To amend sections 4742.02, 4742.03, 4742.04, 4742.05, and 4742.06, to amend, for the purpose of adopting new section numbers as shown in parentheses, sections 4742.02 (4742.03), 4742.03 (4742.04), 4742.04 (4742.05), 4742.05 (4742.06), and 4742.06 (4742.07), and to enact new section 4742.02 of the Revised Code to require certification of emergency service telecommunicators and modify training requirements.

Section 1.  That sections 4742.02, 4742.03, 4742.04, 4742.05, and 4742.06 be amended, that sections 4742.02 (4742.03), 4742.03 (4742.04), 4742.04 (4742.05), 4742.05 (4742.06), and 4742.06 (4742.07) be amended for the purpose of adopting new section numbers as shown in parentheses, and that new section 4742.02 of the Revised Code be enacted to read as follows:

Sec. 4742.02.  No emergency service provider shall employ an emergency service telecommunicator who is not certified under section 4742.04, 4742.05, or 4742.07 of the Revised Code.

Sec. 4742.02 4742.03.  (A) The state board of education, in conjunction with emergency service providers, shall develop a program to provide emergency service telecommunicator training, and shall implement the program not more than one year after the effective date of this section November 5, 1997. In developing the program, the state board and the emergency service providers shall accept and consider suggestions from any political subdivision or other entity, whether located within or outside of this state, that offers suggestions. The program shall include all of the following:

(1) A curriculum for a basic course of emergency service telecommunicator training that conforms to the requirements of division (A) of section 4742.03 4742.04 of the Revised Code;

(2) A curriculum for continuing education coursework in emergency service telecommunicator training that conforms to the requirements of division (B)(C) of section 4742.03 4742.04 of the Revised Code;

(3) Standards and examinations to be used in the program to certify that a person has successfully completed a basic course of, or continuing education coursework in, emergency service telecommunicator training;

(4) Implementation of the training program at vocational education centers that are approved by the board to offer vocational education;

(5) The provision at least eight times per year of a basic course of emergency service telecommunicator training at different vocational education centers around this state selected to reasonably accommodate persons requesting the training;

(6) A requirement that any employee of an emergency service provider may enroll in and complete any course offered under the program at no charge by the state board to the employee or provider. The tuition and materials costs for training such employees under the program shall be paid from the emergency service telecommunicator training fund created under division (B) of this section.

(7) A requirement that space available in each basic course offered by the state board shall be allocated on a priority basis, first to unpaid volunteers of emergency service providers, second to paid volunteers of such providers, and third to other persons;

(8) A provision allowing persons who are not employees of emergency service providers to enroll in any course offered under the program, on a space-available basis. The state board may charge reasonable tuition to such persons to attend the course.

(B) The emergency service telecommunicator training fund is hereby established in the state treasury. The state board of education shall use money in the fund only for the following purposes:

(1) To develop the emergency service telecommunicator training program required under division (A) of this section;

(2) To pay the compensation of state board of education employees who administer the program and the state board's costs of training employees of emergency service providers at courses offered under the program.

(C) The state board of education, in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code, shall adopt rules necessary to develop and administer the training program under this section.

Sec. 4742.03 4742.04.  (A) A person may obtain certification as an emergency service telecommunicator by successfully completing a basic course of emergency service telecommunicator training that is conducted by the state board of education under section 4742.02 4742.03 of the Revised Code. The basic course of emergency service telecommunicator training shall include, but not be limited to, both of the following:

(1) At least Between forty and sixty hours of instruction or training that, at minimum, conform to the project 33 revised minimum training standards for public safety telecommunicators of the association of public-safety communications officials;

(2) Instructional or training units in all of the following subjects:

(a) The role of the emergency service telecommunicator;

(b) Effective communication skills;

(c) Emergency service telecommunicator liability;

(d) Telephone techniques;

(e) Requirements of the "Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990," 104 Stat. 327, 42 U.S.C. 12101, as amended, that pertain to emergency service telecommunicators;

(f) Handling hysterical and suicidal callers;

(g) Protocol for submerged-vehicle situations and other situations where an individual's life is immediately endangered;

(h) Law enforcement terminology;

(h)(i) Fire service terminology;

(i)(j) Emergency medical service terminology;

(j)(k) Emergency call processing guides for law enforcement;

(k)(l) Emergency call processing guides for fire service;

(l)(m) Emergency call processing guides for emergency medical service;

(m)(n) Radio broadcast techniques;

(n)(o) Disaster planning;

(o)(p) Police officer survival, fire or emergency medical service scene safety, or both police officer survival and fire or emergency medical service scene safety.

(B) In developing protocol required under division (A)(2)(g) of this section, the state board of education shall consult training requirements established for all of the following:

(1) For peace officers, under section 109.74 of the Revised Code;

(2) For emergency medical service personnel, as defined in section 4765.01 of the Revised Code;

(3) For firefighters, as established by the firefighter and fire safety inspector training committee of the state board of emergency medical services created under section 4765.04 of the Revised Code.

(C) A person may maintain certification as an emergency service telecommunicator by successfully completing at least eight hours of continuing education coursework in emergency service telecommunicator training during each two-year period after a person first obtains the certification referred to in division (A) of this section. The continuing education coursework shall consist of review and advanced training and instruction in the subjects listed in division (A)(2) of this section.

(C)(D) If a person successfully completes the basic course of emergency service telecommunicator training described in division (A) of this section, the state board of education or a designee of the board shall certify the person's successful completion. The board shall send a copy of the certification to the person and to the emergency service provider by whom the person is employed.

If a person successfully completes the continuing education coursework described in division (B)(C) of this section, the state board of education or a designee of the board shall certify the person's successful completion. The board shall send a copy of the certification to the person and to the emergency service provider by whom the person is employed.

Sec. 4742.04 4742.05.  (A) A person may obtain certification as an emergency service telecommunicator by successfully completing a basic course of emergency service telecommunicator training that is conducted by or under the direction of an emergency service provider. Prior to such a course being conducted, the emergency service provider shall certify that the course meets the requirements of division (A) of section 4742.03 4742.04 of the Revised Code. If a person successfully completes the course, the emergency service provider shall certify the person's successful completion.

(B) A person may maintain certification as an emergency service telecommunicator by successfully completing continuing education coursework in emergency service telecommunicator training that is conducted by or under the direction of an emergency service provider. Prior to such coursework being conducted, the emergency service provider shall certify that the coursework meets the requirements of division (B)(C) of section 4742.03 4742.04 of the Revised Code. If a person successfully completes the coursework, the emergency service provider shall certify the person's successful completion.

(C) Upon certification of a person under division (A) or (B) of this section, the emergency service provider that certifies the person shall send a copy of the certification to the person and to the emergency service provider by whom the person is employed unless the emergency service provider certifying the person is the person's employer.

Sec. 4742.05 4742.06.  (A) A career school that holds a valid certificate of registration from the state board of career colleges and schools may apply to the state board of education for certification of a basic course of emergency service telecommunicator training or of continuing education coursework in emergency service telecommunicator training. The state board of education shall prescribe the form of the application.

(B) Upon receipt of an application, the state board of education shall review it and consider whether the proposed course or coursework meets the requirements of division (A) or (B)(C) of section 4742.03 4742.04 of the Revised Code concerning course length and content. If the proposed course or coursework meets those requirements, the state board of education shall issue a certification of that fact to the career school. Inclusion of on-site verifiable electronic training as part of a proposed basic or continuing education course shall not be a reason for the state board to deny certification.

(C) If, after receiving a certification from the state board of education under this section, the career school changes the approved course or coursework, the prior certification is canceled and the career school shall apply to the state board of education for certification of the changed course or coursework.

Sec. 4742.06 4742.07.  (A) A person may obtain certification as an emergency service telecommunicator by successfully completing a basic course of emergency service telecommunicator training that is conducted by a career school that has obtained certification of that course from the state board of education under section 4742.05 4742.06 of the Revised Code. If a person successfully completes the course, the career school shall certify the person's successful completion.

(B) A person may maintain certification as an emergency service telecommunicator by successfully completing continuing education coursework in emergency service telecommunicator training that is conducted by a career school that has obtained certification of that coursework from the state board of education under section 4742.05 4742.06 of the Revised Code. If a person successfully completes the coursework, the career school shall certify the person's successful completion.

(C) Upon certification of a person's successful completion under division (A) or (B) of this section, the career school shall send a copy of the certification to the person and to the emergency service provider that employs the person.

(D) Tuition and materials costs for a person enrolled in a certified basic or continuing education course conducted by a career school shall be paid by the person, an emergency service provider, or any other entity on behalf of the person or an emergency service provider.

Section 2.  That existing sections 4742.02, 4742.03, 4742.04, 4742.05, and 4742.06 of the Revised Code are hereby repealed.