(a) There is created and established the Tennessee emergency medical services board by transfer and expansion of the duties and responsibilities of the EMS advisory council. The board consists of thirteen (13) members.
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Terms Used In Tennessee Code 68-140-303

  • Ambulance: means any privately or publicly owned land or air vehicle that is especially designed, constructed or modified and equipped and is intended to be used for and is maintained or operated for transportation upon the streets, highways or airways in this state for persons who are sick, injured, wounded, otherwise incapacitated, helpless, or in need of medical care. See Tennessee Code 68-140-302
  • Ambulance service: means the principal use of any privately or publicly owned ambulance for the transportation of injured or infirm persons. See Tennessee Code 68-140-302
  • Board: means the Tennessee emergency medical services board. See Tennessee Code 68-140-302
  • Commissioner: means the commissioner of health, the commissioner's duly authorized representative, or in the event of the commissioner's absence or a vacancy in the office of commissioner, the deputy commissioner. See Tennessee Code 68-140-302
  • Community paramedicine: means the practice by emergency medical services personnel, primarily in an out-of-hospital setting, that may include the provisions of such services as patient evaluation, advice, treatment directed at preventing or improving a particular medical condition, or referrals to other community resources, which may be provided occasionally or at irregular intervals. See Tennessee Code 68-140-302
  • Department: means the department of health. See Tennessee Code 68-140-302
  • Director: means the director of the division of emergency medical services of the department. See Tennessee Code 68-140-302
  • Emergency medical services personnel: means individuals certified or licensed by the emergency medical services board in accordance with various categories and classifications of licenses or certificates that the board establishes. See Tennessee Code 68-140-302
  • License: means an authorization to a person to provide ambulance services. See Tennessee Code 68-140-302
  • Member: means a member of the Tennessee emergency medical service board. See Tennessee Code 68-140-302
  • Person: means any individual, association, organization or any other business entity, either profit or nonprofit, any state or local governmental entity, and federal agencies to the extent permitted by federal law. See Tennessee Code 68-140-302
  • Practice: means the exercise of principles and skills for effective emergency medical care under medical direction recognized as acts and responsibilities within the discipline of emergency medical services. See Tennessee Code 68-140-302
  • Quorum: The number of legislators that must be present to do business.
  • Reporter: Makes a record of court proceedings and prepares a transcript, and also publishes the court's opinions or decisions (in the courts of appeals).
  • Representative: when applied to those who represent a decedent, includes executors and administrators, unless the context implies heirs and distributees. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
  • Service: means the provision of organized response by ambulances or emergency response vehicles, or the provision of emergency care on an organized basis. See Tennessee Code 68-140-302
  • signed: includes a mark, the name being written near the mark and witnessed, or any other symbol or methodology executed or adopted by a party with intention to authenticate a writing or record, regardless of being witnessed. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
  • State: means the state of Tennessee. See Tennessee Code 68-140-302
  • written: includes printing, typewriting, engraving, lithography, and any other mode of representing words and letters. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
  • Year: means a calendar year, unless otherwise expressed. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
(b) Effective July 1, 2023, the existing membership of the Tennessee emergency medical services board is vacated and reconstituted, with the members of the board to be appointed by the governor as follows:

(1) One (1) physician licensed in this state who acts as the medical director of an ambulance service in this state;
(2) One (1) air-medical registered nurse with an EMS license (emergency medical technician (EMT) or paramedic) in this state;
(3) One (1) representative who is an administrator from a hospital that operates an ambulance service and is licensed to practice in this state under title 63 or this title;
(4) One (1) paramedic who is the director of a private ambulance service in this state;
(5) One (1) paramedic who is the director of a government-based ambulance service in this state;
(6) One (1) paramedic with medical first response or transport responsibilities who is employed by an ambulance service in this state;
(7) One (1) administrator with a paramedic license who is employed by a fire service in this state that operates a medical first response service or ambulance service;
(8) One (1) paramedic with medical first responder or transport responsibilities that is employed by a fire service in this state;
(9) One (1) official of a county in this state that operates an ambulance service or medical first response service;
(10) One (1) rescue squad member who maintains licensure as emergency medical services personnel;
(11) One (1) program director of an accredited paramedic program taught at an institution of higher education in this state;
(12) One (1) paramedic that is an instructor, coordinator, or program director for an EMT or paramedic program that is taught at an EMS agency in this state; and
(13) A paramedic that holds a community paramedicine endorsement in this state, or a paramedic employed by an agency providing mobile integrated healthcare (MIH) services in this state.
(c) In order to stagger the terms of the newly appointed board members, the governor shall make initial appointments as follows:

(1) The persons appointed under subdivisions (b)(1)-(4) are appointed for terms of one (1) year, which expire on June 30, 2024;
(2) The persons appointed under subdivisions (b)(5)-(7) are appointed for terms of two (2) years, which expire on June 30, 2025;
(3) The persons appointed under subdivisions (b)(8)-(10) are appointed for terms of three (3) years, which expire on June 30, 2026; and
(4) The persons appointed under subdivisions (b)(11)-(13) are appointed for terms of four (4) years, which expire on June 30, 2027.
(d) Members serving on the board as of June 30, 2023, may be reappointed to serve as members after such date.
(e)

(1) Members, except as provided in subsection (c) and those appointed to complete the term of a former member, are appointed to full four-year terms, or until their successors are appointed. In making appointments to the board, the governor shall strive to ensure that at least one (1) member serving on the board is sixty (60) years of age or older, that at least one (1) person serving on the board is a member of a racial minority, and the membership on the board reflects the geographic diversity of the state.
(2) Following the expiration of the members’ initial terms as prescribed in subsection (c), all four-year terms begin on July 1, and terminate on June 30, four (4) years thereafter. Vacancies must be filled by appointment of the governor.
(f) The chair must be a member who is elected by the board. The chair may certify the actions of the board.
(g)

(1) The board shall meet at the call of the chair. The chair shall convene at least two (2) meetings per year, and shall convene such other meetings as are necessary to transact the business of the board, or upon receipt of a written request signed by three (3) or more members of the board. Seven (7) members of the board constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at meetings.
(2)

(A) A member who misses more than fifty percent (50%) of the scheduled meetings in a calendar year must be removed as a member of the board.
(B) The emergency medical services director shall promptly notify, or cause to be notified, the appointing authority of a member who fails to satisfy the attendance requirement as prescribed in subdivision (g)(2)(A).
(h) The members of the board must be paid a per diem of fifty dollars ($50.00) for attending board meetings and must be reimbursed for their travel expenses incurred in attending board meetings, ad hoc committee activities, or other travel incurred in the performance of their official duties, in accordance with the comprehensive travel regulations as promulgated by the department of finance and administration and approved by the attorney general and reporter.
(i) The department shall provide administrative services to the board.
(j) The board shall keep accurate minutes of the proceedings of all its meetings, a copy of which must be kept on file in the office of the director and open to public inspection. Rules adopted by the board must be promulgated pursuant to the Uniform Administrative Procedures Act, compiled in title 4, chapter 5.
(k) The commissioner shall appoint the director of the division of emergency medical services within the department.
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