Adds to existing law to establish the EMS Personnel Licensure Interstate Compact.

In 2012, the National Association of State EMS Officials convened a workgroup to explore an EMS licensure interstate compact. The result of a two year drafting process is the Recognition of EMS Personnel Licensure Interstate Compact (REPLICA). The Idaho EMS bureau was chosen to represent state EMS officials on the REPLICA drafting team. Being a member of the drafting team presented a unique opportunity to assure that the compact is a good fit for Idaho's needs. REPLICA is similar to compacts that exist for Physicians, Nursing, driver's licenses and others. The requirements that an individual must meet in order to obtain a license to practice EMS vary considerably from state to state. This variability between states makes state-to-state EMS licensure reciprocityvirtuallyimpossible. Thetworequirementsthathaveproventobethebiggestchallenges to reciprocity are the certification examination and the criminal history background check. The lack of standardization amongst states on just these two requirements makes it difficult for the EMS bureau to assure that an out-of-state EMS provider meets the minimum requirements for EMS personnel licensure in Idaho. In order to assure that out-of-state licensure candidates meet the minimumrequirements,theymustsubmittoafullbackgroundcheckaswellaspassthecertification examination before they are issued an Idaho EMS license. REPLICA allows for the Idaho EMS bureautoparticipateintherulesandgovernanceoftheCommissionthatmanagesREPLICA.Some of the benefits of Idaho's membership in REPLICA include legal recognition for licensed EMS personnel from Idaho and other member states to legally provide EMS at large-scale emergencies such as wild land fires; allowing licensed EMS personnel from communities along the Idaho border to legally provide EMS in both bordering member states without having to maintain licensure in both states; and providing licensure reciprocity for EMS personnel who move to Idaho from a member state without having to undergo a