Perry’s bill funding ambulances for rural counties

The text as introduced · 695 words

2025S0114-1 02/14/25

By: Perry
S.B. No. 1377

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to a grant program to provide financial assistance to

qualified ambulance service providers in certain rural counties.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Subchapter Z, Chapter 130, Local Government

Code, is amended by adding Section 130.914 to read as follows:

Sec. 130.914. RURAL AMBULANCE SERVICE GRANT PROGRAM. (a)

In this section:

(1) "Grant program" means the rural ambulance service

grant program established by this section.

(2) "Qualified county" is a county that has a

population of 68,750 or less.

(3) "Qualified rural ambulance service provider"

means a private safety entity or public agency as those terms are

defined by Section 772.001, Health and Safety Code, licensed by the

Department of State Health Services to provide emergency medical

services and operating predominantly in a rural area.

(b) The comptroller shall establish and administer the

rural ambulance service grant program to support the state purpose

of ensuring adequate ground ambulance services by providing

financial assistance to qualified rural ambulance service

providers in qualified counties.

(c) Not later than the 30th day after the first day of a

qualified county's fiscal year, the county may submit a grant

application to the comptroller. A county may submit only one

application each fiscal year. If a county is awarded a grant under

this program, the county is ineligible to apply for an additional

grant.

(d) The comptroller may award a grant to a qualified county

using money appropriated to the comptroller for that purpose and

only in accordance with a contract between the comptroller and the

county that includes conditions providing the comptroller with

sufficient control to ensure the public purpose of providing

adequate ground ambulance services is accomplished. In awarding

grants, the comptroller shall consider:

(1) the distance from a qualified county's county seat

to the nearest Level I trauma facility; and

(2) the county's ability to otherwise obtain the money

necessary to provide adequate ground ambulance services.

(e) The comptroller may award a grant under this section

only in the following applicable amount:

(1) for a county with a population of less than 10,000,

an amount not to exceed $500,000; or

(2) for a county with a population between 10,000 and

68,750, an amount not to exceed $350,000.

(f) A qualified county awarded a grant under this section

may use or authorize the use of the grant money only to purchase

ambulances as provided by comptroller rule.

(g) A qualified county awarded a grant under this section

may not reduce the budget of the qualified rural ambulance service

provider for the county's next fiscal year following the fiscal

year of the grant award.

(h) The comptroller may disburse a grant award to a

qualified county before the county places an order for an

ambulance. The county shall purchase and take possession of an

ambulance with money awarded under the grant program not later than

the fifth anniversary of the date the county receives the money.

The comptroller shall adopt rules necessary to implement this

section, including rules to establish:

(1) a standardized application process, the form to

apply for a grant, and the manner of submitting the form;

(2) deadlines for:

(A) applying for a grant;

(B) disbursing grant money; and

(C) spending grant money;

(3) procedures for:

(A) monitoring the disbursement of grant money to

ensure compliance with this section; and

(B) requiring the return of grant money awarded

if a county fails to use the money for a purpose authorized by this

section; and

(4) the type of ground ambulance vehicles that may be

purchased with grant money.

SECTION 2. A qualified county, as defined by Section

130.914(a)(2), Local Government Code, as added by this Act, may

apply for a rural ambulance service grant on or after January 1,

2026.

SECTION 3. Not later than January 1, 2026, the comptroller

of public accounts shall establish and administer the rural

ambulance service grant program and adopt the rules necessary to

implement the program as required by Section 130.914, Local

Government Code, as added by this Act.

SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.