HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

150th GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HOUSE BILL NO. 163

AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 16 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO EMS COMPANY VOLUNTEERS.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE:

Section 1. Amend § 9809A, Title 16 of the Delaware Code by making deletions as shown by strike through and insertions as shown by underline as follows:

§ 9809A Criminal background checks.

(a) A person seeking certification as a paramedic shall apply to the Board using forms prescribed by the Board and shall submit to the State Office of Emergency Medical Services necessary information in order to obtain the following:

(1) A report of the individual's entire criminal history record from the State Bureau of Identification or a statement from the State Bureau of Identification that the State Bureau of Identification Central Repository contains no such information relating to that person.

(2) A report of the individual's entire federal criminal history record from the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The State Bureau of Identification shall be the intermediary for the purposes of this section and the Office shall be the screening point for the receipt of said federal criminal history records.

(b) Upon receipt of necessary information pursuant to subsection (a) of this section, the Office shall acquire and review the state and federal criminal history records for the applicant and may interview the applicant. If the Office determines that the applicant meets the requirements of this section and of its regulations, it shall issue a recommendation to the Board regarding the certification of the applicant in accordance with the provisions of the Medical Practice Act, Chapter 17 of Title 24.

(c) The office must recommend denial of certification to an applicant whose conduct would constitute a crime substantially related to the practice of medicine as set forth in § 1731 of Title 24.

(d) The Board may waive any of the requirements of this section as set forth in § 1720 of Title 24.

(e) Certificates issued pursuant to this section shall be valid for a period as determined by the Board and may be renewed after reconsideration, which may include an interview, if the holder meets the requirements set forth in the regulations of the Board. The Board may decertify any paramedic at any time it determines that the person no longer meets the qualifications prescribed for certification.

(f) Information obtained pursuant to subsection (b) of this section is confidential and shall not be disclosed under any circumstances except:

(1) The State Bureau of Identification may release any subsequent criminal history to the Office of Emergency Medical Services or the Board of Medical Licensure and Discipline when properly requested; and

(2) All information that has been forwarded to the Office pursuant to this section shall be reviewed with the person seeking certification pursuant to this section upon the person's request.

(g) Costs associated with obtaining criminal history information pursuant to this section from the State Bureau of Identification and the Federal Bureau of Investigation shall be borne by the applicant , except that no applicant who is a member of a Delaware volunteer EMS company shall be charged any fee or cost for obtaining criminal history information from the State Bureau of Identification associated with the application .

(h)(1) A person seeking certification as a paramedic through the New Castle County paramedic service is exempted from the provisions of subsections (a) and (b) of this section; provided, however, that the criminal history background check and review procedures employed by the New Castle County paramedic service are found to be at least as restrictive as those contained in this section. For the purposes of any criminal history background check or review conducted pursuant to regulations promulgated pursuant to this subsection, the State Bureau of Identification shall be the intermediary and the New Castle County Department of Police Paramedic Service shall be the screening point for the receipt of said federal criminal history records. The New Castle County Department of Police may designate any or all of the other divisions or offices therein as a screening point for the receipt of said federal criminal history records.

(2) A person seeking certification as a paramedic who is presently employed as a law-enforcement officer in this State and who was subject to a review of the person's own entire criminal history background at the time the person began employment as a law-enforcement officer in this State is exempted from the provisions of subsections (a) and (b) of this section if, at the time of the prior criminal history background check, no items described in paragraph (b)(1) of this section [repealed] appeared as part of the person's criminal history background.

(i) A person seeking certification pursuant to this section who knowingly provides false, incomplete or inaccurate criminal history information, or who otherwise knowingly violates the provisions of this section, shall be guilty of a class G felony and shall be punished according to Chapter 42 of Title 11.

SYNOPSIS

Individuals who volunteer their services through stand-alone EMS companies have been a valuable part of public safety to the citizens of the State of Delaware. To try to bolster the ranks of these volunteers, this bill exempts anyone applying for membership of a volunteer EMS company from paying the cost of a background check done by the State of Delaware Bureau of Identification.