Subcommittee backs bill to move state EMS office to governor-appointed council amid provider concerns

Representative Leverett told the subcommittee that House Bill 1446 (LC600331S) would transfer the State EMS office out of the Department of Public Health and place it under a governor-appointed council administratively attached to the Department of Community Health. "It basically would move it up under its a council or a board that would be appointed by the governor," Leverett said, adding the council would exercise rule-making authority subject to the Administrative Procedures Act and assume existing EMS functions, contracts and staff.

Leverett and supporters said the change is intended to give practicing EMS professionals direct input into licensing, training and standards and to align EMS oversight with agencies that pay ambulance services for Medicaid. He said the bill does not aim to change ambulance-zone determinations or daily operational rules and that personnel would transfer to the new council rather than be replaced.

Public commenters expressed caution. Kim Littleton, executive director of the Georgia EMS Association, asked for more time to vet the lengthy bill (she referenced roughly 63 pages) and raised questions about possible provisions affecting upper payment limits and zoning policies that the association had not fully polled its members on. "We certainly... want to continue ongoing conversations," Littleton told the committee and urged the legislature to avoid unintended consequences.

Jake Lones of Puckett EMS (Priority Ambulance family) told the committee he has 30 years of experience and warned that "EMS is a dying industry," citing low reimbursement rates, response-time challenges and other structural pressures; he urged collaboration and statutory updates, including tort reform. Leverett and witnesses clarified that the Department of Public Health does not set reimbursement rates and that federal fee schedules and CMS processes are central to payment rates; Leverett said it was not his intent for the council to change existing rate-setting mechanisms.

After discussion and public comment, the subcommittee adopted the substitute and gave HB1446 a 'due pass' recommendation to the full committee; the chair scheduled the bill for the full committee at 2:00 p.m.

The hearing record did not include specific budget numbers for the administrative shift or a detailed timeline for implementation beyond the transfer of duties described in the bill.