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S.B. 91 Enrolled

                 

EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICE PROVIDER

                 
AMENDMENTS

                 
2004 GENERAL SESSION

                 
STATE OF UTAH

                 
Sponsor: Scott K. Jenkins

                 
                  LONG TITLE
                  General Description:
                      This bill amends the definition of political subdivision in the Utah Emergency Medical
                  Services System Act.
                  Highlighted Provisions:
                      This bill:
                      .    amends the definition of political subdivision in the Utah Emergency Medical
                  Services System Act; and
                      .    makes technical amendments.
                  Monies Appropriated in this Bill:
                      None
                  Other Special Clauses:
                      This bill provides an immediate effective date.
                  Utah Code Sections Affected:
                  AMENDS:
                      26-8a-405.1, as enacted by Chapter 213, Laws of Utah 2003
                      26-8a-405.2, as enacted by Chapter 213, Laws of Utah 2003
                 
                  Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
                      Section 1. Section 26-8a-405.1 is amended to read:
                       26-8a-405.1. Selection of provider by political subdivision.
                      (1) For purposes of this section and Section 26-8a-405.2 :
                      (a) "911 ambulance or paramedic services" means either 911 ambulance service, or 911


                  paramedic service, or both and:
                      (i) means a 911 call received by a designated dispatch center that receives 911 or E911
                  calls; and
                      (ii) does not mean a seven digit telephone call received directly by an ambulance provider
                  licensed under this chapter;
                      (b) "political subdivision" means:
                      (i) a city or town located in a county of the first or second class as defined in Section
                  17-50-501 ;
                      (ii) a county of the first or second class;
                      (iii) the following districts or service areas located in a county of the first or second class:
                      (A) a special service district created under Title 17A, Chapter 2, Part 13, Utah Special
                  Service District Act;
                      (B) a local district created [after May 5, 2003] under Title 17B, Chapter 2, Local
                  Districts, for the purpose of providing fire protection, paramedic, and emergency services; and
                      (C) a county service area created [after May 5, 2003,] under Title 17A, Chapter 2, Part 4,
                  County Service Area Act, for the purpose of providing fire protection, paramedic, and emergency
                  services; or
                      (iv) areas coming together as described in Subsection [(3)] 26-8a-405.2 (2)(b)(ii).
                      (2) (a) Only an applicant approved under Section 26-8a-405 may respond to a request for
                  a proposal for 911 ambulance or paramedic services issued in accordance with Section
                  26-8a-405.2 by a political subdivision.
                      (b) A response to a request for proposal is subject to the maximum rates established by
                  the department under Section 26-8a-403 .
                      (c) A political subdivision may award a contract to an applicant for the provision of 911
                  ambulance or paramedic services:
                      (i) in accordance with Section 26-8a-405.2 ; and
                      (ii) subject to Subsection (3).
                      (3) (a) The department shall issue a license to an applicant selected by a political

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                  subdivision under Subsection (2) unless the department finds that issuing a license to that
                  applicant would jeopardize the health, safety, and welfare of the citizens of the geographic service
                  area.
                      (b) A license issued under this Subsection (3):
                      (i) is for the exclusive geographic service area approved by the department in accordance
                  with Subsection 26-8a-405.2 (3);
                      (ii) is valid for four years;
                      (iii) is not subject to a request for license from another applicant under the provisions of
                  Sections 26-8a-406 through 26-8a-409 during the four-year term, unless the applicant's license is
                  revoked under Section 26-8a-504 ; and
                      (iv) is subject to supervision by the department under Sections 26-8a-503 and 26-8a-504 .
                      (4) The provisions of Sections 26-8a-406 through 26-8a-409 do not apply to a license
                  issued under this section.
                      Section 2. Section 26-8a-405.2 is amended to read:
                       26-8a-405.2. Selection of provider -- Public bid -- Public convenience and necessity.
                      (1) (a) A political subdivision may contract with an applicant approved under Section
                  26-8a-404 to provide 911 ambulance or paramedic services for the geographic service area that is
                  approved by the department in accordance with Subsection (2), if the political subdivision
                  complies with the provisions of this section.
                      (b) The provisions of this section and Section 26-8a-405.1 do not require a political
                  subdivision to issue a request for proposal for ambulance or paramedic services. If a political
                  subdivision does not contract with an applicant in accordance with this section, the provisions of
                  Sections 26-8a-406 through 26-8a-409 apply to the issuance of a license for ambulance or
                  paramedic services in the geographic service area that is within the boundaries of the political
                  subdivision.
                      (c) (i) For purposes of this Subsection (1)(c):
                      (A) "local district" and "county service area" are defined in Subsection
                  26-8a-405.1(1)(b)(iii);

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                      (B) "participating municipality" means a city or town whose area is partly or entirely
                  included within a county service area or local district; and
                      (C) "participating county" means a county whose unincorporated area is partly or entirely
                  included within a county service area or local district.
                      (ii) A participating municipality or participating county may contract with a provider for
                  911 ambulance or paramedic service as provided in this section.
                      (iii) If the participating municipality or participating county contracts with a provider for
                  911 ambulance or paramedic services under this section:
                      (A) the county service area or local district is not obligated to provide the ambulance or
                  paramedic services that are included in the contract between the participating municipality or the
                  participating county and the 911 ambulance or paramedic provider;
                      (B) the county service area and local district may impose taxes and obligations within the
                  county service area or local district in the same manner as if the participating municipality or
                  participating county were receiving all services offered by the local district or county service area;
                  and
                      (C) the participating municipality's and participating county's obligations to the local
                  district or county service area are not diminished.
                      (2) (a) The political subdivision shall submit the request for proposal and the exclusive
                  geographic service area to be included in the request for proposal to the department for approval
                  prior to issuing the request for proposal. The department shall approve the request for proposal
                  and the exclusive geographic service area:
                      (i) unless the geographic service area creates an orphaned area; and
                      (ii) in accordance with Subsections (2)(b) and (c).
                      (b) The exclusive geographic service area may:
                      (i) include the entire geographic service area that is within the political subdivision's
                  boundaries;
                      (ii) include islands within or adjacent to other peripheral areas not included in the political
                  subdivision that governs the geographic service area; or

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                      (iii) exclude portions of the geographic service area within the political subdivision's
                  boundaries if another political subdivision or licensed provider agrees to include the excluded area
                  within their license.
                      (c) The proposed geographic service area for 911 ambulance or paramedic service must
                  demonstrate that non-911 ambulance or paramedic service will be provided in the geographic
                  service area, either by the current provider, the applicant, or some other method acceptable to the
                  department. The department may consider the effect of the proposed geographic service area on
                  the costs to the non-911 provider and that provider's ability to provide only non-911 services in
                  the proposed area.
                      (3) (a) (i) A political subdivision may select an applicant approved by the department
                  under Section 26-8a-404 to provide 911 ambulance or paramedic services by contract let to the
                  lowest, responsive, and responsible bidder after publication of notice at least once a week for
                  three consecutive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation published in the county, or if there
                  is no such newspaper, then after posting such notice for at least 20 days in at least five public
                  places in the county.
                      (ii) The applicants who are approved under Section 26-8a-405 and who are selected
                  under Subsection (3)(a)(i) may be the political subdivision issuing the request for proposal, or any
                  other public entity or entities, any private person or entity, or any combination thereof.
                      (b) A political subdivision may reject all of the bids.
                      (4) In seeking bids and awarding contracts under this section, a political subdivision:
                      (a) shall follow the provisions of Section 63-56-20;
                      (b) shall consider the public convenience and necessity factors listed in Subsections
                  26-8a-408 (2), (3), and (4);
                      (c) shall require the applicant responding to the bid to disclose how the applicant will
                  meet performance standards in the request for proposal;
                      (d) may not require or restrict an applicant to a certain method of meeting the
                  performance standards; and
                      (e) (i) shall require an applicant to submit the bid based on full cost accounting in

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                  accordance with generally accepted accounting principals; and
                      (ii) if the applicant is a governmental entity, in addition to the requirements of Subsection
                  (4)(e)(i), in accordance with generally accepted government auditing standards and in compliance
                  with the State of Utah Legal Compliance Audit Guide.
                      Section 3. Effective date.
                      If approved by two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, this bill takes effect
                  upon approval by the governor, or the day following the constitutional time limit of Utah
                  Constitution Article VII, Section 8, without the governor's signature, or in the case of a veto, the
                  date of veto override.

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