of a drug overdose. new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Authority to possess and administer opiate antagonists; release from liability. new text end

new text begin (a) A person who is not a health care professional may possess or administer an opiate antagonist that is prescribed, dispensed, or distributed by a licensed health care professional pursuant to subdivision 3. new text end

new text begin (b) A person who is not a health care professional who acts in good faith in administering an opiate antagonist to another person whom the person believes in good faith to be suffering a drug overdose is immune from criminal prosecution for the act and is not liable for any civil damages for acts or omissions resulting from the act. new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Health care professionals; release from liability. new text end

new text begin A licensed health care professional who is permitted by law to prescribe an opiate antagonist, if acting in good faith, may directly or by standing order prescribe, dispense, distribute, or administer an opiate antagonist to a person without being subject to civil liability or criminal prosecution for the act. This immunity applies even when the opiate antagonist is eventually administered in either or both of the following instances: (1) by someone other than the person to whom it is prescribed; or (2) to someone other than the person to whom it is prescribed. new text end

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective the day following final enactment, and applies to actions arising from incidents occurring on or after that date. new text end

Sec. 4.

new text begin [604A.05] GOOD SAMARITAN OVERDOSE MEDICAL ASSISTANCE. new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Person seeking medical assistance; immunity from prosecution. new text end

new text begin A person acting in good faith who seeks medical assistance for another person who is experiencing a drug-related overdose may not be charged or prosecuted for the possession, sharing, or use of a controlled substance under sections 152.023, subdivision 2, clauses (4) and (6), 152.024, or 152.025, or possession of drug paraphernalia. A person qualifies for the immunities provided in this subdivision only if: new text end

new text begin (1) the evidence for the charge or prosecution was obtained as a result of the person's seeking medical assistance for another person; and new text end

new text begin (2) the person seeks medical assistance for another person who is in need of medical assistance for an immediate health or safety concern, provided that the person who seeks the medical assistance is the first person to seek the assistance, provides a name and contact information, remains on the scene until assistance arrives or is provided, and cooperates with the authorities. new text end

new text begin Good faith does not include seeking medical assistance during the course of the execution of an arrest warrant or search warrant or a lawful search. new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Person experiencing an overdose; immunity from prosecution. new text end

new text begin A person who experiences a drug-related overdose and is in need of medical assistance may not be charged or prosecuted for possession of a controlled substance under sections 152.023, subdivision 2, clauses (4) and (6), 152.024, or 152.025, or possession of drug paraphernalia. A person qualifies for the immunities provided in this subdivision only if the evidence for the charge or prosecution was obtained as a result of the drug-related overdose and the need for medical assistance. new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Persons on probation or release. new text end

new text begin A person's pretrial release, probation, furlough, supervised release, or parole shall not be revoked based on an incident for which the person would be immune from prosecution under subdivision 1 or 2. new text end

new text begin Subd. 4. new text end

new text begin Effect on other criminal prosecutions. new text end

new text begin (a) The act of providing first aid or other medical assistance to someone who is experiencing a drug-related overdose may be used as a mitigating factor in a criminal prosecution for which immunity is not provided. new text end

new text begin (b) Nothing in this section shall: new text end

new text begin (1) be construed to bar the admissibility of any evidence obtained in connection with the investigation and prosecution of other crimes or violations committed by a person who otherwise qualifies for limited immunity under this section; new text end

new text begin (2) preclude prosecution of a person on the basis of evidence obtained from an independent source; new text end

new text begin (3) be construed to limit, modify, or remove any immunity from liability currently available to public entities, public employees by law, or prosecutors; or new text end

new text begin (4) prevent probation officers from conducting drug testing of persons on pretrial release, probation, furlough, supervised release, or parole. new text end

new text begin Subd. 5. new text end

new text begin Drug-related overdose defined. new text end

new text begin As used in this section, "drug-related overdose" means an acute condition, including mania, hysteria, extreme physical illness, or coma, resulting from the consumption or use of a controlled substance, or another substance with which a controlled substance was combined, and that a layperson would reasonably believe to be a drug overdose that requires immediate medical assistance. new text end

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective July 1, 2014, and applies to actions arising from incidents occurring on or after that date. new text end

Sec. 5.

new text begin CITATION. new text end

new text begin Sections 3 and 4 may be known and cited as "Steve's Law." new text end

Presented to the governor May 8, 2014

Signed by the governor May 9, 2014, 10:35 a.m.