FIRST REGULAR SESSION
SENATE BILL NO. 619
91ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY
INTRODUCED BY SENATOR MATHEWSON.
Read 1st time March 1, 2001, and 1,000 copies ordered printed.
TERRY L. SPIELER, Secretary.
2194S.02I
AN ACT
To repeal section 190.109, RSMo 2000, relating to emergency services, and to enact in lieu thereof one new section relating to the same subject, with an emergency clause.
Section A. Section 190.109, RSMo 2000, is repealed and one new section enacted in lieu thereof, to be known as section 190.109, to read as follows:
190.109. 1. The department shall, within a reasonable time after receipt of an application, cause such investigation as the department deems necessary to be made of the applicant for a ground ambulance license.
2. Any person that owned and operated a licensed ambulance on December 31, 1997, shall receive an ambulance service license from the department, unless suspended, revoked or terminated, for that ambulance service area which was, on December 31, 1997, described and filed with the department as the primary service area for its licensed ambulances on August 28, 1998, provided that the person makes application and adheres to the rules and regulations promulgated by the department pursuant to sections 190.001 to 190.245.
3. The department shall issue a new ground ambulance service license to an ambulance service that is not currently licensed by the department, or is currently licensed by the department and is seeking to expand its ambulance service area, except as provided in subsection 4 of this section, to be valid for a period of five years, unless suspended, revoked or terminated, when the director finds that the applicant meets the requirements of ambulance service licensure established pursuant to sections 190.100 to 190.245 and the rules adopted by the department pursuant to sections 190.001 to 190.245. In order to be considered for a new ambulance service license, an ambulance service shall submit to the department a letter of endorsement from each ambulance district or fire protection district that is authorized to provide ambulance service, or from each municipality not within an ambulance district or fire protection district that is authorized to provide ambulance service, in which the ambulance service proposes to operate. If an ambulance service proposes to operate in unincorporated portions of a county not within an ambulance district or fire protection district that is authorized to provide ambulance service, in order to be considered for a new ambulance service license, the ambulance service shall submit to the department a letter of endorsement from the county. Any letter of endorsement shall verify that the political subdivision has conducted a public hearing regarding the endorsement and that the governing body of the political subdivision has adopted a resolution approving the endorsement.
4. A contract between a political subdivision and a licensed ambulance service for the provision of ambulance services for that political subdivision shall expand, without further action by the department, the ambulance service area of the licensed ambulance service to include the jurisdictional boundaries of the political subdivision. The termination of the aforementioned contract shall result in a reduction of the licensed ambulance service's ambulance service area by removing the geographic area of the political subdivision from its ambulance service area, except that licensed ambulance service providers may provide ambulance services as are needed at and around the state fair grounds for protection of attendees at the state fair.
5. The department shall renew a ground ambulance service license if the applicant meets the requirements established pursuant to sections 190.001 to 190.245, and the rules adopted by the department pursuant to sections 190.001 to 190.245.
6. The department shall promulgate rules relating to the requirements for a ground ambulance service license including, but not limited to:
(1) Vehicle design, specification, operation and maintenance standards;
(2) Equipment requirements;
(3) Staffing requirements;
(4) Five-year license renewal;
(5) Records and forms;
(6) Medical control plans;
(7) Medical director qualifications;
(8) Standards for medical communications;
(9) Memorandums of understanding with emergency medical response agencies that provide advanced life support;
(10) Quality improvement committees; and
(11) Response time, patient care and transportation standards.
7. Application for a ground ambulance service license shall be made upon such forms as prescribed by the department in rules adopted pursuant to sections 190.001 to 190.245. The application form shall contain such information as the department deems necessary to make a determination as to whether the ground ambulance service meets all the requirements of sections 190.001 to 190.245 and rules promulgated pursuant to sections 190.001 to 190.245.
Section B. Because of the need to ensure the safety of attendees at the state fair the repeal and reenactment of section 190.109 is deemed necessary for the immediate preservation of the public health, welfare, peace and safety, and is hereby declared to be an emergency act within the meaning of the constitution, and the repeal and reenactment of section 190.109 shall be in full force and effect upon its passage and approval.