BILL ANALYSIS

S.B. 901

By: Hegar

Public Health

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Interested parties note that there is a concern that ambulances obtained using certain grant money may be prematurely sold without proper oversight.  S.B. 901 seeks to address this issue by establishing provisions relating to approval from the Department of State Health Services for disposal of ambulances purchased with certain grant funds.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

S.B. 901 amends the Health and Safety Code, in certain provisions of law relating to the funding of county and regional emergency medical services, designated trauma facilities, and trauma care systems, to prohibit a grant recipient, before the fourth anniversary of the date an applicable grant is awarded, from disposing of an ambulance for which the total costs of purchasing the ambulance were paid only from applicable awarded grants unless the grant recipient obtains the prior approval of the Department of State Health Services.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2011.