SB 77 South Dakota Senate · 2025 Regular Session

update terminology related to ambulance operators.

SB 77 updates terminology related to ambulance operators in South Dakota by modernizing the language used in state laws to reflect current industry standards. The bill directly affects ambulance service providers, medical personnel, and government agencies that regulate emergency medical services. Key provisions revise specific terms in existing statutes to ensure consistency with contemporary terminology while maintaining the original intent of the regulations. This change aims to improve clarity and accuracy in legal documents without altering the substantive requirements for ambulance operations.
Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Feb 2025
Committee Review
Feb 2025
Senate Passage
Jan 2025
House Passage
Mar 2025
Signed into Law
Mar 2025
Introduced Feb 3, 2025 Signed Mar 13, 2025
Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Introduced Enrolled · 5 edits · Mar 4, 2025
MODERATE
This bill updates terminology and regulatory requirements for ambulance operators and emergency medical services personnel in South Dakota. It modernizes language to align with current emergency medical standards and clarifies roles, certifications, and operational rules for first responders.
Scope change
The bill expands clarity on who qualifies as an ambulance operator and first responder, and updates definitions to reflect current emergency medical service classifications.
DEFINITION

Updated terminology for emergency medical services personnel and ambulance operators to align with current national standards and certification levels.

REQUIREMENT

Clarified staffing requirements for ambulance runs, specifying that each must include either an emergency medical technician or advanced life support personnel, plus a certified ambulance operator.

Added provisions for community paramedic endorsements and critical care endorsements, establishing educational and training requirements for these roles.

ELIGIBILITY

Refined the definition of 'first responder' to include individuals responding to emergency calls as part of a licensed ambulance service.

ENFORCEMENT

Maintained existing blue light usage restrictions while clarifying authorization requirements for emergency vehicles.

Floor votes · Senate Jan 30, 2025

How they voted

350
Passed
Total votes 35
Jan 30, 2025
D Democratic3
3 Yea
100% Yea
R Republican32
32 Yea
100% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
15
Key actions
9
Committee
3
Mar 13, 2025
Signed into law
Signed by the Governor on 2025-03-13 S.J. 529
executive
Mar 5, 2025
Lower · Passed
Signed by the Speaker H.J. 470
lower
Mar 4, 2025
Lower · Passed
Signed by the President S.J. 443
lower
Mar 3, 2025
Lower · Passed
House of Representatives Do Pass , Passed, YEAS 68, NAYS 1 H.J. 436
lower
Feb 27, 2025
Lower · Passed
Certified uncontested, placed on consent , Passed,
lower
Feb 27, 2025
Lower · Passed
Health and Human Services Do Pass , Passed, YEAS 12, NAYS 0
lower
Feb 3, 2025
Introduced
First read in House and referred to H.J. 172
lower
Jan 30, 2025
Upper · Passed
Senate Do Pass , Passed, YEAS 35, NAYS 0 S.J. 143
upper
Jan 29, 2025
Upper · Passed
Certified uncontested, placed on consent , Passed, S.J. 1
upper
Jan 29, 2025
Upper · Passed
Health and Human Services Do Pass , Passed, YEAS 7, NAYS 0 S.J. 1
upper
Jan 21, 2025
Committee
Referred to S.J. 63
upper
2 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors