HB 1595

Abstract

Amends the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Systems Act. Provides that specified Advisory Committees shall include one representative from the labor organization recognized as the exclusive representative of specified entities' employees. Provides that an EMS Medical Director may only suspend any EMS personnel, EMS Lead Instructor, individual, individual provider, or other participant considered not to be meeting the requirements of the Program Plan if the EMS Medical Director obtains agreement from the Department of Public Health. Allows arbitration meeting specified requirements as alternative dispute resolution procedures for EMS System licensing and makes conforming changes throughout the Act. Provides that a member of a fire department's or fire protection district's collective bargaining unit shall be eligible to work under a silver spanner program for another fire department EMS System that is not the full time employer of that member, for a period not to exceed 12 months, without being required to test into the EMS System of the fire department or fire protection district. Makes other changes. House Floor Amendment No. 2 Deletes reference to: 210 ILCS 50/3.50 210 ILCS 50/3.125 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Reinserts the provisions of the introduced bill with the following changes. Provides that an individual interviewed or investigated by an EMS Director or the Department of Public Health shall have the right to a union representative or legal counsel of the individual's choosing present at any interview or investigation and that the union representative must comply with the requirements for confidentiality and protection of patient information presented during the proceeding. In provisions concerning EMS System suspensions, provides that an EMS Medical Director must submit a suspension order to the Department describing which requirements of the Program Plan were not met and the suspension's duration. Provides that the Department shall review and confirm receipt of the suspension order, request additional information, or initiate an investigation. Provides that the Department shall incorporate the duration of that suspension into any further action taken by the Department to suspend, revoke, or refuse to issue or renew the license of the individual or entity for any violation of the provisions or the Program Plan arising from the same conduct for which the suspension order was issued if the suspended party has neither requested a Department hearing on the suspension nor worked as a provider in any other system during the term of the suspension. Provides that a member of a fire department's or fire protection district's collective bargaining unit shall be eligible to work under a silver spanner program for another fire department EMS System that is not the full-time employer of that member, for a period not to exceed 2 weeks (rather than 12 months), if the member satisfies specified requirements. Changes the definition of "regional EMS Advisory Committee". Removes provisions concerning emergency medical services personnel licensure and provisions concerning complaint investigations. Makes other changes. House Floor Amendment No. 3 Provides that an individual interviewed or investigated by an EMS Director, the local system review board, or the Department of Public Health shall have the right to a union representative and legal counsel of the individual's choosing present at any interview (rather than any interview or investigation).