Title 36 — PROFESSIONS AND OCCUPATIONS

Terms used in this chapter mean: (1) "Advanced life support," a level of emergency care consisting of basic life support procedures and definitive therapy; (2) "Advanced life support personnel," a person licensed by the board as: (a) An emergency medical technician-intermediate/8…

Source: SL 1978, ch 269 , § 13; SL 1992, ch 268 , § 7; SL 2004, ch 17 , § 233; SL 2015, ch 277 (Ex. Ord. 15-1), § 33, eff. Apr. 20, 2015; SL 2024, ch 153 , § 31.

Source: SL 1978, ch 269 , § 14; SL 1992, ch 268 , § 8; SL 2024, ch 153 , § 32.

The board may withdraw or deny approval of any educational program if the program fails to comply with the provisions of §

The board shall, by rule promulgated pursuant to chapter 1-26 : (1) Establish the educational and practical criteria and requirements for licensure as: (a) An emergency medical responder; (b) An emergency medical technician; (c) An emergency medical technician-intermediate/85; (d…

In addition to the requirements referenced in § 36-4B-13 , an applicant for licensure as an emergency medical technician or advanced life support personnel shall submit to a state and federal criminal background check. The applicant shall provide a full set of fingerprints to the…

The board may require a licensee who is the subject of a disciplinary investigation to submit to a fingerprint-based state and federal criminal background check. The board may suspend or revoke a license for the licensee's failure to submit to or cooperate with the background che…

The board may issue a license to an individual who: (1) Has passed the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians examination; (2) Meets all other requirements of this chapter for the license sought; and (3) Holds current licensure in another state or current certificatio…

Except as otherwise provided in this section, advanced life support personnel must, through the use of direct and indirect control, be supervised by a physician licensed in accordance with chapter 36-4 . If advanced life support personnel are affiliated with an ambulance service …

An emergency medical technician - intermediate/99 may: (1) Respond to, assess, and triage non-urgent, urgent, and emergent requests for medical care; (2) Apply basic and focused advanced knowledge and skills necessary to provide patient care transportation; (3) Perform interventi…

An emergency medical technician - intermediate/85 may: (1) Respond to, assess, and triage non-urgent, urgent, and emergent requests for medical care; (2) Apply basic and focused advanced knowledge and skills necessary to provide patient care transportation; (3) Perform interventi…

An advanced emergency medical technician may: (1) Respond to, assess, and triage nonurgent, urgent, and emergent requests for medical care; (2) Apply basic and focused advanced knowledge and skills necessary to provide patient care transportation; (3) Perform interventions with t…

An emergency medical responder may: (1) Provide initial emergency care, consisting of first aid and basic life support to a patient at the scene of an emergency; and (2) Assist an emergency medical technician or advanced life support personnel both at the scene of an emergency an…

An emergency medical technician may, in addition to any services provided by an emergency medical responder, provide pre-hospital emergency care that includes interventions using basic equipment, typically found in an ambulance, and necessary to stabilize and safely transport pat…

A paramedic may: (1) Respond to, assess, and triage nonurgent, urgent, and emergent requests for medical care; (2) Apply basic and focused advanced knowledge and skills necessary to determine patient physiologic, psychological, and psychosocial needs; (3) Perform interventions wi…

Source: SL 1978, ch 269 , § 18; SL 1992, ch 268 , § 13; SL 2003, ch 198 , § 6; SL 2024, ch 153 , § 33.

A critical care endorsement is hereby created. The board shall issue the endorsement to any person who is licensed as a paramedic and: (1) Completes the educational requirements and training, in critical care transport, approved by the board and promulgated in accordance with sec…

A community paramedic endorsement is hereby created. The board may issue a community paramedic endorsement to an individual who is licensed as a paramedic and: (1) Completes the education requirements and training approved by the board and promulgated in accordance with § 36-4B-3…

A person who holds a community paramedic endorsement shall practice in accordance with protocols and supervisory standards established by the board in accordance with §

Nothing in this chapter shall authorize advanced life support personnel to perform those specific functions and duties delegated by law to those persons licensed as chiropractors under chapter 36-5 , optometrists under chapter 36-7 , podiatrists under chapter 36-8 or pharmacists …

The board shall administer a program for emergency medical services personnel, in accordance with this chapter. Source: SL 1978, ch 269 , § 2; SL 2024, ch 153 , § 2.

If emergency medical services personnel render services in a hospital or other healthcare facility licensed pursuant to chapter 34-12 , they are subject to the policies and protocols of that hospital or facility. Source: SL 1978, ch 269 , § 20; SL 2024, ch 153 , § 19.

No person, licensed and authorized pursuant to this chapter may be liable for any civil damages for any act or omission in connection with services given outside a hospital where the life of a patient is in immediate danger, unless the act or omission is inconsistent with the per…

No agency, organization, institution, corporation, or entity of state or local government that sponsors, authorizes, supports, finances or supervises the functions of emergency medical service personnel is liable for any civil damages for any act or omission in connection with th…

No principal, agent, contractor, employee or representative of an agency, organization, institution, corporation, or entity of state or local government that sponsors, authorizes, supports, finances or supervises the functions of emergency medical services personnel is liable for…

A physician, nurse practitioner, or physician assistant who supervises emergency medical services personnel is not liable for any civil damages for any act or omission of the emergency medical services personnel, where the life of a patient is in immediate danger, unless the act …

No physician, who in good faith arranges for, requests, recommends or initiates the transfer of a patient from a hospital to a critical medical care facility in another hospital, may be liable for any civil damages as a result of such transfer where sound medical judgment indicat…

An initial license issued to emergency medical services personnel in accordance with this chapter expires on April thirtieth in the second calendar year after issuance and every two years thereafter. In order to renew a license, emergency medical services personnel must submit to…

Source: SL 1978, ch 269 , § 27; SL 1992, ch 268 , § 15; SL 2003, ch 198 , § 8; SL 2024, ch 153 , § 34.

The board shall suspend any license not renewed within the time required, as set forth in §

The board shall promulgate rules pursuant to chapter 1-26 to establish fees for emergency medical services personnel as follows: (1) Initial licensure, not more than fifty dollars; (2) Licensure by reciprocity, not more than seventy-five dollars; (3) Licensure renewal, not more t…

It is a Class 2 misdemeanor for any person not licensed in accordance with this chapter to purport to be, or practice as, an emergency medical services personnel. Each violation is a separate offense. Source: SL 1978, ch 269 , § 4; SL 1987, ch 268 , § 2; SL 2003, ch 198 , § 2; SL…

Any money coming in to the board each calendar month, including license fees, renewal fees, penalty fees, and any other payments, shall be paid by the board to the state treasurer by the tenth day of the next month. The state treasurer shall credit the money to the South Dakota B…

The board may deny the issuance or renewal of a license or certification, and may suspend or revoke a license or certification issued under this chapter, if the individual: (1) Procures or attempts to procure a license or certification through fraud, deceit, misrepresentation, or…

Any party feeling aggrieved by any act, ruling or decision of the board acting pursuant to § 36-4B-31 may appeal the same under the provisions of chapter 1-26 . Source: SL 1978, ch 269 , § 32; SL 1992, ch 268 , § 20.

Source: SL 1978, ch 269 , § 33; SL 1992, ch 268 , § 21; SL 2024, ch 153 , § 35.

Source: SL 1978, ch 269 , § 34; SL 1992, ch 268 , § 22; SL 2024, ch 153 , § 36.

For the purposes of §§ 36-4B-34.1 to 36-4B-34.4 , inclusive, a peer review committee is one or more persons, including an emergency medical technician at any level as described in this chapter, acting as an administrative or medical committee of a licensed health care facility or…

The proceedings, records, reports, statements, minutes, or any other data whatsoever of any committee described in § 36-4B-34.1 relating to peer review activities defined in § 36-4B-34.4 , are not subject to discovery or disclosure under chapter 15-6 or any other provision of law…

The provisions of § 36-4B-34.2 do not apply to any observation made at the time of treatment by a health care professional present during a patient's treatment or to patient records prepared during the treatment and care rendered to a patient who is personally or by personal repr…

For the purposes of §§ 36-4B-34.1 to 36-4B-34.4 , inclusive, peer review activity is the procedure by which a peer review committee monitors, evaluates, and recommends actions to improve the delivery and quality of services within its respective facility, agency, and profession, …

The board shall promulgate rules, pursuant to chapter 1-26 , to: (1) Provide for an application form and process for the licensure of emergency medical services personnel and the certification of ambulance operators; (2) Set forth criteria for educational and training program app…

Source: SL 1978, ch 269 , § 36; SL 1992, ch 268 , § 24; SL 2024, ch 153 , § 37.

The board shall appoint an emergency medical services personnel council composed of five members: (1) One emergency medical technician; (2) One emergency medical technician-intermediate/85, emergency medical technician-intermediate/99, or advanced emergency medical technician; (3…

Source: SL 2007, ch 208 , § 2; SL 2022, ch 102 , § 4.

Source: SL 2007, ch 208 , § 3; SL 2022, ch 102 , § 5.

Source: SL 1978, ch 269 , § 5; SL 1992, ch 268 , § 2; SL 2003, ch 198 , § 3; SL 2021, ch 172 , § 2.

Source: SL 2014, ch 178 , § 1, eff. Mar. 10, 2014; SL 2022, ch 102 , § 6.

The board may issue a certification as an ambulance operator to a person who: (1) Completes an emergency care course approved by the board; and (2) Applies on a form prescribed by the board. Source: SL 2024, ch 153 , § 30; SL 2025, ch 128 , § 7. Effective July 1, 2026

Any individual licensed or certified in accordance with this chapter must report any of the following occurrences to the board, within thirty days of the date of the occurrence: (1) Conviction or discipline for unprofessional conduct or dishonorable conduct, as defined in § 36-4-…