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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to reports regarding the provision of emergency ground |
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ambulance services in counties. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Chapter 774, Health and Safety Code, is amended |
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by adding Section 774.005 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 774.005. COUNTY SELF-ASSESSMENT OF PROVISION OF |
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EMERGENCY GROUND AMBULANCE SERVICES. (a) Each county shall assess |
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the emergency ground ambulance services provided in that county |
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from all sources that respond to 9-1-1 or other emergency calls and |
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provide primary emergency response. |
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(b) The executive commissioner of the Health and Human |
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Services Commission, in consultation with the commissioner of state |
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health services, shall adopt rules governing the self-assessment |
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required by this section. At minimum, the rules must require each |
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county, in the county's self-assessment, to address: |
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(1) the minimum training, licensing, or certification |
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of ambulance personnel; |
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(2) the staffing of ambulances in the county; |
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(3) the types of vehicles used as ambulances in the |
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county; |
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(4) the type of advanced life support or basic life |
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support, as defined by Section 773.003, that ambulance personnel |
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provide; |
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(5) the local deployment plan for ground ambulance |
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services; and |
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(6) other information determined by the executive |
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commissioner as necessary for inclusion in the county's |
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self-assessment of emergency ground ambulance services. |
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(c) A county or municipality may establish reporting |
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standards for emergency ground ambulance services that are stricter |
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than those adopted under this section. |
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(d) A county may adopt an order requiring all ambulance |
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providers that respond to 9-1-1 or other emergency calls in the |
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county and provide primary emergency response to submit to the |
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county information to enable the county to comply with this |
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section. |
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(e) A county, emergency services district, or other entity |
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may operate an emergency ground ambulance service that is operated |
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in accordance with federal laws, the laws of this state, and other |
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state and local rules. |
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(f) Not later than March 1 of each year, each county shall |
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publish a report on the availability of emergency ground ambulance |
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services within the county during the previous calendar year based |
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on the county's self-assessment using factors adopted by the |
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executive commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission |
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under Subsection (b) or by the county under Subsection (c). The |
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county shall provide the report to the Department of State Health |
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Services, make the report available on the county's Internet |
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website, and annually publish a summary of the report, together |
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with the address of the website containing the report, in a |
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newspaper of general circulation in the county. If the county does |
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not operate a website, the county shall publish the report annually |
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in a newspaper of general circulation in the county. |
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SECTION 2. (a) The executive commissioner of the Health and |
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Human Services Commission, in consultation with the commissioner of |
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state health services, shall adopt rules as required by Section |
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774.005, Health and Safety Code, as added by this Act, not later |
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than January 1, 2010. |
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(b) Notwithstanding Section 774.005(e), Health and Safety |
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Code, as added by this Act, a county is not required to publish a |
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report as required by that section before March 1, 2011. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2009. |