S3029

An Act concerning emergency medical services and amending P.L.2020, c.18.

Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

1. Section 3 of P.L.2020, c.18 is amended to read as follows:

3. a. Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, for the duration of the state of emergency or the public health emergency declared in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, whichever period of declared emergency is longer, the Commissioner of Health shall [be authorized to]:

(1) issue a provisional certification to any emergency medical technician whose professional certification has expired, regardless of whether the emergency medical technician has satisfied the requirements for reinstatement of an expired certification, provided that the emergency medical technician submits an application for provisional certification that includes such information or attestations as may be required by the commissioner, and the commissioner determines that the application should be granted. The commissioner may require additional showings, such as a demonstration of proficiency, prior to granting such application. A provisional certification issued under this paragraph shall be valid for six months from the date of issuance, unless otherwise determined by the commissioner;

(2) issue a provisional certification to any paramedic whose professional certification has expired within the last five years, regardless of whether the paramedic has satisfied the requirements for reinstatement of an expired certification, provided that the paramedic submits an application for provisional certification that includes such information or attestations as may be required by the commissioner, and the commissioner determines that the application should be granted. The commissioner may require additional showings, such as a demonstration of proficiency, prior to granting such application. A provisional certification issued under this paragraph shall be valid for six months from the date of issuance, unless otherwise determined by the commissioner;

(3) temporarily reactivate the certification of any paramedic whose certification is currently on inactive status, regardless of whether the paramedic has satisfied the requirements for reactivation of an inactive certification, provided that the paramedic submits an application for reactivation that includes such information or attestations as may be required by the commissioner, and the commissioner determines that the application should be granted. The commissioner may require additional showings, such as a demonstration of proficiency, prior to granting such application. A temporary reactivation issued under this paragraph shall be valid for six months from the date of issuance, unless otherwise determined by the commissioner; and

(4) grant temporary reciprocity to any paramedic who is not certified to practice in New Jersey but is either provisionally certified as a paramedic by the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians or is certified as a paramedic in any other state or the District of Columbia, provided that the paramedic has not had a paramedic certification revoked by the Department of Health, does not currently have a paramedic certification under suspension by the Department of Health, and satisfies all other requirements as may be provided by the commissioner. A grant of temporary reciprocity issued under this paragraph shall be valid for six months from the date of issuance, unless otherwise determined by the commissioner.

b. To facilitate the provisional certification of emergency medical technicians and paramedics, the temporary reactivation of inactive paramedic certifications, and the grant of temporary reciprocity to out-of-State paramedics pursuant to subsection a. of this section, the commissioner is authorized to waive any fees, continuing education requirements, refresher course requirements, periods of provisional certification, required demonstrations of proficiency, endorsement requirements, clinical training requirements, examination requirements, and other requirements that would otherwise apply to recertification of an emergency medical technician or a paramedic whose certification has expired, reactivation of a paramedic certification that has been placed on inactive status, or a grant of reciprocity to an out-of-State paramedic. Waivers of regulations issued pursuant to this subsection shall be valid for six months from the date of issuance, unless otherwise determined by the commissioner.

(cf: P.L.2020, c.18, s.3)

2. This act shall take effect immediately.

STATEMENT

This bill requires the issuance of temporary emergency medical services certifications.

P.L.2020, c.18 authorized the Commissioner of Health (commissioner) to grant: provisional certifications to emergency medical technicians and paramedics, temporary reactivation of inactive paramedic certifications, and temporary reciprocity to out-of-State paramedics. This bill requires the commissioner to grant: provisional certifications to emergency medical technicians and paramedics, temporary reactivation of inactive paramedic certifications, and temporary reciprocity to out-of-State paramedics.