HF 4600 Summary

• Expands ambulance service personnel qualifications to allow Minnesota registered nurses and physician assistants (meeting specific requirements) to staff basic life-support ambulances alongside EMTs.

• Creates new variance provisions allowing ambulance services in rural areas and communities under 1,000-2,500 people to staff basic and advanced life-support ambulances with fewer certified personnel, subject to board approval demonstrating hardship.

• Establishes emergency medical responder driver registration requirements for variance-approved ambulances, including valid driver's license, emergency vehicle driving course, CPR certification, and board registration.

• Extends the reinstatement window for lapsed ambulance service personnel certifications from four years to ten years (July 1, 2024 through December 31, 2025) with medical director recommendation.

• Modifies education program approval and reapproval requirements by shortening reapproval notice from three months to 30 days and separating EMR, EMT, and AEMT/paramedic program requirements into distinct subdivisions with specific clinical site and pass rate standards.