BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    Ó




                   Senate Appropriations Committee Fiscal Summary
                            Senator Kevin de León, Chair


          SB 669 (Huff) - Emergency medical care: epinephrine  
          auto-injectors.
          
          Amended: May 7, 2013            Policy Vote: Health 8-0, Judic.  
          7-0
          Urgency: No                     Mandate: Yes
          Hearing Date: May 20, 2013      Consultant: Brendan McCarthy
          
          This bill meets the criteria for referral to the Suspense File.
          
          
          Bill Summary: SB 669 would authorize a prehospital emergency  
          medical care person, first responder, or lay rescuer to use an  
          epinephrine auto-injector to render emergency medical care,  
          under certain circumstances.

          Fiscal Impact: 
              One-time costs of $450,000 for the adoption and amendment  
              of regulations by the Emergency Medical Services Authority  
              (General Fund).

              Ongoing costs of $250,000 for training and oversight by the  
              Emergency Medical Services Authority (General Fund).

          Background: Under current law, the Emergency Medical Services  
          Authority develops guidelines and standards for emergency  
          medical systems, including standards for training and the scope  
          of practice for emergency medical personnel.

          Under current law, school districts and county offices of  
          education are authorized to designate school personnel to  
          receive training to use an epinephrine auto-injector to render  
          emergency medical care under certain conditions.

          Proposed Law: SB 669 would authorize a prehospital emergency  
          medical care person, first responder, or lay rescuer to use an  
          epinephrine auto-injector to render emergency medical care.

          In order to provide care under the bill, specified conditions  
          must be met, for example the auto-injector must be obtained by  
          prescription and the person using the auto-injector must have  
          completed a course of training and be certified.








          SB 669 (Huff)
          Page 1



          The bill authorizes a pharmacy to dispense an epinephrine  
          auto-injector provided certain conditions are met, for example  
          the epinephrine auto-injector has been prescribed and the  
          auto-injector is labeled in a specified manner.

          The bill requires the Emergency Medical Services Authority to  
          establish standards for training and the use of epinephrine  
          auto-injectors as authorized in the bill.

          The bill exempts school districts and county offices of  
          education from the requirements of the bill.

          Staff Comments: Current regulations developed by the Emergency  
          Medical Services Authority specify the duties and authorities of  
          prehospital emergency medical care personnel and first  
          responders. Current regulations allow such personnel to use an  
          epinephrine auto-injector to render emergency medical care while  
          performing their duties as part of an organized emergency  
          medical service system. Such personnel are not authorized to  
          take such actions independently (e.g. when such a person is  
          off-duty).

          Because this bill would create a process for prehospital  
          emergency medical care personnel and first responders to provide  
          emergency medical care outside of an organized emergency medical  
          service system, existing regulations will need to be amended to  
          conform with the requirements of this bill.

          The only costs that may be incurred by a local agency relate to  
          crimes and infractions. Under the California Constitution, such  
          costs are not reimbursable by the state.