Legislative declaration

(1) The general assembly hereby finds that: (a) The department has responsibility for oversight of the emergency medical and trauma services system and the certification or licensure of emergency medical service providers. Emergency medical service providers are certified or licensed by the department to provide treatment and transport to the sick and injured. (b) Emergency medical responders are the part of the emergency medical and trauma services system who answer emergency calls, provide effective and immediate care to ill and injured patients, prepare the scene for the arrival of the ambulance and emergency medical service providers, and provide assistance to emergency medical service providers as directed; (c) Most emergency medical responders perform their duties in an ethical and professional manner; (d) It is in the interests of the citizens of this state that a voluntary process exists whereby individuals may register their training and status as an emergency medical responder with the state; and (e) It is in the public interest to place the voluntary registration of emergency medical responders within the state department that has statutory responsibility for the statewide emergency medical and trauma services system. (2) Therefore, it is the intent of the general assembly to: (a) Transfer the oversight of emergency medical responders, formerly known as first responders, from the department of public safety to the department of public health and environment; and (b) Fund the oversight of the voluntary registration program through the highway users tax fund established in section 42-3-304 (21), C.R.S., in order to avoid cost-prohibitive registration fees.