Amended by Stats. 1986, Ch. 248, Sec. 121.
This division shall be known and may be cited as the Emergency Medical Services System and the Prehospital Emergency Medical Care Personnel Act.
Chapter 1 - General Provisions
California Health and Safety Code — §§ 1797-1797.11
Sections (15)
Amended by Stats. 1983, Ch. 1246, Sec. 6.
The Legislature finds and declares that it is the intent of this act to provide the state with a statewide system for emergency medical services by establishing within the Health and Welfare Agency the Emergency Medical Services Authority, which is responsible for the coordination and integration of all state activities concerning emergency medical services.
Added by Stats. 2025, Ch. 98, Sec. 1. (AB 463) Effective January 1, 2026.
(a)For the purposes of this section, “police canine” means a canine that is owned, or the service of which is employed, by a state or local law enforcement agency, a correctional agency, a fire department, a special fire district, or the State Fire Marshal for the principal purpose of aiding in the detection of criminal activity, flammable materials, or missing persons, the enforcement of laws, the investigation of fires, or the apprehension of offenders.
(b)For the purposes of this section, “search and rescue dog” has the same meaning as in Section 54.25 of the Civil
Code.
(c)A person licensed to operate an ambulance pursuant to Section 2510 of the Vehicle Code or a person who operates ambulances owned or operated by a fire department of a federally recognized Indian tribe may transport a police canine or a search and rescue dog that is injured in the line of duty to a veterinary clinic or similar facility if there is no other person requiring medical attention or transport at that time. To the extent feasible, the handler of the police canine or search and rescue dog shall accompany the animal during transport to maintain control of the animal during transport.
(d)(1) Notwithstanding Section 4825 of the Business and Professions Code, an
emergency responder may provide basic first aid to a police canine or search and rescue dog that is injured in the line of duty while the police canine or search and rescue dog is being transported to a veterinary clinic or similar facility.
(2)An emergency responder who acts in good faith and not for compensation to provide basic first aid to an injured police canine or search and rescue dog while the police canine or search and rescue dog is being transported to a veterinary clinic or similar facility is not subject to criminal or civil liability for any injury to the canine that occurs during the emergency transportation or administration of medical care described in this section, subject to the limitation described in paragraph (3).
(3)This subdivision does
not apply to an act or omission by an emergency responder that constitutes gross negligence or willful or wanton misconduct.
(4)An emergency responder who provides basic first aid to an injured police canine or search and rescue dog while the police canine or search and rescue dog is being transported to a veterinary clinic or similar facility does not render the transportation or care “for compensation” for the purpose of this section, notwithstanding their receipt of compensation for other services as a result of their employment.
(e)This section does not require an ambulance to transport, or an emergency responder to provide first aid to, a police canine or search and rescue dog. A contract for the provision of emergency
medical response or transport shall not contain, as a condition of award, a requirement to provide care or transport to police canines or search and rescue dogs.
(f)(1) An ambulance operator that elects to provide transport to police canines or search and rescue dogs pursuant to this section shall develop policies regarding the transport of canines, including, but not limited to, what additional equipment should be carried by the ambulance and any necessary decontamination procedures following the transport of the animal before returning the ambulance to human patient use. The policies shall be submitted to, and approved by, the local emergency medical services agency.
(2)This subdivision does not apply to ambulances owned or operated by a fire department of a federally recognized Indian tribe.
Added by Stats. 2025, Ch. 105, Sec. 21. (AB 144) Effective September 17, 2025.
(a)(1) Notwithstanding any other law, the licensure, certification, or accreditation requirements of this division shall not apply to any Emergency Medical Technician (EMT-I), Advanced Emergency Medical Technician (EMT-II), or Emergency Medical Technician-Paramedic (EMT-P), or similar emergency medical services (EMS) provider licensed or certified as an EMT-I, EMT-II, EMT-P, or similar EMS provider in another state or territory of the United States, who provides EMS for which they are licensed, if they are authorized by the chief medical officer pursuant to subdivision (b) to provide EMS at sites in this state sanctioned by the Los Angeles Organizing Committee for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games and associated with the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
(2)For purposes of this subdivision, “similar EMS provider” means an EMS provider that meets both of the following requirements:
(A)Licensed or certified in a state or territory of the United States that uses a license categorization that differs from this state.
(B)Licensed or certified to provide services similar to those provided by an EMT-I, EMT-II, or EMT-P licensed or certified in this state.
(b)The chief medical officer (CMO) shall do both of the following:
(1)Authorize EMS personnel under this section, based on system needs and informed by committee needs, qualifications of the emergency medical services personnel, and public safety considerations.
(2)Be medical control for any EMS personnel who are authorized under paragraph (1) of this subdivision.
(c)To be authorized by the CMO under this section, and before being deployed by the CMO, EMS personnel shall provide the CMO a valid copy of a professional license or certification and photograph identification issued by the state or territory in which the EMS personnel holds a license or certification.
(d)Emergency medical services providers authorized by the CMO to provide health care pursuant to this section shall not be liable on account of any act or omission taken in good faith while engaged in the provision of services authorized pursuant to this section. As used in this subdivision, “good faith” shall not include willful misconduct, gross negligence, or recklessness.
(e)Emergency medical services providers authorized by the CMO to provide health care pursuant to this section shall be authorized to perform the California basic scope of practice for an EMT-I, EMT-II, and EMT-P, as defined in Title 22 of Division 9 of the California Code of Regulations, if the provider has successfully completed the training to perform these skills and they are within the scope of practice for the state in which they are licensed or certified.
(f)Sites that may be sanctioned by the committee include competition, noncompetition, athlete village, training, or support sites in this state.
(g)Authorization under this section shall be valid from May 15, 2028, to September 15, 2028, inclusive, or until authorization is otherwise withdrawn by the CMO.
(h)For purposes of this section, the following definitions apply:
(1)“Chief medical officer” or “CMO” means the chief medical officer of the Emergency Medical Services Authority.
(2)“Committee” means the Los Angeles Organizing Committee for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Amended by Stats. 2023, Ch. 42, Sec. 19. (AB 118) Effective July 10, 2023.
There is in the state government, in the
California Health and Human Services Agency, the Emergency Medical Services Authority.
Amended by Stats. 2023, Ch. 191, Sec. 3. (SB 137) Effective September 13, 2023.
(a)The Emergency Medical Services Authority shall be headed by the Director of the Emergency Medical Services Authority, who shall be appointed by the Governor upon nomination by the Secretary of California Health and Human Services, subject to confirmation by the Senate, and shall hold office at the pleasure of the Governor.
(b)The Emergency Medical Services Authority shall have a chief medical officer of the Emergency Medical Services Authority, who shall be appointed by the Governor upon nomination by the Secretary of California Health and Human Services, subject to confirmation by the Senate, and shall hold office at the pleasure of the Governor. The chief medical officer shall be a physician and surgeon licensed in California pursuant to the provisions of
Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 2000) of Division 2 of the Business and Professions Code, and who has substantial experience in the practice of emergency medicine or emergency response in California.
(c)The chief medical officer shall provide clinical leadership and oversight concerning treatment, education, and other matters involving medical decisionmaking and delivery of patient care, including, but not limited to, scope of practice, trauma system organization, stroke and ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) requirements, and first aid and CPR training.
Added by Stats. 1980, Ch. 1260.
The authority, utilizing regional and local information, shall assess each EMS area or the system’s service area for the purpose of determining the need for additional emergency medical services, coordination of emergency medical services, and the effectiveness of emergency medical services.
Added by Stats. 1980, Ch. 1260.
The authority shall develop planning and implementation guidelines for emergency medical services systems which address the following components:
(a)Manpower and training.
(b)Communications.
(c)Transportation.
(d)Assessment of hospitals and critical care centers.
(e)System organization and management.
(f)Data collection and evaluation.
(g)Public information and education.
(h)Disaster response.
Added by Stats. 1980, Ch. 1260.
The authority shall provide technical assistance to existing agencies, counties, and cities for the purpose of developing the components of emergency medical services systems.
Amended by Stats. 1984, Ch. 1735, Sec. 1. Effective September 30, 1984.
(a)The authority shall receive plans for the implementation of emergency medical services and trauma care systems from local EMS agencies.
(b)After the applicable guidelines or regulations are established by the authority, a local EMS agency may implement a local plan developed pursuant to Section 1797.250, 1797.254, 1797.257, or 1797.258 unless the authority determines that the plan does not effectively meet the needs of the persons served and is not consistent with coordinating activities in the geographical area served, or that the plan is not concordant and consistent with applicable guidelines or regulations, or both the guidelines and regulations, established by the authority.
(c)A local EMS agency may appeal a determination of the authority pursuant to subdivision (b) to the commission.
(d)In an appeal pursuant to subdivision (c), the commission may sustain the determination of the authority or overrule and permit local implementation of a plan, and the decision of the commission is final.
Amended by Stats. 1986, Ch. 248, Sec. 127.
(a)Regulations, standards, and guidelines adopted by the authority and by local EMS agencies pursuant to the provisions of this division shall not prohibit hospitals which contract with group practice prepayment health care service plans from providing necessary medical services for the members of those plans.
(b)Regulations, standards, and guidelines adopted by the authority and by local EMS agencies pursuant to the provisions of this division shall provide for the transport and transfer of a member of a group practice prepayment health care service plan to a hospital that contracts with the plan when the base hospital determines that the condition of the member permits the transport or when the condition of the member permits the transfer, except that when the dispatching agency determines that the transport by a transport unit would unreasonably remove the transport unit from the area, the member may be transported to the nearest hospital capable of treating the member.
Amended by Stats. 1986, Ch. 248, Sec. 128.
The authority shall adopt, amend, or repeal, after approval by the commission and in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code, such rules and regulations as may be reasonable and proper to carry out the purposes and intent of this division and to enable the authority to exercise the powers and perform the duties conferred upon it by this division not inconsistent with any of the provisions of any statute of this state.
Added by Stats. 1983, Ch. 191, Sec. 3. Effective July 11, 1983.
Subject to the availability of funds appropriated therefor, the authority may contract with local EMS agencies to provide funding assistance to those agencies for planning, organizing, implementing, and maintaining regional emergency medical services systems.
In addition, the authority may provide special funding to multicounty EMS agencies which serve rural areas with extensive tourism, as determined by the authority, to reduce the burden on the rural EMS agency of providing the increased emergency medical services required due to that tourism.
Each local or multicounty EMS agency receiving funding pursuant to this section shall make a quarterly report to the authority on the functioning of the local EMS system. The authority may continue to transfer appropriated funds to the local EMS agency upon satisfactory operation.
Amended by Stats. 2000, Ch. 157, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 2001.
(a)The director may develop, or prescribe standards for and approve, an emergency medical technician training and testing program for the Department of the California Highway Patrol, Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, California Fire Fighter Joint Apprenticeship Committee, and other public safety agency personnel, upon the request of, and as deemed appropriate by, the director for the particular agency.
(b)The director may, with the concurrence of the Department of the California Highway Patrol, designate the California Highway Patrol Academy as a site where the training and testing may be offered.
(c)The director may prescribe that each person, upon successful completion of the training course and upon passing a written and a practical examination, be certified as an emergency medical technician of an appropriate classification. A suitable identification card may be issued to each certified person to designate that person’s emergency medical skill level.
(d)The director may prescribe standards for refresher training to be given to persons trained and certified under this section.
(e)The Department of the California Highway Patrol shall, subject to the availability of federal funds, provide for the initial training of its uniformed personnel in the rendering of emergency medical technician services to the public in specified areas of the state as designated by the Commissioner of the California Highway Patrol.
Added by Stats. 1983, Ch. 191, Sec. 4. Effective July 11, 1983.
The Legislature finds that programs funded through the authority are hindered by the length of time required for the state process to execute approved contracts and payment of vendor claims. These programs include, but are not limited to, general fund assistance to rural multicounty EMS agencies and dispersal of federal grant moneys for EMS systems development to local EMS agencies. This hardship is particularly felt by new or rural community based EMS agencies with modest reserves and cash flow problems. It is the intent of the Legislature that advance payment authority be established for the authority in order to alleviate such problems for those types of contractors to the extent possible.
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the authority may, to the extent funds are available, provide for advanced payments under any financial assistance contract which the authority determines has been entered into with any small, rural, or new EMS agency with modest reserves and potential cash flow problems, as determined by the authority. Such programs include, but are not limited to, local county or multicounty EMS agencies.
No advance payment or aggregate of advance payments made pursuant to this section shall exceed 25 percent of the total annual contract amount. No advance payment should be made pursuant to this section if the applicable federal law prohibits advance payment.