Right Column

PRWORA Requirements

Paramedic Licensure Requirements For Documentation Of Citizenship Status

This is to advise you that there is a new requirement for paramedic licensure which took effect April 17, 1998. Specifically, paramedic license holders and applicants are now required to submit to the EMS Authority, one-time, documentation showing proof that the paramedic license holder or applicant is either a citizen or national of the United States or is an alien who meets all eligibility requirements to receive paramedic licensure, which is considered a public benefit.

This new requirement is contained in State regulations (Chapter 5, Division 9, Title 22, California Code of Regulations). These regulations were adopted because states are required to implement the changes specified in federal law, Section 411 of Title IV of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA), effective August 22, 1996, as amended by Division C, the Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996, of the Omnibus Consolidated Appropriations Act, 1997. This federal law eliminates certain public benefits to individuals who are not citizens or nationals of the United States or are not aliens who meet specific eligibility requirements. Professional licensing, including paramedic licensure, is among the public benefits affected by PRWORA.

Every paramedic license applicant is required to complete the attached Form IS-01 and submit it, along with one piece of required documentation as specified on pages 4 through 8 of the attached Form IS-01, to the EMS Authority with your Paramedic License Application. The required documentation submitted to the EMS Authority must be a certified copy (such as a certified copy of a birth certificate that you may obtain through the County Recorders Office in the county in which you were born), an original document, or a copy of the original (excluding birth certificates) with a statement signed by the paramedic and notarized by a Notary Public, stating, "I (paramedic's name) certify that this is a true and correct copy of the original (document)." You are required to submit this documentation prior to being issued a paramedic license. If you submit an original document and want it returned, you must enclose a letter requesting that the document be returned to you. Please include the name and address in the letter to which you want the document returned.

If you have any questions regarding this requirement for paramedic licensure, please contact the staff of the Paramedic Program Unit of the EMS Authority by writing to the address shown above or calling (916) 323-9875. In addition, the State regulations implementing this licensure requirement can be viewed on the EMS Authority's web page www.emsa.ca.gov.