Tex. Health & Safety Code Section 773.050
Minimum Standards


(a)

Each basic life-support emergency medical services vehicle when in service must be staffed by at least two individuals certified as emergency care attendants or certified at a higher level of training.

(b)

The executive commissioner by rule shall establish minimum standards for:

(1)

staffing an advanced life-support emergency medical services vehicle, a mobile intensive-care unit, or a specialized emergency medical services vehicle;

(2)

emergency medical services personnel certification and performance, including provisional certification, certification, decertification, recertification, suspension, emergency suspension, and probation;

(3)

the approval of courses and training programs, the certification of program instructors, examiners, and course coordinators for emergency medical services personnel training, and the revocation and probation of an approval or certification;

(4)

examinations of emergency medical services personnel;

(5)

medical supervision of basic and advanced life-support systems;

(6)

granting, suspending, and revoking a license for emergency medical services providers; and

(7)

emergency medical services vehicles.

(c)

The executive commissioner shall consider the education, training, criminal background, and experience of allied health professionals in adopting the minimum standards for emergency medical services personnel certification and may establish criteria for interstate reciprocity of emergency medical services personnel. Each out-of-state application for certification must be accompanied by a nonrefundable fee of not more than $120. The executive commissioner may also establish criteria for out-of-country emergency medical services personnel certification. Each out-of-country application for certification must be accompanied by a nonrefundable fee of not more than $180.

(c-1)

In this subsection, “United States military” means the United States Army, the United States Navy, the United States Air Force, the United States Marine Corps, the United States Coast Guard, any reserve or auxiliary component of any of those services, or the National Guard. The executive commissioner by rule shall provide that an individual is eligible for emergency medical services personnel certification through reciprocity if the individual:

(1)

successfully completed emergency medical services training provided by the United States military;

(2)

has emergency medical services personnel credentials from the United States military; and

(3)

is certified by the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians.

(d)

The executive commissioner may not adopt a rule that requires any system, service, or agency to provide advanced life-support or staffing beyond basic life-support levels except for providers of:

(1)

advanced life-support emergency medical services;

(2)

mobile intensive care; or

(3)

specialized emergency medical services.

(e)

The executive commissioner shall adopt minimum standards for recognition of first responder organizations.

(f)

The executive commissioner shall recognize, prepare, or administer continuing education programs for certified personnel. A certificate holder must participate in the programs to the extent required by the executive commissioner to remain certified.

(g)

Rules adopting minimum standards under this section shall require:

(1)

an emergency medical services vehicle to be equipped with an epinephrine auto-injector device or similar device to treat anaphylaxis; and

(2)

emergency medical services personnel to complete continuing education training in the administration of anaphylaxis treatment.

(h)

The department may provide a prescreening criminal history record check for an emergency medical services personnel applicant to determine the applicant’s eligibility to receive certification before enrollment in the educational and training requirements mandated by the executive commissioner. The executive commissioner by rule may prescribe a reasonable fee for the costs associated with prescreening to charge each applicant who requests prescreening. The department shall collect the prescribed fee.

(i)

The department may develop and administer at least twice each calendar year a jurisprudence examination to determine the knowledge that an applicant for an emergency medical services provider license or emergency medical services personnel certification has of this chapter, department rules, and any other applicable laws affecting the applicant’s activities regulated under this chapter. Department rules must specify who must take the examination on behalf of an entity applying for an emergency medical services provider license.

(j)

Consistent with rules adopted under Section 773.112 (Rules), the executive commissioner by rule shall require that each applicable emergency medical services provider have a plan for providing a dialysis patient who places an emergency 9-1-1 telephone call during a declared disaster an alternative mode of transportation directly to and from an outpatient end stage renal disease facility if the patient’s normal and alternative modes of transportation cannot be used during the disaster. An emergency medical services provider’s plan under this subsection may prioritize providing transportation for a patient suffering from an acute emergency condition over transportation for a dialysis patient. For purposes of this subsection:

(1)

“Disaster” has the meaning assigned by Section 418.004 (Definitions), Government Code. The term includes a disaster declared by:

(A)

the president of the United States under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. Section 5121 et seq.); and

(B)

the governor under Section 418.014 (Declaration of State of Disaster), Government Code.

(2)

“End stage renal disease facility” has the meaning assigned by Section 251.001 (Definitions).
Acts 1989, 71st Leg., ch. 678, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1989. Amended by Acts 1991, 72nd Leg., ch. 14, Sec. 250, eff. Sept. 1, 1991; Acts 1991, 72nd Leg., ch. 605, Sec. 3, eff. Sept. 1, 1991; Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 251, Sec. 1, eff. May 23, 1993; Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 915, Sec. 7, eff. Aug. 28, 1995; Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 1411, Sec. 19.02, eff. Sept. 1, 1999; Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 198, Sec. 2.84(a), eff. Sept. 1, 2003.
Amended by:
Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1079 (H.B. 2827), Sec. 2, eff. June 15, 2007.
Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 1149 (H.B. 2845), Sec. 2, eff. September 1, 2009.
Acts 2013, 83rd Leg., R.S., Ch. 970 (H.B. 1960), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2013.
Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1 (S.B. 219), Sec. 3.1527, eff. April 2, 2015.
Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1226 (S.B. 1899), Sec. 2, eff. June 19, 2015.
Acts 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., Ch. 966 (S.B. 2133), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2023.

Source: Section 773.050 — Minimum Standards, https://statutes.­capitol.­texas.­gov/Docs/HS/htm/HS.­773.­htm#773.­050 (accessed May 11, 2024).

773.001
Short Title
773.002
Purpose
773.003
Definitions
773.004
Vehicles and Personnel Excluded from Chapter
773.006
Fund for Emergency Medical Services, Trauma Facilities, and Trauma Care Systems
773.007
Supervision of Emergency Prehospital Care
773.008
Consent for Emergency Care
773.009
Limitation on Civil Liability
773.011
Subscription Programs
773.012
Advisory Council
773.013
Peer Assistance Program
773.014
Administration of Epinephrine by Emergency Medical Services Personnel
773.015
Identification of Certain Patients Receiving Emergency Prehospital Care
773.016
Duties of Emergency Medical Services Personnel
773.017
Use of Certain External Motor Vehicle Markings or Features Prohibited
773.021
State Plan
773.022
Service Delivery Areas
773.023
Area Plans
773.024
Federal Programs
773.025
Accessibility of Training
773.041
License or Certificate Required
773.042
Basic Life-support Emergency Medical Services Provider Qualifications
773.0043
Fire Fighter Exemption for Certain Patients
773.043
Advanced Life-support Emergency Medical Services Provider Qualifications
773.044
Mobile Intensive-care Provider Qualifications
773.0045
Temporary Exemptions for Emergency Medical Services Personnel Practicing in Rural Area
773.045
Specialized Emergency Medical Services Provider Qualifications
773.046
Emergency Care Attendant Qualifications
773.047
Emergency Medical Technician Qualifications
773.048
Advanced Emergency Medical Technician Qualifications
773.049
Emergency Medical Technician--paramedic Qualifications
773.050
Minimum Standards
773.051
Municipal Regulation
773.052
Variances
773.054
Applications for Personnel Certification and Training Program Approval
773.055
Certification of Emergency Medical Services Personnel
773.056
Approval of Training Programs
773.057
Emergency Medical Services Providers License
773.058
Volunteers Exempt from Fees
773.059
Late Recertification
773.060
Disposition of Funds
773.061
Disciplinary Actions
773.062
Emergency Suspension
773.063
Civil Penalty
773.064
Criminal Penalties
773.065
Administrative Penalty
773.066
Assessment of Administrative Penalty
773.067
Payment of Administrative Penalty
773.069
Recovery of Administrative Penalty by Attorney General
773.070
Denial of Certification or Licensure for Failure to Provide Certain Criminal History Record Information
773.071
Fees
773.091
Confidential Communications
773.092
Exceptions
773.093
Consent
773.094
Injunction
773.095
Records and Proceedings Confidential
773.096
Immunity for Committee Members
773.111
Legislative Findings
773.112
Rules
773.113
Duties of Department
773.114
System Requirements
773.115
Trauma Facilities
773.116
Fees
773.117
Denial, Suspension, or Revocation of Designation
773.119
Grant Program
773.120
Acceptance of Gifts
773.122
Payments from the Accounts
773.123
Control of Expenditures from Accounts
773.124
Loss of Funding Eligibility
773.141
Definitions
773.142
Application of Subchapter
773.143
Provision of Medical Information
773.144
Training Programs
773.0145
Possession and Administration of Epinephrine by Certain Entities
773.145
Medical Information
773.146
Limitation on Civil Liability
773.147
Fees
773.171
Emergency Medical Services for Children Program
773.173
Rules
773.201
Legislative Intent
773.202
Definitions
773.203
Stroke Committee
773.204
Duties of Stroke Committee
773.205
Rules
773.251
Definitions
773.252
Establishment of Program
773.253
Rules
773.254
Application by Emergency Medical Services Provider
773.255
Educational Curriculum
773.256
Administrative Support
773.257
Grants
773.0415
Limitation on Information Required for Certificate Renewal
773.0495
Licensed Paramedic Qualifications
773.0496
Scope of Emergency Medical Technician-paramedic and Licensed Paramedic Duties
773.0505
Rules Regarding Advertising or Competitive Bidding
773.0551
Disease Prevention and Preparedness Information on Certification of Emergency Medical Services Personnel
773.0571
Requirements for Provider License
773.0572
Provisional Licenses
773.0573
Letter of Approval from Local Governmental Entity
773.0581
Providers Exempt from Fees
773.0605
Complaints and Investigations
773.0611
Inspections
773.0612
Access to Records
773.0613
Information Report to Department
773.0614
Authority to Revoke, Suspend, Disqualify For, or Deny Certification of Emergency Medical Services Personnel for Certain Criminal Offenses
773.0615
Factors Considered in Suspension, Revocation, or Denial of Certificate
773.0616
Proceedings Governed by Administrative Procedure Act
773.0617
Notice and Review of Suspension, Revocation, Disqualification For, or Denial of Certification
773.1141
Information, Guidelines, and Protocols Related to Certain Patient Transfers and Related Services
773.1151
Use of Telemedicine Medical Service by Certain Trauma Facilities
773.05711
Additional Emergency Medical Services Provider License Requirements
773.05712
Administrator of Record
773.05713
Report to Legislature
773.05715
Physical Location Required
773.05716
Necessary Equipment
773.06141
Suspension, Revocation, or Denial of Emergency Medical Services Provider License

Accessed:
May 11, 2024

§ 773.050’s source at texas​.gov