By: Uresti  S.B. No. 2081
         (In the Senate - Filed March 13, 2009; March 31, 2009, read
  first time and referred to Committee on Intergovernmental
  Relations; April 21, 2009, reported adversely, with favorable
  Committee Substitute by the following vote:  Yeas 5, Nays 0;
  April 21, 2009, sent to printer.)
 
  COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 2081 By:  Gallegos
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
 
  relating to reports regarding the provision of emergency ground
  ambulance services in counties.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Chapter 774, Health and Safety Code, is amended
  by adding Section 774.005 to read as follows:
         Sec. 774.005.  COUNTY SELF-ASSESSMENT OF PROVISION OF
  EMERGENCY GROUND AMBULANCE SERVICES. (a)   Each county shall
  assess the emergency ground ambulance services provided in that
  county from all sources that respond to 9-1-1 or other emergency
  calls and provide primary emergency response.
         (b)  The executive commissioner of the Health and Human
  Services Commission, in consultation with the commissioner of state
  health services, shall adopt rules governing the self-assessment
  required by this section.  At minimum, the rules must require each
  county, in the county's self-assessment, to address:
               (1)  the minimum training, licensing, or certification
  of ambulance personnel;
               (2)  the staffing of ambulances in the county;
               (3)  the types of vehicles used as ambulances in the
  county;
               (4)  the type of advanced life support or basic life
  support, as defined by Section 773.003, that ambulance personnel
  provide;
               (5)  the local deployment plan for ground ambulance
  services; and
               (6)  other information determined by the executive
  commissioner as necessary for inclusion in the county's
  self-assessment of emergency ground ambulance services.
         (c)  A county or municipality may establish reporting
  standards for emergency ground ambulance services that are stricter
  than those adopted under this section.
         (d)  A county may adopt an order requiring all ambulance
  providers that respond to 9-1-1 or other emergency calls in the
  county and provide primary emergency response to submit to the
  county information to enable the county to comply with this
  section.
         (e)  A county, emergency services district, or other entity
  may operate an emergency ground ambulance service that is operated
  in accordance with federal laws, the laws of this state, and other
  state and local rules.
         (f)  Not later than March 1 of each year, each county shall
  publish a report on the availability of emergency ground ambulance
  services within the county during the previous calendar year based
  on the county's self-assessment using factors adopted by the
  executive commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission
  under Subsection (b) or by the county under Subsection (c).  The
  county shall provide the report to the Department of State Health
  Services, make the report available on the county's Internet
  website, and annually publish a summary of the report, together
  with the address of the website containing the report, in a
  newspaper of general circulation in the county. If the county does
  not operate a website, the county shall publish the report annually
  in a newspaper of general circulation in the county.
         SECTION 2.  (a)  The executive commissioner of the Health
  and Human Services Commission, in consultation with the
  commissioner of state health services, shall adopt rules as
  required by Section 774.005, Health and Safety Code, as added by
  this Act, not later than January 1, 2010.
         (b)  Notwithstanding Subsection (f), Section 774.005, Health
  and Safety Code, as added by this Act, a county is not required to
  publish a report as required by that subsection before March 1,
  2011.
         SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
  a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
  provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
  Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
  Act takes effect September 1, 2009.
 
  * * * * *