Bill No.: HB0146                  Drafter:  JWL

LSO No.:  09LSO-0236              Effective Date:

Enrolled Act No.:  HEA0094

Chapter No.:       147

Prime Sponsor: Representative Steward

Catch Title: Emergency medical services sustainability trust.

Subject:  Creates a new program to assess and improve EMS services.

Summary/Major Elements: This act:

· Creates the emergency medical services sustainability trust ("EMSST") and EMSST income account to be administered by the Department of Health;

· Provides for needs assessment grant applications from interested persons, groups and political subdivisions in local EMS service areas;

· Requires $5,000 local matching funds for assessment grants;

· Authorizes the Department to contract for EMS needs assessments, including a description of existing services, strengths, weaknesses and coverage gaps and the development of an EMS master plan for the service area;

· Identifies components of EMS master plans;

· Provides for and establishes requirements for EMS master plan implementation grants to counties, EMS joint powers boards and EMS special districts.

Comments:

· Creates the Emergency Medical Services Sustainability Trust and grant program.

· Requires an annual report from Dept. of Health to Joint Labor Committee on program expenditures and recommendations for program changes.

· Appropriates $500,000 tobacco settlement funds to the trust account and $50,000 to the income account for the EMS program.

· Immediate effective date.