Emergency Medical Services - Vehicles and Ambulances - Required Supplies, the official text

WES MOORE, Governor                                 Ch. 282

Chapter 282

                   (Senate Bill 159)

AN ACT concerning

Emergency Medical Services – Vehicles and Ambulances – Required Supplies,
                                         Reviews, and Complaints

FOR the purpose of requiring the Executive Director of the Maryland Institute for
         Emergency Medical Services Systems to coordinate, with a certain program, the
         minimum equipment, supplies, and medications to be available on emergency
         medical services vehicles; requiring each county and municipality that operates or
         contracts emergency medical services to conduct quarterly reviews of certain data
         and to certify completion of each review; requiring each county to establish and
         maintain a formal complaint filing system regarding ambulance quality, conduct, or
         compliance; and generally relating to emergency medical services vehicles and
         ambulances.

BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments,
         Article – Education
         Section 13–501(a), (f), and (g)
         Annotated Code of Maryland
         (2022 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement)

BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments,
         Article – Education
         Section 13–510
         Annotated Code of Maryland
         (2022 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement)

BY adding to
         Article – Education
         Section 13–519
         Annotated Code of Maryland
         (2022 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement)

         SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND,
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows:

                   Article – Education

13–501.

(a) In this subtitle the following words have the meanings indicated.

(f) “EMS Board” means the State Emergency Medical Services Board.
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Ch. 282  2026 LAWS OF MARYLAND

         (g) “Institute” means the Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Services
Systems.

13–510.

         In accordance with the Emergency Medical System plan and other relevant policies
adopted by the EMS Board, the Executive Director shall:

                  (1) Coordinate a statewide system of emergency medical services;

                  (2) Coordinate the five emergency medical service regions in this State;

                  (3) Coordinate the planning and operation of emergency medical services
with the federal, State, and county governments;

                  (4) Coordinate the training of all personnel in the Emergency Medical
Services System and develop the necessary standards for their certification or licensure;

                  (5) Coordinate programs of research and education that relate to
emergency medical services;

                  (6) Coordinate the development of centers for treating emergency injuries
and illnesses;

                  (7) Coordinate the development of specialty referral centers for
resuscitation, treatment, and rehabilitation of the critically ill and injured;

                (8) COORDINATE, WITH THE JURISDICTIONAL EMERGENCY MEDICAL
SERVICES OPERATING PROGRAM PROGRAMS, THE MINIMUM EQUIPMENT,
SUPPLIES, AND MEDICATIONS, INCLUDING EQUIPMENT, SUPPLIES, AND
MEDICATIONS NEEDED FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD CARE, INCLUDING NEONATAL CARE,

TO BE AVAILABLE ON EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES VEHICLES WITH THE

FEDERAL, STATE, AND COUNTY GOVERNMENTS;

                [(8)] (9) Work closely with the public and private agencies, health care
institutions and universities involved with emergency medical services, the Emergency
Medical Services Advisory Council, and the Medical Management Consultant Group;

                [(9)] (10) Administer State and federal funds for emergency medical
services in this State;

                [(10)] (11) Work closely with the Maryland Fire and Rescue Institute, which
is responsible for basic training for emergency medical technicians;

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WES MOORE, Governor  Ch. 282

                [(11)] (12) Assure continued improvement of transportation for emergency,
critically ill, and injured patients by supporting the goals of career and volunteer systems
throughout this State; and

                [(12)] (13) Implement all programmatic, operational, and administrative
components of the Institute.

13–519.

        (A) (1) IN THIS SECTION, “AMBULANCE” MEANS ANY CONVEYANCE
DESIGNED AND CONSTRUCTED OR MODIFIED AND EQUIPPED TO BE USED,
MAINTAINED, OR OPERATED TO TRANSPORT SICK, INJURED, WOUNDED, OR
OTHERWISE INCAPACITATED INDIVIDUALS.

                (2) “AMBULANCE” INCLUDES A CONVEYANCE DESIGNED AND
CONSTRUCTED OR MODIFIED AND EQUIPPED FOR AEROMEDICAL TRANSPORT.

        (B) (1) EACH COUNTY AND MUNICIPALITY THAT OPERATES OR
CONTRACTS EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES SHALL:

                         (I) CONDUCT QUARTERLY REVIEWS OF AMBULANCE
PERFORMANCE DATA PUBLISHED BY THE INSTITUTE;

                         (II) CERTIFY COMPLETION OF EACH REVIEW; AND

                         (III) SUBMIT A SUMMARY OF EACH REVIEW TO THE INSTITUTE.

                (2) A REVIEW CONDUCTED UNDER PARAGRAPH (1)(I) OF THIS
SUBSECTION SHALL:

                         (I) ASSESS:

                                 1. RESPONSE TIMES;

                                 2. SERVICE QUALITY; AND

                                 3. COMPLIANCE WITH INSTITUTE STANDARDS;

                         (II) IDENTIFY TRENDS AND DEFICIENCIES IN SERVICES; AND

                         (III) ALLOW A COUNTY OR MUNICIPALITY TO ADOPT
CORRECTIVE MEASURES AND MAKE OPERATIONAL ADJUSTMENTS.

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Ch. 282  2026 LAWS OF MARYLAND

        (C) (1) EACH COUNTY SHALL ESTABLISH AND MAINTAIN A FORMAL
COMPLAINT FILING SYSTEM TO RECEIVE, INVESTIGATE, AND RESOLVE COMPLAINTS
REGARDING AMBULANCE QUALITY, CONDUCT, OR COMPLIANCE.

                (2) THE FORMAL COMPLAINT FILING SYSTEM SHALL:

                         (I) BE ACCESSIBLE ONLINE AND IN PERSON;

                         (II) INCLUDE TRACKING, INVESTIGATION TIMELINES, AND
NOTIFICATIONS; AND

                         (III) REPORT COMPLAINT DATA AND RESOLUTIONS QUARTERLY
TO THE INSTITUTE.

         SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July
1, 2026.

Approved by the Governor, April 28, 2026.

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