By:  Duncan                                           S.B. No. 1564
         2001S0572/2                            
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to the funding of emergency medical services by
 1-3     municipalities with a population of more than 5,000 in counties
 1-4     with a population of less than 60,000.
 1-5           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-6           SECTION 1.  Subtitle F, Title 2, Health and Safety Code, is
 1-7     amended by adding Chapter 123 to read as follows:
 1-8           CHAPTER 123.  FUNDING FOR EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES BY
 1-9                           CERTAIN MUNICIPALITIES
1-10           Sec. 123.001.  MUNICIPALITIES COVERED BY CHAPTER.  This
1-11     chapter applies only to a municipality that:
1-12                 (1)  has a population of 5,000 or more;
1-13                 (2)  provides services through full-time employees of
1-14     the emergency medical services department of the municipality's
1-15     fire department;
1-16                 (3)  is not within a district that otherwise provides
1-17     emergency medical services; and
1-18                 (4)  is within a county with a population of less than
1-19     60,000.
1-20           Sec. 123.002.  AUTHORITY TO ASSESS FEE FOR THE PROVISION OF
1-21     EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES.  (a)  The governing body of a
1-22     municipality subject to this chapter may levy or assess a fee by
1-23     ordinance in an amount not to exceed $2 per month to be paid by
1-24     persons to whom water, sewer, gas, or electrical services are
1-25     provided by the municipality.  The fee, if imposed, shall be
 2-1     collected in the same manner as any other utility payment collected
 2-2     by the municipality.
 2-3           (b)  A fee imposed under this section must be enacted by
 2-4     ordinance.
 2-5           Sec. 123.003.  COLLECTION AND USE OF FUNDS.  Funds collected
 2-6     by a municipality under this chapter must be accounted for in a
 2-7     separate proprietary fund.  The funds collected may be used only
 2-8     for the provision of emergency medical services within the
 2-9     municipality or the county in which the municipality is located.
2-10           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2001.