FOR AN ACT ENTITLED, An Act to provide for the certification of emergency medical responders.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF SOUTH DAKOTA:
    Section 1. That § 34-11-2 be amended to read:
    34-11-2. Terms used in §§ 34-11-2 to 34-11-10, inclusive, mean:

            (1)    "Air ambulance," an aircraft, fixed wing, or helicopter, that is designated or can be quickly modified to provide transportation of wounded, injured, sick, invalid, or incapacitated human beings or expectant mothers;

            (2)    "Ambulance," a vehicle for emergency care with a driver compartment and a patient compartment, carrying all equipment and supplies needed to provide emergency medical technician-basic level emergency care at the scene and enroute to an appropriate medical facility;

            (3)    "Ambulance service," any person or organization licensed to provide emergency medical services and patient transport;

            (4)    "Emergency medical responder," any person certified by the Department of Health

trained to provide simple, noninvasive care focused on lifesaving interventions for critical patients. The emergency medical responder renders on site emergency care while awaiting additional emergency medical services response from an emergency medical technician or higher level personnel. An emergency medical responder may not make decisions independently regarding the appropriate disposition of a patient;

            (5)    "License," the permit to provide ambulance service;

            (5)(6)    "Licensing agency," the Department of Health;

            (6)(7)    "Operator," any person or entity who has a license from the licensing agency to provide ambulance service.
    Section 2. That chapter 34-11 be amended by adding a NEW SECTION to read:

    No person may practice as an emergency medical responder or represent himself or herself as an emergency medical responder unless the person possesses a certification from the department. The department shall promulgate rules, pursuant to chapter 1-26, for the application, qualifications, issuance, and renewal of a certification of an emergency medical responder. A certification issued under this section shall be renewed every two years.