32.1-111.10 - State Emergency Medical Services Advisory Board; purpose; membership; duties; reimbursement of expenses; staff support.

§ 32.1-111.10. State Emergency Medical Services Advisory Board; purpose;membership; duties; reimbursement of expenses; staff support.

A. There is hereby created in the executive branch the State EmergencyMedical Services Advisory Board for the purpose of advising the State Boardof Health concerning the administration of the statewide emergency medicalcare system and emergency medical services vehicles maintained and operatedto provide transportation to persons requiring emergency medical treatment,and for reviewing and making recommendations on the Statewide EmergencyMedical Services Plan. The State Emergency Medical Services Advisory Boardshall be composed of 28 members appointed by the Governor as follows: onerepresentative each of the Virginia Municipal League, Virginia Association ofCounties, Virginia Hospital and Healthcare Association, and each of the 11regional emergency medical services councils; one member each from theMedical Society of Virginia, Virginia Chapter of the American College ofEmergency Physicians, Virginia Chapter of the American College of Surgeons,Virginia Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, Emergency NursesAssociation or the Virginia Nurses' Association, Virginia State FirefightersAssociation, Virginia Fire Chief's Association, a Virginia professionalfirefighter, Virginia Ambulance Association, Virginia Association ofGovernmental Emergency Medical Services Administrators, and VirginiaAssociation of Public Safety Communications Officials; two representatives ofthe Virginia Association of Volunteer Rescue Squads, Inc.; and one consumerwho shall not be involved in or affiliated with emergency medical services inany capacity. Each organization and group shall submit three nominees fromamong which the Governor may make appointments. Of the three nomineessubmitted by each of the regional emergency medical services councils, atleast one nominee shall be a representative of providers of prehospital care.Any person appointed to the Advisory Board shall be a member of theorganization that he represents. To ensure diversity in the organizations andgroups represented on the Advisory Board, the Governor may request additionalnominees from the applicable organizations and groups. However, the Governorshall not be bound to make any appointment from among any nomineesrecommended by such organizations and groups.

The members of the Advisory Board shall not be eligible to receivecompensation; however, the State Health Department shall provide funding forthe reimbursement of expenses incurred by members of the Advisory Board inthe performance of their duties.

B. Appointments to the Advisory Board shall be for terms of three years orthe unexpired portions thereof in a manner to preserve insofar as possiblethe representation of the specified groups. No member shall serve more thantwo successive terms. No person representing any organization or group namedin subsection A who has served as a member of the State Emergency MedicalServices Advisory Board for two or more successive terms for any period orfor six or more consecutive years shall be nominated for appointment orappointed to the Advisory Board unless at least three consecutive years haveelapsed since the person has served on the Advisory Board.

The chairman shall be elected from the membership of the Advisory Board for aterm of one year and shall be eligible for reelection. The Advisory Boardshall meet at least four times annually at the call of the chairman or theCommissioner.

C. The State Emergency Medical Services Advisory Board shall:

1. Advise the State Board of Health on the administration of this article;

2. Review and make recommendations for the Statewide Emergency MedicalServices Plan and any revisions thereto;

3. Review the annual financial report of the Virginia Association ofVolunteer Rescue Squads, as required by § 32.1-111.13; and

4. Review, on a schedule as it may determine, reports on the status of allaspects of the statewide emergency medical care system, including theFinancial Assistance and Review Committee, the Rescue Squad Assistance Fund,the regional emergency medical services councils, and the emergency medicalservices vehicles, submitted by the State Office of Emergency MedicalServices.

D. The State Health Department's Office of Emergency Medical Services shallprovide staff support to the State Emergency Medical Services Advisory Board.

(1996, cc. 899, 1017; 1997, c. 446; 1999, c. 1000; 2003, cc. 836, 852, 1033;2005, cc. 112, 506.)