BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    �



                                                                  AB 704
                                                                  Page  1

          Date of Hearing:   May 1, 2013

                        ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
                                  Mike Gatto, Chair

              AB 704 (Blumenfield) - As Introduced:  February 21, 2013 

          Policy Committee:                              Business,  
          Professions and Consumer Protection           Vote: 13-0
                        Veterans Affairs                      10-0

          Urgency:     No                   State Mandated Local Program:  
          No     Reimbursable:              No

           SUMMARY  

          This bill requires the Emergency Medical Services Authority  
          (EMSA) to adopt regulations by January 1, 2015 to accept the  
          military education, training, and practical experience of  
          applicants, as specified, towards certification as an Emergency  
          Medical Technician (EMT)-I and EMT-II, and towards licensure as  
          an EMT-Paramedic (EMT-P).  

           FISCAL EFFECT  

          Initial and ongoing costs to EMSA of approximately $100,000  
          annually for staff to develop regulations and provide program  
          assistance once regulations are adopted.   

           COMMENTS  

           1)Rationale  .  The author's office notes the unemployment rate  
            for veterans is much higher than that for the population as a  
            whole.  Veterans trained as medics in the armed forces possess  
            skills and experience that can be transferrable to EMT  
            positions as provided by this bill.  This bill, by directing  
            EMSA to adopt regulations, allows for transferability of those  
            skills and experience.   

           2)EMT Certification and Paramedic Licensure  . There are currently  
            60,000 EMTs and 19,000 paramedics in California. The EMS  
            system and EMTs are the "first responders," usually activated  
            by a 911 call, who stabilize and transport individuals to a  
            medical facility for treatment.   This bill applies to two  
            types of EMT certifications (EMT-I and EMT-II) and one type of  








                                                                  AB 704
                                                                  Page  2

            paramedic license (commonly referred to as EMT-P).  

           Analysis Prepared by  :    Debra Roth / APPR. / (916) 319-2081